Evening star., 1941-08-15
Throng Attends
Montgomery
.zoning Hearing
$4,000. 900 Apartment
Project Opposed
By Citizens

A crowd, which overhowed the
county building hearing room in
Bethesda, filled the aisles and stood
on boxes outside to gain a vantage
point at open windows last night,
protested rezoning 60-acre tract
on Massachusetts, avenue extended
to permit apartments at hearing
before the Montgomery County
commissioners.
The application by Norman B.
Frost, agent for the owner, Scott B.
Appleby, to reclassify the tract
largely surrounded by subdivisions
of single-family dwellings for con-
struction of a $4,000, 900 apartment
house project, drew opposition from
individuals and civic groups
throughout the neighboring area
which at times had to be quieted by
Board President Thomas E. Hamp-
ton.
The commissioners said they
would make decision at later
date.
Huge Project Planned.
Opening the case for the ap-
plicant, Daniel T. Doherty, attorney.
said the project would be "un-
eoualed and unsurpassed by any
apartment project on the Atlantic
Coast and already had been ap-
proved by the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, with setback of 300 feet
along Massachusetts avenue. The
| property is north Of the avenue
and west of the Baltimore & ONO
Railroad tracks about three-quarters
of a mile from the District line.
The project would include build
ings of various sizes and types, from
a l0-story structure to single
family homes. but covering only
about 10 of the so acres, the re-
mainder to be handicapped and kept
in its native aspect, he said. space
for automobiles for each OF the
apartment estates" would be pro-
yided on the property to eliminate
any parking problem in the vicinity.
he stated The whole project would
comprise about 900 units and ~
dwellings.
IF there is any place in all Mont
gomery County" he declared, "Wnere
an apartment project of this magnl-
tude and magnificance should be
located, this is the place.
Change in Area Seen.
The opposition groups. represent
ed by James H. Pugh, based their
objections chiefly on the change
" such a project would make IN a
community now restricted to one
| family homes. ,
Albert w. Walker, developer and
builder of several subdivisions In
the vicinity, pointed out that none
of the property on Massachusetts
avenue northwest of Rock Creek
!. in the District is zoned for apart
ments excepting two tracts at the
. intersection of Wisconsin avenue,
which face the later thoroughfare.
{ The entire area surrounding the
proposed apartment site has been
/ built up with detached homes, he
said, and only small frontage Is
zoned for commercial use.
/ Petitions opposing the rezoning
were presented by B. A. Chandler,
president of the WeStmoreland
, Hills Citizens Association; Edward
A. Riley, of the Green Acres Citi-
zens Association; R. G. Beers,
a., chairman of the Zoning commit
5 tee of the Wood Acres Citizens AS
, sociation; and Thomas E. kissing
, vice president of the Bayard Hills
) Citizens Association. Mr.. Pugh pre-
: sented one for the Kenwood Cltl-
zens Association and reminded the
; commissioners other citizens groups
already had filed similar petitions
since the application was filed
nearly six months ago. An earlier
hearing date was cancelled because
of an improper description in the
> advertisement.
Other Objections Cited.
F. M. Walters, jr., representing
. the B. F. Saul Co., Washington
{ building firm, told the commits
sioners his company had spent
, nearly two years preparing to con-
struct 200 single family homes or
, a nearby tract. Plans would have
to be changed entirely and re-
quest for rezening for apartments
might be expected if the applica-
, ton under discussion were granted
. he stated.
1t was brought out that the apps-
cant owns FAC acres in addition to
the go for which the rezoning was
asked and that change in classifi-
cation might lead to further re-
,orK,,o later