Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-23
a Zoning Review Needed.

Ia its annual report the National
Capital Park and Planning Commission
suggests that as coming In Washington
- almost ten years old, this would be
an appropriate time ito analySe the
experience gained, to discover weak.
nesses that need reinforcement and to
take advantage Of new methods or ex-
periences Of other cities"
That is q good suggestion and the
zoning Commission would do well to
accept IL. Zoning has sold itself" as q
principle not only to Washington, but
to practically every city Of the country.
But 1t remains a relatively new expert
ment. It has been practiced In Wash
ington long enough now to pause and
look back for the handicaps that have
been discovered and to look ahead In
anticipation Of the problems that are
offered In the city's growth and In the
unique conditions presented by the
Federal Governments extensive build
ing plans. Some such studies are now
being made. They should be broadened
and intensified.
One Of the complications that has
arisen under experience in administer
ing the coming law Is the inflexibility Of
the coming code itself and the lack Of
ability on the part of the zoning Com
mission, as at present constituted, to
do anything about 1t. In q report sub
mitted some time ago by S. @. Lind
holm, the commissions engineer. 1t was
pointed out that "meritorious cases to
which the radical measure Of rezoning
cannot be applied have been left with
out relief" Citizens who have common
sense requests TO make Of the zoning
Commission, and to whom the changes
sought are Of great importance, have
been left In the lurch and without hope
Of relief because the coming code does
not permit the changes they ask when
there Is no good reason under the sun
Why the changes could not be made.
The Zoning Advisory Committee, COM
posed Of representatives Of the local
building and trade bodies, architects
and realtors have asked for the institu-
ton here Of board Of coming appeals,
which would take appeals from the
decisions Of the zoning Commission and
make readjustments under the code
when circumstances warrant. But the
dangers inherent In board Of coming
appeals are recognized, despite the sue
cess Of such boards In other cities. The
alternative proposal has been to reor-
ganize the zoning Commission by the
addition Of expert subordinate personnel
and the creation Of special committee
under the commission that could sit on
petitions for change. investigate the
merits thereof and report, with recon-
Tnendations, to the zoning Commission.
This arrangement would allow the Zon-
ing Commission to retain its control
over the coming Of the city as . whole
but would provide the machinery for
giving relief in specific instances with
out involving the whole commissions
time or working radical changes In the
regulations.
From the viewpoint Of the city plan.
hers, one Of washington's most I'm
portant Boning problems lies in restric-
ton Of building height. Under the en-
aiding act itself 1t Is possible to build
On the north side of Pennsylvania
avenue east Of 18th street to q height
Of $50 feet But under the coming
regulations, the maximum height so
far allowed has been 10 feet, with 40
foot setbacks. The maximum height
allowance has been increasing, how
ever. The city planners point out that
where height Is concerned, the zoning
Commissions policy has been one Of
constant liberalization.
In view Of the Federal Governments
self-imposed Limitation Of Cts feet for
It's new buildings, the zoning Commits
sion should make ITO feet It's absolute
maximum. Even with setbacks, that
IL not too high. But buildings should
60 no higher, and those in areas OPP
posite or adjoining the relatively low
Government structures should conform.
The zoning Commission now exer-
etses powerful and direct influence on
the commercial value Of property. It
can eject this value by any regulation.
There IS now direct relationship be-
tween 1oning and assessments for tax
alton, 18th street being the best ex-
ample. The Importance Of the zoning
Commission should be recognized IN In
creased appropriations and larger per-
sonnet. The commission is too vital as
B governmental agency TO be consti-
tuted, - It Is, on "part-time" basis.
During the next day or 30 no one