record of testimony and statements in relation to 77 



necessity for districting plan 



Statement by Thomas Adams, Town Planning Advisor, Commission 

 of Conservation, Ottawa, Canada — April 5, 1916 



Effect of New York's example on other cities 



In Canada we feel that New York has been responsible, owing to the 

 example which it has set, for the high buildings in our cities. We are look- 

 ing to-day to the new tendency in New York in the hope that our cities will 

 follow your example of providing greater restrictions on height. We have 

 not the excuses for high buildings that you have in New York. 



Town planning in Great Britain and Canada is one of those questions 

 that grows stronger in its appeal to the business man as it is taken up by 

 local authorities, and as research progresses. Undoubtedly the latter starts 

 out to study it with the assumption that it is purely an aesthetic question — 

 the proposal to use the police power to restrict the rights of private property 

 in the interests of the public. But it does not take him long to discover that 

 both public and private interests are closely identified and that reasonable 

 restriction of the use of property is in the interest of all parties. 



Importance of restricting vacant areas 



The question of controlling development in those parts of your city 

 which are only partially developed is of importance and requires serious 

 consideration. I do not know whether it would be possible for your pro- 

 posals to be carried out over wider areas so as to include land which is not 

 yet subdivided. So far as our town planning work in Britain and Canada 

 is concerned we are dealing primarily with areas that are still undeveloped 

 and with those that are " in course of development." We proceed on the 

 principle of the Jesuit who in his wisdom said, " If you give me a child until 

 he is eight years old you can have him for the rest of his life." We feel 

 that the really important thing is to get hold of the suburb before it is 

 developed. Much of the older portion of the city can only be improved 

 over long periods of time by gradual reconstruction. Your proposals are 

 needed to help in directing that reconstruction. But I think your work 

 should be extended to wider areas in order to get the restrictions applied to 

 vacant land before building is begun. In getting hold of the suburbs that 

 are starting to develop and applying the same principles to the open land 

 that you apply to the built-on land in the city, the result will be that you 

 will be able to apply restrictions which will accomplish something nearer to 

 your ideals. It is easier to prevent than to cure. You will not be required 

 to compromise with existing vested interests. Owners of real estate them- 

 selves will not only be anxious to agree to something that gives safety and 

 health but even to what we in Britain, call " amenity " in plan and surround- 

 ings. I am glad to give expression to our interest in the work you are doing 

 and am sure that the influence of your work is not confined to New York. 



Town planning law in Canada 



When our parliament passes a law it does so with recognition of the 

 English Bill of Rights. The whole constitution of Canada is framed on 

 what you perhaps would call the unconstitutional constitution of Great 

 Britain. It is not a fixed constitution, but a constitution capable of readjust- 

 ment and alteration by parliament itself. 



Parliament in Britain and Canada recognizes the principle that private 

 property shall not be taken for public use except with just compensation. 

 But it does not necessarily allow 7 an abuse of private property and permit a 



