Evening star., 1927-11-05
PROPOSED ZONE LEGISLATION
URGED TO SAVE CITY'S BEAUTY
Property Holders and Builders of Capital
Interested in Plan to Control Con-
struction Near Federal Projects.

| ties in MANY cases probably would be
| for elimination Of unnecessary Orna-
! mental architectural features. with a
View to providing buildings of simple
| lines Of beauty.
The proposal for this type of reSula-
tiOn is in line with the more modern
conceDtinn that the nublic good should
transcend any privae.' interests, This
belief is especially evident here, where
Cove, nment officials and private c:ti-
Hens alike again and again have united
tn protest against propositions deemed
not in keeping with plans for develop
ment of the National Capital.
The trend toward this conception
that the state Is Warra nted in eXer-
riS*ng control over private business
enterprises has been remarkable in
recent years. The first proposals for
Inauguration of zoning regulations, for
instance. was rather hcsitantly re.
ceived. and even attacked, by builders
whc claimed an inalienahle right un-
der the Constitution to do with their
property as they saw fit. Today
however. zoning regulations are in
widespread operation throughout the
United States, and have been upheld
not only by many State courts hut by
the United States Supreme Court.
ConstituticnaIity May BE Tested.
The question as to the constitu.
tiOnality of law governing the eXte-
rior appearance of buildings facing
upon Government structures or parks,
of course, may be raised, advocates
of the bill admit. and be subjected to
the test of the courts.
Lieut.. Col. u. S. Grant. Sd. execu-
tive secretary OF the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission. and
other experts of that body now are
preparing revised draft of the meas
uFe for the approval of the commits.
sion. Carrying out suggestions made
by local architects and builders who
we're asked to study the bill, these
officials now are Incorporating in the
proposed law features designed to
make its operation effective, prac-
ticable, and to insure protection of pri.
vate property owners affected
One of the chief notifications suy-
Sested is that the Fine Arts Commits
sion, or whatever controlling BODY is
selected, be required to publish at an
early date. following enactment of the
bill, of general restrictions to he placed
on private property affected by it's
setting I'D of the
necessary new coming maps. This, it
is neld. is essential in order that own
ers or such property may know what
they may or may not do with their
property.
Another Amendment Considered.
Another important amendment suc.
geSted is that in cases where the |
operation of such a law would affect |
property at either end of a block |
within 200 feet of protected" Gov
9rnment property, but not property in |
he center of such block. that the pro.
POSED restrictions should apply to the
entire block
In case of difference in the ruling
Is TO the height of a building by the
slne Arts Commission and the Dis
rict Zoning Commission, the lower
height ruling would prevail Col.
irant said recently in explaining pro
visions of the revised hill.
AS means of eliminating all possi.
ne unnecessary supervision by the
fine Arts Commission. il is explained
)y Cof. Grant, provision has been
written into the bill which would EN-.
power that body to waive control over
@rtain classes Of cases, such AS dis
-lnctiy residential areas or buildings
"hich would face up0n certain minor
puphc buildings or parks or reserva.
,ions, the chief purpose of the law
Delng to protect the outstanding Fed.
'rat buildings and parks.