[Text is continued in NYC-RNA_V1_053, 054, 055. Presented complete here for continuity. NAHC]
The Director General and Council daily see, that their former well meant orders and proclamations are not obeyed, but that notwithstanding their repeated renewals many fine and large lots in the best and most convenient parts of this City remain unimproved and are kept vacant by their owners, either for a profitable advance in price or for pleasure, preventing others from building and thereby increasing the population of the City, from promoting our trade and from beautifying this place, which to do many newcomers might be induced, if they could buy a convenient lot for a reasonable price, conform to the above mentioned ordinances. The neglect, if not vilification, thereof principally leads to the keeping back these large and fine lots for profit or pleasure and this is done, because the former ordinances do not carry a fine; for the owners, who have held such lots for years without expenses, are keeping them for an advance in price or using them for pleasure as orchards or gardens, thereby preventing the erection of houses and the increase of the population, hence also the advancement of trade and injuring the wellbeing of the City, contrary to the good intention of the Lords Directors of the West India Company, the Masters and Patroons of this Province, as first givers and dispensers of the lots, to be used for the adornment, population, increase of inhabitants, trade and welfare of the, City by houses, as the patents given expressly stipulate under such taxes, as said Lords or their deputies may impose. In obedience to their orders the said Director General and Council have lately caused their sworn surveyor, in the presence of the Burgomasters to survey and measure the vacant lots for regulating the streets and they find several hundred lots within the City walls vacant and not built on. In order, that, agreeably to the good intentions of the said Lords Directors and in conformity with the former ordinances, these may the sooner be built upon, any way, that the doubts about the ownership of such large lots for profit or pleasure without taxation may be settled and the person's, wishing to build on lots, acquired at a reasonable price, may be accommodated, the Director General and Council, amplifying the former ordinances ordain, that all vacant lots, lately measured and laid out by the Surveyor of the Director General and Council, shall immediately after publication hereof be appraised and taxed, first by the owners themselves, that they may not complain hereafter over the valuation by others, which appraisal shall stand as long as the owner keeps the lot or lots unimproved, he paying his yearly tax of the 15th penny in two instalments, namely one half on Mayday, the other before the Fairday of this City; this revenue is to be applied to the fortifications of this City and their repairs. The Burgomasters are directed and authorized, to summon after the publication of these presents before them in the City hall the owners of the lots in person, without regard to their position and have them make the appraisal, which their Secretary is properly to record and the Treasurer is to receive the revenue. In case or opposition or refusal they are civilly to reprove the refractory person and tax his lot according to value and circumstances, under the condition, that the owner shall have the choice of keeping the lot, taxed by the Burgomasters, if he will pay as aforesaid he 15th penny, or of surrendering it to them for the behoof of the City at the price, put on it by the Burgomasters, while on the other side it is left to the device of the Burgomasters, either to take the lot at its owner's price for account or the City and sell it at this price to any one, who desires and is ready to build, if the owner himself is not willing to build, conform to the ordinances or else to leave it to the owner, until it is built upon by him or others, when this burden, for good reasons laid upon unimproved lots, shall be taken off. To promote the increase of population by their living closer together, the strength and welfare of this City still more, the Director General and Council ordain, that henceforth no dwellinghouses shall be built near and under the walls or gates of the City in this jurisdiction, until the lots, hereinabove spoken of, have been properly improved. Thus done etc. January 15, 1658.
