66 



HEIGHTS OF BUILDINGS COMMISSION 



in the Business section that are of a residential character. No garage may 

 be maintained in a block where two-thirds of the buildings in a block arc 

 devoted to exclusively residential purposes without the written consent <>i 

 the property owners 011 both sides of the street- or alley in such block. 

 Baltimore 



In 1912 the state legislature of Maryland passed an act (ch. 693) regu- 

 lating the erection of dwelling houses in that part of the city of Baltimore 

 known as Forest Park. The dwelling houses constructed in this district, 

 the area of which is about a half mile square, must be separate and unat- 

 tached buildings. Frame dwellings must be at least 20 feet apart ; stone 

 and brick dwellings at least 10 feet apart. The constitutionality of the 

 act has not come before the courts. 



The most important classification of buildings according to character 

 and use in the city of Baltimore, as a whole, is that found in section 47 of 

 the building code. This section (subdivisions 12 and 13) limits the location 

 of certain buildings. These buildings are: (1) hospitals and buildings for 

 treatment of the feeble-minded; (2) sanatoriums ; (3) livery stables; (4 1 

 sale and boarding stables; (5) garages; (6) blacksmith shops; (7) junk 

 shops; (8) brick, tile and terra cotta factories; (9) stoneware and earthen- 

 ware factories; (10) paint factories; (11) soap factories; (12) candle fac- 

 tories; (13) wood-working factories; (14) the storing and altering of pack- 

 ing boxes on any lot or in any building; (15) lumber yards; (16) planing 

 mills; (17) iron mills ; (18) foundries; (19) breweries; (20) distilleries; 

 (21) packinghouses; (22) gas works; (23) acid works; (24) the manufac- 

 ture of fertilizers. 



No permit for the erection of any of the above buildings is given be 

 the inspector of buildings except by the approval of the mayor. In granting 

 his approval, the mayor incorporates such regulations in the permit regard- 

 ing the location of the building as may, in his judgment, be necessary to 

 saleguard the interests of the public. Permits for such buildings are issued 

 only after 10 days' public notice of the application therefor. 



If protests are filed against the granting of the permit, the building 

 inspector holds a hearing. After hearing the protests and considering the 

 rights of the surrounding property owners, the building inspector makes a 

 presentation of the facts to the mayor. Where there is a protest, the per- 

 mit requires the joint approval of the inspector and the mayor. In granting 

 nr withholding their approval to a permit, the building inspector and the 

 mayor are prompted by three considerations: (1) the fire hazard of the 

 proposed building: (2) the effect of the proposed building on surrounding 

 land values, and (3) the effect of the proposed building on the general 

 welfare of the residents in the immediate vicinity. 



Seattle 



Under the Seattle building code adopted in July, 1913, no building not 

 now used for such purposes may be reconstructed, altered or repaired tn 



