Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-19
A Futile Attack.


The unexpected attack from the Fed.
Grafton of Citisens' Associations may
dslay the zening Commissions adop'
ton OF the proposed amendment to the
coming regulations relating to the mu-
nieipality's right to establish munich
pal agencies in restricted zone areas
whether 1t has done any more remains
to be seen. But 1t demonstrates anew
the difficulty that lies in trying tc
please everybody. and 1t certainly mud
dies q situation that was apparently or
the point of being amicably and sensibly
adjusted.
The amendment objected to reads as
follows:
Municipal recreational uses, pumping
stations and FIRE engines may De 10.
Gated In any use district: provioeo tna'
in the case of fire engine houses To-
Gated In residential districts public
hearing shall be held by the Commts-
sioners, D. G. Police stations shall be
located only In commercial or indusr
trial areas.
The municipality is now exempt from
coming restrictions, but the Commits
sioners, having become painfully aware
of their inability always to keep In step
with public sentiment, appointed a COM
mittee of citizens representing tins
Board of Trade, the Real Estate Board,
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, the Federation OF
Citizens Associations, the zening Com
mission, the Operative Builders Associ-
alton and the Chamber of Commerce
and asked their advice in drafting an
amendment that would restrict their
broad powers and make the municipal
ity more amenable to the coming regula-
lions. This was done and the amend
ment vas unanimnusly decided upon. 1t
does not grant the Commissioners addi-
tional power or take away aH5 authar-
ity of the Zoning Commission. 1t takes
away some of the Commissioners power
and gives the public an opportunity to
be heard before q site is purchased, an
opportunity that now Is lacking.
Two spokesman of the Federation Of
Citizens Associations, who claim that
their representative on the Commits
sioners' advisory committee exceeded
his authority in approving the pro-
posed amendment, take the position that
the amendment should be broadened
and made to read: Municipal Teerea-
tional uses, pumping stations and FIRE
engine houses may be erected In any
one district only upon the unanimous
vote of the zoning Commission after .
public hearing"
Now the main point of the whole con-
troversy ranges around the location Of
fire engine houses. The citizens have
opposed locating them in residential
areas where they would constitute
public nuisance. The Commissioners
have not been willing to grant that
there might not be time when such
location was absolutely essential to pub
lie safety. But to prevent any more
such ridiculous episodes as their frus-
trated attempt to build . Are engine
house on Sixteenth street, the COM
missioners compromised by agreeing to
hole a hearing whenever they planned
to locate q fire engine house In O resi-
dental district. The theory here is that
public hearing will give citizens time
and opportunity to organize their pros
tests and the Commissioners can weigh
these objections against the elements of
necessity that may be involved. At least
there would be no more secret prepara-
tons to steal upon unsuspecting citizens
and dump fire engine house in their
midst.
The amendment agreed upon by the
citizens and, the Commissioners and
placed before the ZoHing Commission
may not 60 as far as many would like
to see it 60. But 1t Is sensible and
reasonable compromise between inter-
ests that will always conflict. The
federation's spokesman, on the other
hand, are asking that the Commission
ers surrender their police power, tran
scending In importance even the xaning
regulations, to the zoning Commission.
And they suggest a dangerous thing In
seeking to substitute unanimous deci-
sions in place OF the majority decisions
that new are necessary fer agreement
On the zoning Commission. This Com
missioners are not going to surrender
or endanger that part of their police
power that Is expressed In locating
necessary municipal agencies, such as
fire engine houses, wherever public
safety and service may demand. They
are not going to surrender their con-
trailing Voice on the zening Commas
sion.
It would be better policy to support
q compromise than to ditch it in favor
of something that is impractical, It
would be better to grant the discretion
airy pewers of the District Commission
ers than to rail- against their lack of
discretion and refuse to accept the
safeguards that they themselves are
willing to set UP against abuse Of au-
thority, lack Of foresight and common
sense. Phe amendment proposed by the
citizens advisory committee should be
adopted.