214 BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND APPORTIONMENT 



the unfortunate results of the lack in the past of such regulations as 

 as are proposed and the need of them to insure hetter control of 

 future growth. They believe that the results of such control will be : 

 " To prevent undue congestion of population. 

 " To insure better sanitary conditions. 

 " To simplify the problem of traffic regulation. 

 " To lessen the danger and delay of movement in the city streets 



which is due to mixed traffic. 

 " To simplify the transit problems of the city. 

 " To prevent the over-intensive development of property contigu- 

 ous to the new transit lines now being constructed. 

 " To render possible a more economical development of city streets 

 through a decrease in the width of streets and roadways where 

 the size and consequently the number of buildings are re- 

 stricted. 

 " To insure the permanency of character of the districts when 



once established, and, 

 " Finally, to make the city a more orderly and convenient place 

 in which to live and do business. 

 " The committee realizes the magnitude and difficulty of the 

 task imposed upon the Commission and is impressed by the results 

 which have been accomplished by it within the time which has 

 elapsed since it was created, by the thoroughness of its investigation 

 of existing conditions and by its obvious efforts to avoid anything 

 which would seriously affect present values. It has not attempted 

 to correct the mistakes of the past, but to avoid the repetition of 

 similar mistakes in the future, so that its efforts have been wholly 

 constructive." 



A subcommittee was also appointed to consider the administration and 

 technical features of the proposed plan as affecting building development. 

 This subcommittee was composed of Rudolph P. Miller, Chairman of the 

 Board of Standards and Appeals, the building superintendents of the five 

 boroughs, the Tenement House Commissioner, the Fire Commissioner, John 

 P. O'Brien, Assistant Corporation Counsel, and the Consultant and Sec- 

 retary of the Committee on the City Plan. A copy of this report is appended. 

 The subcommittee states : 



" Your subcommittee is convinced that a well considered plan 

 of building development is essential to the health, safety and pros- 

 perity of the city. Such a plan involves both the creation of resi- 

 dential, business and industrial districts and the regulation of the 

 height of buildings and the area of courts and yards differently in 

 different parts of the city. The plan presented by the Districting 

 Commission seems admirably adapted to secure this result. We 

 endorse generally the following principles which are fundamental in 

 the Commission's proposed plan : 



" 1. Provision for light and air is a prime essential in building 

 regulation. 



" 2. Building regulations in each section of the city should be 

 adapted to the requirements of that section. 



" 3. It is desirable as a general rule to treat all buildings in a 

 given block according to a uniform rule. There should be a sub- 

 stantially uniform contribution from each owner to the light and air 

 of the block. Block ventilation is essential to well ordered develop- 



