Evening star., 1932-09-20
PLANE PROTECTION
BY zON|NG URGED
Commerce Department Plan
Is Result of Study of Hoo
yer Field Problem.

Adoptlcn OF Zonlng regulations are
suggested by officials of the aeronautics
branch of the Department of Commerce
as solution of the problem created at
Washington Hoover Airport by the pro-
posed erection Of a rendering plant
and l0O-fcot chimney, which the de-
partment has found will constitute
serious menace to air navigation.
Protection of the interests of the pub
lie in its legitimate use Of air transpor-
tation can only be assured by providing
at all times for safe avenues of ap
proach for aircraft landing on or TAX
ing off from established terminals and
intermediate landing fields. it was
pointed out.
Aviation terminals such as Washing
Hoover Airport can continue to
meet public needs only so long as they
can be protected from the erection
around their borders of structures
which will endanger the operation OF
planes, and this, it was said, may be
brought about to the best interests Of
all concerned through the application
Of suitable zoning ordinances and
powers of eminent domain"
Department Receives Report.
The Department of Commerce some
months ago received detailed report
on airport zoning and eminent domain
from a special committee of aviation,
city planning, legal and civic leaders,
in which recommendations were sub
mitted for handling such problems as
that now confronting washington
Hoover Airport In connection with the
rendering plant plans.
This committee recommended appli-
cation of Zoning regulations for the
protection of airport properties and
drafted a suggested airport Zoning code
for the guidance Of State, county and
municipal governments.
The committee recommended that
public airports and intermediate land
ing fields, together with commercial
airports of the public utility class, be
given the powers of eminent domain
for the following purposes:
ITO condemn air rights over con-
tigous property in order to insure safe
approaches to the landing area.
ITO condemn easements for the air
marking of distractions to air naviga-
tion jeopardizing the safety of the
public in its use of the port.
ITO condemn contiguous property
necessary for expansion of the port to
meet public needs"
The Department Of Commerce has
found that the air traveller needs pro-
lection from obstacles such as the pro-
posed rendering plant chimney for
distance of about /, 500 feet In all d1rec-
tions from the outer boundaries of the
airport.
prevention Of Construction"
$50 far as Is reasonably possible" 1t
is stated in the report before the de-
partment, this protection should take
the form Of prevention of the construc-
ton of these obstacles in the future.
and either the removal or the day and
night marking of existing hazards, as
conditions may dictate.
Public airports and commercial air
ports such as Washington-H Hoover, the
Department Of Commerce has found,
when suitably located and properly de-
veloped, "are not only utilities of con-
venience and necessity to the general
public, but in many cases are CT direct
value to the neighboring land, planned
with reference to them"
Conflicts of interest between the
port and its more immediate neigh
bors," it was stated, cannot, however,
always be avoided, and it is therefore
proper to consider the protection which
the law may afford the port in such
cases, first studying the general princi
pies of law involved and then taking
up the specific measures based upon
them"