Evening star., 1939-02-12
Maryland Measure
To Expand Park
District Drafted
Widespread Changes in
PIonnine Commission
Made in Bill
Nv BEN II. PEARSE.

A bill making widespread changes
In the Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and
enlarging its area about IS per cent
! has been prepared for introduction
in the Maryland Legislature this
week, it was learned yesterday.
The bill proposes to create a Mary
land Washington regional district
composed of the present Maryland
Washington metropolitan area, to-
falling about l20 square miles in
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties, a second area in which
zoning and subdivision regulations
of the commission would be effective,
and third area in which only SUBJ
division regulations would be in
effect.
At the same time, the present
coming regulations would be redraWn
to take advantage of court decisions
favorable to planning handed down
since the present act was created
more than 10 years ago. 1t would
be the first time any wholesale
changes have been made since the
park and planning commission was
esta blshed.
No Zoning Changes Included.
The changes have been drawn up
after several weeks Of conferences
between the Maryland and the
Washington planning commissions
In which Alfred Betman of Gin
~,
planning legislation, participated.
Assurance was given yesterday by
J. Bond Smith. counsel to the Mary
land Park and Planning Commits
sion, that no changes in present
1oning are included in the bill, al
though several changes in procedure
for zoning have been provided, some
of them at the suggestion Of civic
groups.
The new bill makes no changes
IN zoning in either Montgomery or
Prince Georges Counties Mr.. Smith
said. No on-conforming use will
be made conforming and no illegal
use in viola ation of the present regu-
lations will be made legal under the
new reguiatlOnS.
Such changes as are being pro-
posed in the zoning regulations are
of a procedural nature only, and
provide, for example for more ade-
quate notice of zonlng hearings.
Many residents Of the areas af-
fected have requested that the pro-
lection of zoning laws be extended
in advance of the suburban growth
rather than wait until they are
surrounded by unplanned develop
ment"
Two Sections in Second Area.
Only two sections are included in
the second area to be added to the
present metropolitan boundaries.
One is a strip along the District
line in the Oxon Hill election dis
trict. in Prince Georges County CO.
inciding approximately with the
boundary of the Washington Subur-
ban Sanitary District, and the other
in Montgomery County in the Sandy
Spring district north of Norwood.
In those two areas, totallng about
IS square miles, a special tax of
cents would be levied for admin
istration of the commission regula-
tions on zoning, billboards, subdi-
vision plating and planning for the
physical development of the section.
The residents would receive the
same treatment as though they were
In the park arear proper. except that
the commission would make no .eX-
penditures for park purposes. Part
of the special tax Of 10 cents levied
IN the present metropolitan area is
devoted to purchase of park land.
The second area covered by the
proposed bill takes in about Is
square miles and includes the Rock
vile and Olney election districts in
Montgomery County, and the Laurel,
Lanham. Kent. Spaldings and OXon
Hill election districts and part of
the Piscataway election district in
Prince Georges County In this area,
no special tax would be levied. but
residents would be given protection
in the plating of subdivisions, which
would require the approval Of the
commission before they could be
placed on file with the county COM
missioners. In this way, Mr.. Smith
explained. the subdivisions would
conform to the general plan of the
Maryland Washington Regional
District.
A provision in the proposed bill
allows for exemption of land de-
voted to agricultural use, so that
farm buildings would not be sub
lect to the same regulations as
buildings in residential areas or sub
divisions.