APPENDIX VI.— REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OF 

 THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND APPORTIONMENT ON 

 THE BUILDING ZONE PLAN 



July 18, 1916. 



To the Board of Estimate and Apportionment : 



On June 2, 1916, the Commission on Building Districts and Restrictions, 

 appointed pursuant to Sections 242a and 242b of the Charter, presented its 

 final report recommending the boundaries of districts and appropriate regu- 

 lations to be enforced therein for the purpose of regulating the height of 

 buildings, the area of courts, yards and other open spaces, and the use of 

 buildings and premises throughout the city. 



The general support that has been given the proposed plan by every 

 interest effected is proof both that it serves an urgent need and that it has 

 been worked out with care, discrimination and moderation. The real estate, 

 lending and building interests are united in their support of the plan ; as are 

 also the commercial and civic associations. Not a single organization of any 

 kind has opposed the general plan. Two or three individuals have registered 

 their unalterable opposition to the principle involved. If the plan had been 

 presented only a few years ago the protestants would doubtless have been 

 legion. A great change has come about in the way that people look at this 

 question. Zoning instead of being regarded as confiscatory, unconstitu- 

 tional, arbitrary and impractical, is now generally regarded as reasonable, 

 obvious and absolutely necessary for the preservation of the city and of the 

 property interests affected. 



The Board of Estimate and Apportionment has control of the develop- 

 ment of the physical plan of the city: the street and block layout, park and 

 recreation system, sewerage system, transit and transportation system, and 

 port and terminal facilities. As the Commission has pointed out : " No plan 

 for the development of public facilities can be complete and effective unless 

 there goes with it a comprehensive plan for the control of building develop- 

 ment on private property." The Board also has under its financial control 

 the activities of the various departments that have to do with sanitation, 

 housing conditions, fire prevention, street traffic and the public health and 

 safety generally- Your Committee is impressed with the necessity, for the 

 more efficient functioning of these various public interests and activities, 

 of adopting a comprehensive plan of city building such as has been pre- 

 sented by the Commission. 



To consider the proposed plan in its relation to other plans for the 

 physical development of the city, a subcommittee was appointed, consisting 

 of Nelson P. Lewis, Chief Engineer of the Board, the consulting engineer 

 of each of the five boroughs, the landscape architect of the Park Department 

 and the consultant and secretary of the Committee on the City Plan of the 

 Board. A copy of this subcommittee's report is appended. The report states 

 that: 



" All of the members of the committee are convinced of the great 

 need of restrictive regulations governing the height of buildings, the 

 ues to which they may be put and the proportion of the plots which 

 may be occupied by them. All of them have had ample opportunity 

 to observe the manner in which the different boroughs and the city 

 as a whole have lately been developing, and they keenly appreciate 



