Evening star., 1920-10-22
FORESEE HARDSHIP
UNDER zON|NG RULE
Cannot Improve Building in
Residential District and
Continue Business.

! In III. ,une,ls 10 be made. TO the
2oning commission Tor IuitHei s'uu' W
/ the Zonng regulations. with we" 10
| notifications special attention Is 10 De
| directed to the rule in the new Zonins
, regula tions that reads: Where struc-
| tural alterations are maue III d pu!iuihs
of Il non conforming use such use shaii
| be. changed TO a use consistent with the
/ provisions of these regulations Tor the
! district in which such building is To-
Gated The argument is advanced that
many hardsiips will result to individuals
throughout the city.
In plain English il means that such
| buildings are used for shops, stores.
| offices etc. that by the zoning regula-
/ tions are in a district where they do not
! belong, although an act of Congress says
that they are privileged to continue busi-
ness under their former status, this rui-
ing provides that if alterations or inn
provements are ever made the status
VIII have TO be changed to conform TO
the kind of building allowed in that dis
trict. That is. a drug store, laundry,
butcher shop or such concern which is
now in the district assigned as residen-
tai can never make any structural
changes and still remain a drug store,
butcher shop or laundry.
Ruling an Afterthought
This ruling was an afterthought OF
The Zonins commission. and Maj. X
q. Powell of the coming commission
soy - ti'tl. ditIiouS III II Will "oi n ca
IRENE hardShipS on few, 1t is TO
. the advantage of the vast majority
of people To be rid of such commercial
buildings from the residential dis
tricts; that Washington is primarily
residential city, and that the ZonlnS
COMMISSION was thinking OF the m
terests of the residents foremost. lie
says that there is no way Of oustins
these undeSirableS al the present time.
but sooner or later the health de-
partment will demand improvements
Tor sanitary reasons and then their
goose is cooked.
The report made by the Chamber
of Commerce in regard to this matter
says that these regulations are no
doubt desirable to new buildings. but
their application to existing build
ingS or premises used for business
prohibited III the district may easily
prove an injustice and hardship for
an unfortunate owner who may wish
to increase his building or premises
to take care OF Il necessary eNpan-
sion of his business
: The Chamber of commerce believes
! that the object of this ruling is
praiseworthy in spirit. but ii put into
/ effect it may endanger the constitu-
I tionality of the coming act.
! Chamber Makes Point.
! The report of the Chamber of Com
! may have spent the best part of his
! life and his fortune building up his
business. and if forced to move to
another. locality his property would
, have to be disposed of at no matter
how great a sacririce: his clientele and
the good will of the customers. that
! he may have spent years in building
up. would be gone, and it might to-
| tally destroy his business. He OBJ
! tanned or built his plant, with the full
of inc fnt. ifS !, hy-
improvements. enlargements or al
terations, which are now denied him.
such restrictions,> thinks the Cham
. ber of Commerce. seem altogether
opposed to the American spirit of fair
play"
This is not alone the feeling of the
Chamber of Commerce. for many Or
ganiZations and individuals indorsed
Its report. Many of the members have
expressed the hope that the new Com
missioners will study carefully the
details of this phase of the coming
regulations.