Evening star., 1937-10-23
TRADE FRONTAGE
CONTROL ADVISED
Business Places Held to
Cut Values in Small Resi-
dental Areas Also.

Prevention of elimination of excess
sive business frontage in residential
neighborhoods, under proper control,
will pay large dividends to real estate
operators eventually. Seward H. Mott,
chief of the Land Planning Section of
Federal Housing Administration, said
today.
He declared also that protection for
neighborhoods of small homes, through
intelligent planning, is just as i'm
portant as it is for expensive dwellings.
from the standpoint of the mortgage
risk. He referred to segregation of
both business and multiple family
properties.
The principles stated by Mr.. Mott
have been invoked in some of the pro-
posals and decisions of the District
zoning Commission considered at the
Fall hearing recently. The commits
sion moved at that time to eliminate
commercial classifcations from a
number of different properties on the
theory there was an excess of COM
mercial areas in certain communities.
The commission also is considering
extensive revision of the zoning of a
large area in Takoma, seeking to
make the permitted usage conform
more nearly with proper trends of
development.
Mortgage Faction Affected.
Mr.. Mott stated that each of the
two factors has direct bearing on
the rating of properties when officials
are estimating their eligibility for
mortgage insurance under the terms
OF the national housing act.
Existence of disturbing neighbor-
hood factors may very readily have
an effect upon the size of the loan
which the Housing Administration
would be willing to insure because of
the reduction of the rating of the To-
cation caused by these factors, he said.
Mr.. Mott, whose section has con-
Quoted as subdivision conferences dur
ing the past year in large metropolitan
centerS, has met with builders, SUD-
dividers and real estate men in all
parts of the Nation to discuss these
problems of city and neighborhood
planning.
1T is of great Importance in The
planning of neighborhoods," he said,
'to emphasize that neighborhoods for
small homes deserve the same treat
ment and consideration as neighbor-
hoods for more expensive dwellings
Existence of unfavorable factors in
such neighborhoods has just as mucn
disturbing effect upon appraisals, val
uations and eligibility for mortgage
insurance as they do in more preten-
tious localities. The problem of in
harmonious land uses in such locali-
ties must receive the most careful con-
sideration.
Would Restrict Apartments.
eff there is an evident need for
apartments in a certain section OF
the city. definite areas should be
goned and restricted for their use.
They should not be scattered through
out a single-family residential district
or be built across the street from
single-family homes. A heteorogene-
Gus neighborhood, made up of various
types of structures, cannot be con-
Kidered as stable or sound as one in
which single type of use is permitted.
The ALLEGATION of excessive 'front.'
age for commercial use should be
discouraged, limitation of this factor
being essential for the preservation
of values in residential neighborhoods.
In all cases, where the problem OF
providing for commercial use in con-
nection with residential community
must be faced, the shopping area
should be determined carefully in
relation to the number of families it
must serve.
The idea-whether true or not
that commercial property is more
valuable than residential property
leads generally toward tendency to
allocate more land to this use than is
justified. High values are only justi-
fed when the income derived by the
operation of the store warrants such
values.
IF more commercial land is created
than can be supported by the COM
munity, there is constant threat of
ruinous competition affecting land
values as well as business income.
BY restricting the area through deed
restrictions or Zoning, values may be
maintained or enhanced and also the
Injurious effect upon residential values
Is minimized"