Evening star., 1938-10-05
HEARINGS REVEAL
ADVISORY COUNCIL
VIEWS ON z0N|NG
RemodeIed Machinery Gets
First Workout During
Debate on Changes.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
RULES TO BE WEIGHED
New Agency Created by Congress
Cannot Function Until Its
Regulations Are Adopted.

1Ie DlSJTlCtS 5 TeulOueleu Iollliie
machinery began functioning today as
the Zoning Commission conducted
public hearings on Is proposed changes
in the classification of properties. For
the first time, the newly created
Zoning Advisory Council announced
its recommendations as each proposed
change was taken up for debate.
Either late today or at a second
session tomorrow, the Zoning Commis-
sion will consider rules and regulations
to govern the operation of another
new agency created under the measure
adopted by Congress at the past ses-
sion-the Board Of Zoning Adjustment.
The adjustment board is to be en-
powered to grant exceptions and vari-
ances from strict Interpretation of the
law, zoning regulations and property
classifications, in cases in which it
finds these to be in public interest
and necessary to avoid undue hard
ships on individual property owners.
The adjustment board, however, will
not be permitted to make changes in
the regulations or zoning maps, these
Zoning Commission.
Must Wait on Regulations.
The adjustment board can not func-
tion until the commission has adopted
regulations governing its powers and
procedure.
Members of the advisory council are
Capt. Hugh o. Dram, executive officer
Of the Zoning Commission; John Nolen,
jr, director of planning of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission, and S. G. Lindholm, en-
gineer of the zoning Commission.
Members of the Board of Zoning Ad-
Justment are Harry E. Blake of the
firm of Barber & Ross, who is chair
man of the zoning Committee of the
Board of Trade; Theodore l. Coe,
president of the Washington Building
Congress and chairman of the Munich
pal Art Committee of the Board of
Trade; Dean John Lapham of the
School Of Engineering of George
. Washington University; Mr. Nolen and
Capt. Dram.
A contest developed at the hearing
over the proposal of M. I. and L. M
O'Boyle to change the classification
Of lots on the south side Of Bunker
Hill road and on the north side of
Newton street, between Ninth street
NE. and the right Of way Of the Bal
timore & Ohio Railroad, from first
commercial to second commercial.
Further Study Urged.
In this case the Zoning Advisory
Council In its first public action rec
commended that the zoning OF the Sec
tion be given further study with view
to increasing rather than decreasing
Eoning restrictions.
A portion of the property subject
to the case now is used as a storage
garage. AS representative of the pc
titioners, Walter j. Cahill said it was
proposed to install several large tanks
and to use the property as gasoline
and fuel oil distributing station Pro-
tests came from the group of resi-
dents headed by Martin Joseph Duf-
fcy, who insisted that the change
would be damaging to residential
values. He offered protest petition
bearing more than so signatures.
The advisory council submitted an
adverse recommendation on pro-
posal to change from residential to
first commercial the classification of
property at 232 Sixth street S.W.,
on the ground that it would constitute
another case of spot" zoning.
Commercial Shift Favored.
There was no opposition to a re-
quest by Donal l.. Chamberlin, Wash
ington builder, to change from resi-
dental to first commercial the clas-
slf1cation of property at the south
west corner of TWenty-second street
and Alabama avenue Sc, so as to
permit the erection of a park and
shop development of from IL to Is
stores. Approval of this change was
recommended by the advisory council.
The Advisory Council submitted an
adverse report on a proposal to
change from residential "B" area to
residential "a" area the classification
OF property on the north side of @
street NV. near the west end of the
@ Street Bridge, but one member of
the council submitted a minority re-
port.
A neighborhood contest was ex-
pected later in the day over proposed
changes in zoning of properties near
Sheridan Circle which are intended
to present conversion of dwellings in
that section to boarding and room!ng
house purposes. At the last session of
the commission such changes were
made for some properties near the
Circle.
Spokesman for several civic groups
were prepared to urge the commission
to insert in the proposed new rules
and regulations a provision which
would prevent rehearing of a Pc
tition within five years after the
commission once had denied it. They
were prepared to argue that property
owners should not be compelled to
argue the same case year after year
after they had once succeeded in
preventing change Of property CLASH