Evening star., 1941-01-18
Land Buyer Urged
To Find Out How
His Area Is zoned
Value Of Investigation
Compared to Thot
Of q Title Search
Continued From Page BID

Continued From Page BID
ordinance designates what kind OF
building may be erected in par
ticular district and to what use that
building may be put. For example,
In certain areas only detached
houses may be erected, in others
stores, public garages, etc, are per-
mitted. In district where only de-
tached houses are legal no store is
allowed and no structure may be
used for a store.
2. Height: This zoning regulates
the height to which a building may
be built and the maximum number
of stories. The lowest height dis
trict limits buildings to 40 feet and
three stories. the maximum height
district 100 feet and II stories.
8. Area: This part of the zonlng
ordinance specifies the amount of
the lot which may be covered with
a building, running as low as 40
per cent in the A restricted districts,
to 100 per cent. with certain eXcep-
tions, in commercial D area dis
trictS.
Importance Of ZOning.
Now, let's see how important this
whole question of zoning is to the
buyer of real property. Suppose
you have decided on the purchase
of a certain house or a lot upon
which you expect to build your
home You are told that this par
A restricted-40 feet. Just what do
these technical terms mean? AS
q buyer of property you should know
exactly what they mean.
They mean this: That a detached
dwelling only may be erected on the
lot that you contemplate purchas-
ing; that it can be used for dwell
ing purposes only; that its height
may not exceed 40 feet; that it
must have three stories or less, and
If the lot is in the middle of the
block no more than 40 per cent of
its area may be built upon. There
are certain other restrictions, but
these are the most important.
Now that you understand the
zoning of the piece of property
which you intend to purchase, do
not think that is all that you should
know about zoning as it applies to
your proposed purchase. 1t is just
as important, it may be even more
important, to understand the zoning
OF the property Immediately sur
rounding your own. Why is this so?
Because the zoning of neighboring
ground affects your property.
An Illustration.
Suppose, for example, you own
lot that is in residential A restricted
district. The uses of A restricted
property are quite limited. Because
its use is limited, such zoning gives
1t certain value. Across the street
from your property the zoning is
not A restricted, but simply A. And
what difference does this mean to
your holdings? 1t means plenty.
On that lot across the street hotel
may be erected, or an apartment,
or a four-family fiat.
If you can avoid it, you do not
want your detached home in a
nelghborhood of flats. This some
times happens. Not so long ago
residents who owned detached homes
in an A restricted area, near Massa-
chusetts avenue NV. and the Dis
trlct line, aWoke one morning tn
ind steam shovel across the street
dlgglng cellars for some four-familv
Ilats. Their homes had cost SIS, ,Onn
to $4,000. The erection of thesa
mats did not help the value of their
houses.
Too Late to Change It.
Inc nome buyers did not know. or
If they did know they did not
realize that the A area zoning
across the street from their own
homes permitted the erection of
these flats. When they found it
out in a panic they appealed to the
Zonlng Commission and the zoning
was changed, but it was too late-a
permit had been issued to build the
hats and the District Government
had no choice other than to allow
the work to go ahead. The damage
mad been done. And it came about
because purchasers of expensive de-
tached homes apparently neglected
to study the zoning of their immedi-
ate neighborhood.
Likewise, if there is a first or
second commercial district too near
your home it may affect the value
OF your property. Everybody wants
a store right around the corner, but
nobody wants 1t right around his
corner. Commercial areas within q
ieW blocks help residential property.
but if too close make it less de-
sirable.
If you know the zoning of prop
erty surrounding yours you will
know how it will be improved
Suppose your home or lot is in an
undeveloped area where there are
no stores. How, then, can you tell
where stores may be built at later
date? The Zoning Commission has
to considerable extent anticipated
the zoning needs of the city and yor