Evening star., 1927-10-02
MILLIONS At STAKE
IN COURT RULE ON
MARYLAND z0N|NG
Rights of ID Special Taxing
Areas Near D. c. Hang
in Balance.
AUTHORITY IS GRANTED
BY STATE STATUTES
Injunction Fight Brings Test to
Bar Builders Who Defy Com.
munity Welfare and Safety.
RY WILLIAM }. WHEATLEY.

Millions OF dollars spent by home
owners in nearby Maryland to main
| tain the beauty OF their areas as high
class residential communities are
shaking on an unsteady dividing wall.
threate by defiant and arbitrary
builders, who are depending upon
the aid OF the courts to nullify
years Of endeavor toward community
protection.
These districts. including Chevy
Chase, Md, known as special taxing
areas, of which there are IA in Mont
eomery County, Md, have been built
up under the premise that they were
protected by the Legislature in pass
ing building and zoning regulations
designed to guarantee the best type
Of construction. Such regulations
have been in force for years, and
their test now Ia before the county
court at Rockville.
Should these regula tions be held
null and Of no effect. and iniunc-
tions sought against unscrupulous
builders for their violation denied.
then the home owners interested
deeply in maintaining their high-class
communities see only a. condition OF
chaos. There would follow, they say,
an influx Of cheap construction be-
side buildings of distinction in which
the owners have placed earnings of
years. Failure Of the courts to sus-
tain injunctions would be an effective
barrier to further high standards of
development.
SeIf.G0vernment at Stake.
The whole question goes TO the
right Of local self government in
these communities, self government
insisted upon and argued for hours
and approved by the State Legislature
in innumerable cases; it goes to the
merits OF coming in the area now
looming as one OF the biggest prob.
lens in connection with the develop
ment OF the Maryland Washington
metropolitan district on which the
Maryland.National Capital Park and
Planning Commission now is working.
Maryland Is one of the very few
States in the Union which has failed,
so far, through it's courts. to awaken
to the full import Of coming which is
sweeping the country. but the Mary
land Court of Appeals in recent cases
appears to indicate that it has seen
the light OF the OncOming demand of
the people for prote ton Of their
residence areas against encroachments
which would detract from their
beauty.
The case on which the test hangs
has grown ont Of the beginning OF
construction in the village Of Alta
Vista of TWO small houses which do
not comply with their building regu-
lations, promulgated under authority
delegated by the State Legislature,
which places the government OF the
village in the hands of a citizens COM
mittee. This committee Is composed
of James l. Hambleton. chairman;
Ford f.. Young and Harry ID. Hiner.
Hobart s. Langdon is secretary-treas-
urer Of the committee.
Builder Declines Conference.
When construction was started on
the two houses, according to mem
Ders of the committee, the builder
was invited to appear before the gov
erning body for a consultation, but he
failed to appear, and, it was said. told
the committeeman that he had a per-
NIT from the county government.
The county has no permit system to
CONTINUED on Page II. Column ~