The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-06-27


Public Service rules are given
precedence in zoning ordinances,
on the basis that repair shops
might be added to exchanges
and make themselves thereby a
nuisance to home-like living, a
detriment to the neighborhood.
Once In effect, permanent
coming ordinance is decisive in
that it allows definite develop
rhent under definite conditions;
and what is not allowed in a
given zone cannot happen there.
else the law will lay on heavy
hands. Yet much leeway is Civ
en- in regard to existing struc-
lures, or peculiar conditions. A
large single house, for example,
situated in a section zoned for
single homes, may under permit
of the Board of Appeal, be re-
modelled into two-family dwell
ing, if thereby the owner can
make definite improvement to
his property and his purse.
"A board of appeal will become
a necessity; the building COM
missioner must not be saddled
down with the necessity of maxi
ing decisions in cases that need
arbitment; that is the duty of
Appeals.
Once in effect the permanent
zoning ordinance relieves the
mind of everybody concerned of
feeling or sentiment regarding
this irregular proposal or that
one or the other. Under zoned
conditions such things shall not
be done; under permanent
ordinance no petitions with 81
percent of the owners within 400
feet from proposed irregularly
located structure, speaking under
oath upon legal paper. can be OF
any effect whatever 'They shall
not pass. Yet, every property
owner has full right to go before
Appeals and have his case decid
ed; he may even be aggrieved
and 60 to court, but carefully
drawn zoning ordinances are
standing the strain in Supreme
Courts throughout the country.
Until the permanent ordinance
is put into action, the temporary
one suffices to prevent many
projected nuisance buildings
from being erected, and tends to
keep matters within bounds, al
though the latitude under the
terms of the temporary statute is
quite considerable. and requires
full many hearings before joint
planning board and board of APP
peal
It is strange to sit at such a
session and note the devious
ways of the human mind; the
struggles to beat down what is
best for a community as against
what narrow man desires for
the interest of himself alone in
utter disregard to the health and
liberty of his neighbors But this
type of vaudeville is directly
conquered when the permanent
law is passed and a court with
Jail attached stare prospective Of
tenders in the face.
We have, then, traced the steps
in preparing for coming: the re-
quest for a board and its APP
pointment by the mayor with the
advice and consent of the city
fathers; the preparation of
brief temporary ordinance to-
continue things in the city as
they are. to permit changes only
under petition and hearing which
all abutters are requested to at
tend: to engage the services of
competent young people to care
fully check up every existing
structure on blueprints furnished
by the city engineer: to draw a
large ause map" of the city and
on it by varying characters to-
indicate the use of each building:
70 transfer the ideas of segrega-
ton into six different classes
upon an ordinary map Of the city.
From this streaked and mot
tied map progress towards q
permanent zoning law is fast and
pretty sure. A long stride for
ward has been made; the legal
light Of the planning board must
now begin intensive work with
the boards zoning expert and.
assisted by the best in other zon-
ing ordinances, the city planners
must begin to draft law which
In the eyes Of judges and IN the
(COnfinned On Pare Fourl