Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-14
zON|NG IS LINKED
WITH TAX VALUES
Restrictions to Be Considered
in Assessing Property,
Officials Disclose.

zoning restrictions on property,
which vitally affect market values of
real estate to marked degree, will be
given definite consideration in the max
ing of future assessments for taxation
purposes, it was learned today from au-
thoritative sources at the District
Building.
The groundwork for a general CO.
ordination of coming and assessing Of
property--a thing that has been done
to but limited extent in the past, ac-
cording to the study of the situation on
lower Sixteenth street revealed last
week by The Star-alTeady has been
laid and will be continued as a matter
of general policy, it was indicated.
No question, in regard to the new
plan. is raised as to the judgment of the
tax assessors office in past assessments
on individual properties, but it is felt by
the city heads that greater and more
comprehensive consideration should be
given to coming restrictions in the max
'ng of assessments. Some work to this
end, 1t was revealed, already has been
done in number of individual cases.
Makes Planning More Effective.
Coordination of assessments to zon-
ing restrictions on individual properties
is seen by some observers as a means
Of making city planning for Washing
ton more effective.
In explanation of this, it is pointed
out by city planners that zoning as
such, and considered alone, Is negative
zoning regulations tell property owners
that they can't erect buildings of GER
tain types in certain sections. But,
in the case of residential areas, for
instance, the value Of adjoining COM
mercial property may boost the as
sessed values on the residential prop
critics to an extent that would dras-
tically delay or even prevent its de-
velopment with residential buildings,
under existing market conditions, sup
ply and demand, it is pointed out.
1t is believed by some that this 'situa-
tion exists on lower Sixteenth street,
where approximately 400, 900 square feet
OF land is zoned for residential uses only.
but where nearby commercial properties
have lifted assessed values we'll above
assessments on other residential sections.
Zoning Maps Provided.
The tax assessors Office, it was point
ed out today, has been provided in the
past year with set of coming maps
which will be studied by the assessors
during consideration of assessments for
Iilc llSN AloCdL ybdI. WHlldIN Z. FSlCH-
ards, the tax assessor, said that zoning
restrictions already had been given con-
sderation in the making of assessment
rates
While this new element in assess
ments will be followed in the future,
however, he indicated that sale prices
paid for properties would still be en-
ployed as the principal guide in arriv-
ing at assessed values.
Both Commissioner Taliaferro, who
administers the work of the tax asses
sor's Office, and Commissioner Dougherty.
president of the Board of Commission
ers. who are members of the District
Zoning Commission, said today that they
were convinced, as a matter of prin-
ciple in city government, that the max
ing of assessments on property should
be related to the zoning restrictions.
zontng, both pointed out, has a
definite and vital affect on property
values. Therefore, they indicated
when the District Government tells a
property owner that for the good of
the city as a whole he cannot erect a
commercial enterprise on certain
(N1Nkin,,oA - Enoo y NSoI,,,,.n