The Washington times., 1925-05-25
WILL zON|NG Of
REAL ESTATE
STAY?
Nothing Should Prevent Pro-
duction of Homes at Prices
People Can Afford
BY HERBERT T. SHANNON.


Considerable anxiety is expressed
from time to time as to whether
our present zoning law can pe
maintained at law. AS regards this
present law, guess of yes or no
on this subject is, after all, merely
guess, but there are some facts
existing today upon which certain
observations may be reasonably
made which indicate that we are
to have zoning in a way which will
operate to control Washington, and,
at the same time, help to further
beautify it, and one which Will,
no doubt, stand up so to speak at
law.
AS president of the Operative
Builders Association. which includes
practically all of the largest
builders of homes and apartments
in Washington, / have never heard
from the membership of this body
anything but the utmost praise Tor
the basic principles of zoning. In
fact, just recently this body passed,
unanimously, a particularly strong
resolution setting forth it's belief
and offering it's support Of the
principles of zoning. There are
natural differences of opinion set
up regarding the application, or
one. may say the Interpretation Of
these principles, but never a thrust
at the intent and purpose of this
particular form or regulatory legis-
lation.
/ personally think that one Of
the somewhat serious mistakes
made in the administration of the
lor fa
on the part of the board to
stretch out" in it's endeavors to
please everyone, and include in par
ticular cases too much territory
where only specific changes are
asked for. This is but natural in
the beginning, but this will sooner
or later prevent large developments
and curtaiI the conversion Of un-
improved land into higher taxable
property as well as operate to i'm
pair the character of improvements
which may be erected on such land.
Zoning should never prevent the
production Of homes for the people
at prices which the people can only
afford to pay.
The small home is even more i'm.
portant to the man of moderate
circumstances than is the palatial
mansion which is, most times, but
one home OF many.
Should the principles of zoning
be interpreted to mean a restriction
of the size Of homes then the zon-
ing law will no doubt find itself
in difficulties.
/. Business properties necessary as
feeders to residential neighborhood
should be granted only in proportion
to the actual business needs of the
community. This not alone meets
the requirements necessary as of
the moment, but operates to protect
adjacent property against the long
absorption periods of over-supplied
business properties.
AS an illustration. recently there
was a Zoning hearing to discuss
the advisability of opening up for
business purposes some five or six
continuous blocks on one of our
main thoroughfares. Had this been
done not one-tenth Of the property
could have been made financially
successful by conversion into busi-
ness property, and the remaining
80 per cent would have been de-
preciated as resident property. 1t
would have taken at least ten
years for the remaining resident
property to have gained the value
of business property, and suffered
tremendously in the meantime. In
this same case al least one block
seems necessary and the choice of
this block could be determined
easily by a study! of the geograph-
ical condition. Bit such things as
these are purely administrative
problems. 1t still remains that,
basically, zoning is intelligent and
should stay.
1t must not be lost sight Of that
Washingtonians as a class are a
highly intelligent people. 1t Is true
that we are without the larger in
dustrial developments which create
high salaried officials W.. IN in turn
create such high cost r. Il estate
developments as may be 'ound in
Baltimore, Cleveland, uppt New
York and Long Island. H. Lwever,
the mental caliber of the people
in Washington demands more artis.
tic real estate development and the
protectio4 communities, and these
can be accomplished only by intelli-
gent coming. There is no law desig
mated to control the creation Of hide
GUS architecture, or design in the
production Of properties. nor is there
III my opllAoH a HScu IOI OHe. 1OOu
architecture and good designing is
not coming, it is already here, and
is developing rapidly. This is be-
cause property owners are realizing
it's value and thinking buyers are
equally well informed
With a combination Of these two
conditions, first better architecture
and designing. and second, intelli-
gent zoning, one may rest assured
of better, greater and more beau
tiful Washington. Therefore, 1t is
my belief that zoning. whether 1t be
this law or another is here to stay
and that the pubic should and will
demand it.