Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-29
LADUE TODEC|DE
coming ON MERITS
Former Engineer Commits
sioner Bells Policy of TAX
ing Vote Changed.

Col. William B. Ladue, the Dis.
trict's new Engineer Commissioner. to-
| day cast aside one of the policies OF
his predecessor Lieut.. Col. J. Frank
! ling Bell in the conduct of the public
| hearings of the Zoning Commission
that of taking a standing vote of the
| proponents and opponents Of a pro-
! posed change in coming.
| Instead of counting heads" Col La
| due announced that it would be his
| policy as chairman OF the commits.
| sion to determine the cases on their
own merits, and that arguments rather
than the formality of having interest.
ed property owners indicate their nu-
merical strength were desired.
Col. Ladue'S decree came in re-
Spouse to a request by Edwin S. Hege.
recorder of the Citizens Advisory
| Council that the opponents of pc
| tition under consideration proposing
the rezoning of Connecticut avenue
on both sides between Legation and
Livingston streets from residential to
| first commercial area be called upon
to rise and show their numerical
strength in comparison with the num-
| Der OF proponents present at the hear
ing.
Merits Only to Decide.
"I will have to overrule that sug-
gestion," responded Col. Ladue. THE
questions before the Zoning Commits
sion will be determined on their
merits and not by the counting Of
heads"
Often when Col. Bell served as
chairman of the commission, II was
his practice to expedite the hearings
by taking a standing vote of those
opposing and favoring petitions for
change in coming. Col. Ladues
new policy, it was pointed out, prob
ably will prolong the commissions
public hearings.
Edward F. ColIaday, who represent
ed the owners on the west side of
Connecticut avenue between Legation
and Livingston streets, who petitioned
for commercial coming for the prop
erty. explained that an extension Of
business establishments in that sec.
ton is needed to meet the rapid resi-.
dental development Clyde d. Gar.
rett, who represented one Of the prom
erty owners on the east side, also
spoke in favor of the change.
Opposition to Change.
Opposition to the change was regis.
tered by Fred s. Lincoln, r. f. Adams.
Mr.. Hege and half dozen others who
live in the neighborhood. Mr.. Lincoln
denied that there is a need at this
time for the creation of an additional
commercial area in the territory in.
VOWED in the petition for rezoning.
while Mr.. Adams expressed the belief
that change probably would depre-
| ciate residential property values in
the neighborhood.
Mr.. Mege also declared that Chevy
Chase is already "bountifully" sun.
piled with business zones, and that a
rezoning of the avenue between Lega.
ton and Livingston streets would
almost surely be the beginning Of two
apartment houses. deteriorating into
tenement houses, thus impairing their
value and at the same time adversely
affecting the desirability and value Of
all residence property within the
square,"
Nine other proposed changes in
z6ning are being considered by the
Commission, chief among them being
a petition for the rezoning of the west
side of Thirty fifth street between
and 7 streets from residential to first
commercial area.
Col. Ladue was elected chairman Of
the commission at an executive meet.
ing which preceded the public hearing.