Evening star., 1940-03-06
Zoning Commission Stond
(Taken from the transcript OF
the hearing, conversation with
coming Official, press accounts
and commission ruling on re-
hearing petttion.)

LHS HeQTtUg, COHDeTS1LIOn UtLn
coming official, press accounts
and commission ruling on re-
hearing petftion.)
The commission recognizes. that
the traffic problem Of the vicinity
is great and believes that this prob
lem would increase with any de-
velopment under the prior zoning.
Previously part of the tract in ques-
ton was already zoned commercial,
and the rest was zoned residential,
as shown.
The following facts should be
borne in mind. First, that the re-
zoning was conditional upon COM
pliance by the applicant with nu-
merous restrictions which place the
entrances and exits of the proposed
building up to the commission for
approval. Under this condition, the
commission feels the traffic problem
will not be materially aggravated
by the change in zoning. Presen.
plans call for one entrance and no
exits of Albemarle street, and this
would serve to slow down traffic on
Albemarle street preparatory to en-
tering the ramp.
Secondly, examination of the pre-
viously zoned residential property
now in controversy will show it
lanked on one side by commercial
property, a police station on another,
a cemetery on another and a school
on apother-obviously not adapted
to residence or residential zoning.
Quite apart from what the owner
might ask for the property, these
surroundings might be considered as
making the property unavailable for
home sites.
The proposed building will be a
one-Story structure, plans of which
are subject to approval by the COM
mission. 1t would be closed Sum-
days and evenings except once in a
while. It would not be open before
$50 am, at which time the children
are in school, and the applicants
business is such that the peak comes
after 4:30 pm, and Saturday, when
there Is no school.
It should not be forgotten that
the question Is not whether the ap-
plicant will build the store, but
whether he will build the store on
the entire site, including the part
rezoned. Previously he could have
built a three-story building $50 feet
high on the part already zoned COM
mercial without coming before the
Zoning Commission or being subject
to any building restrictions such as
are now attached.
Again, somebody else can build
there If this applicant does not. The
Elbrooke Church, which Immediately
faces the tract, has recognized this
and approved a one-story retail
store by the applicant rather than
run the risk Of the construction Of
something less attractive or Of
greater hazard. The church has an
investment Of $185,000 in its own
property and its younger group at
tends educational and religious
classes. Small stores would probably
constitute a greater hazard than
one large one. The applicant Is
asking for the rezoning to provide
space for on-street parking OF the
cars.
Although the Bethesda branch
store may be abandoned, there has
been no evidence of intention on
the part Of the applicant to aban-
don other branch stores. Pre-
sumably, the out-of-town customers
would 60 to the nearest store, which,
in the case Of Virginia, would be
the Georgetown branch. There is
a traffic light at the intersection in
question with a policeman on duty
in the morning and afternoon.
The Bladensburg store Of the ap-
plicant has its parking facilities
taxed only on some Saturday nights.
The rest OF the time there Is room
for some 800 cars. The applicant
believes the public win Use the fa-
cilities to be provided atop the pro-