The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-03-18
A MUCH NEEDED ORDINANCE


nizes that need has been supplied and
there is a general feeling of satisfaction in
the air.
Just such a time is the present with
the passing of the coming ordinance
As near as The Citizen can ascertain,
chatting with city officials and real es-
tate men, every one likes the fact there is
now coming ordinance There have been
no complaints made to the City Council as
yet From all sides one hears that the or
dinance viii be supported by everyone.
A great deal of credit and praise goes
to Wallace Bryant Kirke, who was chair
man of the committee planning the coming
ordinance. Mr. Kirke states that without
the cooperation and laborious effort of
the rest of his committee the job would
have been impossible. The other commit
teenen were Franklin Albert, Jack Long,
Henry Brewer, William Demeritt, Charles
Ketchum, Curry Moreno, Vesey johnson
and Jim Roberts. In other growing cities
when like ordinance is planned, an ex-
pert is called in and paid sum well up in
the thousands Of dollars This amount Of
money was saved the city, the work dAAee
. at a time vhensit was rnSst nee9kd. -
most excellent job performed BY heAhar
working committee.
Zoning a city requires not oflhh Lee
ing the city as well distficted as possible
for the present, bat also preparing the
ground as far ahead as possible. Such
phases of the present ordinance as an in
dustrial district, for which Key West will
undoubtedly fight in the very near future,
recognition of the MartelIo Tower sec
ton as one of the most exclusive building
sites, banning of such eyesores as huge adj
vertising signs, and insisting on neat,
beautiful building, are commendable
features of the ordinance
There are still other matters in the
ordinance, however, on which the Council
and the zoning committee have not had
the opinion of the people.
The. Citizen joins with the City Coun--
eli in requesting that the coming map in
City Clerk Wallace Finders office be con-
suited BIZ everyone holding real estate or
who are interested in the matter. and all
questions concerning it be clearly broach-
ed There has been little use of the map
by the public.
A few deep grumblings have been
heard from certain sections Of the city,
but nothing has yet come out into the open.
This Is not healthy state of affairs These
objections. together with reasons for
them. should be presented to City Council
as soon as possible 1t Is much better to
know now how we stand on the ordinance
than to wait and when we most need the
coming laws, find that the eitizenry has at
last raised its objections and imperiled the
ordinance
This must not bel Key West must
have zoning lawsl
The ordinance is not as legally potent
as might be wished and viii not be until it
Is enacted into law BIZ TIE state iegisl4ure.
Meanwhile, however, The Citizen iskglad
to note that those whdT-ars- primo thRly,ys
concerned with property u Keg YES viii
do everything to support1 III dfdir mech
We must recognize. however. the general
tendency of business custom to get for It
self what it can. If the ordinance gets in
the way Of some one of Us so that the gain
may be over the costs Of fighting the ordi-
nance through the Circuit Court, it's a
cineh that the ''someone-of-usH may decide
to take the matter TO court
This is a time when the opinion of
the people must be known. This is a time
when that mass of opinion must be studied
~ the Council and coming committee. This
Is q time when the needs of the majority
must be given them. though it means sacri-
flee 20 others II IS time for many things.
but It Is time principally for actionl Act
We must. We cannot wait longer. and this
problem Of the coming ordinance pressingly
requires clear presentation Of objections