The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 3, Page 14.
Valparaiso Has Had Benefit Of Services of City Planning Board For Past 13
Years
Back in
1923, Mayor Edgerton W. Agar, then mayor of Valparaiso, inaugurated the movement
whereby Valparaiso joined the ranks of cities in the middlewest in the matter of
city planning.
A city planning commission was named comprising the following; E. S. Miller, J.
E. Mavity, Floyd R. McNiece, city engineer; J. M. Oldham, Edmund J. Freund, F.
W. Alpen and Henry T. Fisher, of Valparaiso university.
Lawrence V. Sheridan, of Indianapolis, consulting engineer, was employed in 1924
to draw up a city plan.
In drawing up his plan, Mr. Sheridan made allowance for the probable growth
which may be expected in Valparaiso within a few years due to the influence of
the Calumet district, covering a territory far in excess of that which would
ordinarily be considered in making plans for the future of a city with the
population which Valparaiso then had.
A zoning ordinance consisting of reasonable regulations controlling the use of
property, the density of population and the height of buildings was passed by
the council. Through its applications, districts have been designated for
residential occupancy, business and industrial enterprises in such a way as to
provide the best facilities for each with an assurance that the regulation and
uses in each district will not suddenly change.
Such regulations encourage investments, particularly in home sites, and prevent
sudden fluctuation in property values which often cause losses to home owners
and others. Property values are this conserved.
Considerable objection was lodged against some of the provisions of the zoning
ordinance when it was up for discussion. The objections were ironed out in
public meetings.
During the year, however, the zoning commission has amended the ordinance and
allowed variations to property owners.
The ordinance has proved of incalculable benefit to property owners since its
adoption and is a safeguard against improper building.
Members of the commission at present are Edmund J. Freund, John M. Oldham,
William E. Morthland, B. H. Kinne, E. A. LaCount, G. D. Conover and Joseph
Durand.
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook