Evening star., 1941-06-11
County Adopts
On Rezoning
Metropolitan Area
Policy Declared
Pending Study
BY Staff Correspondent of The star

ndQ Deen declared To-Day Dy Jne .
Board of Commissioners until after
the completion of a comprehensive
city and zoning plan which has been .
Pending applications which seek
only to extend existing zones or
those which seek a classification in
the immediate vicinity of similar
zones will not be held in abeyance
by the new policy.
The commissioners terday
voted to engage Alfred Bettman.
planning and zoning expert of Gin
cinnati, Ohio, as consultant to the
board and also as adviser to the
Maryland National Capital Park
and Planning Commission.
One of two resolutions adopted
declared: This board will conse-
quently for the next several months
only consider and act upon petit
tions for reclassifications of zoning
which actually petition only extern
sions or engagements of existing
use areas as now generally planned
and ZOned."
The commissioners agreed to paw
tWo-thirdS of the cost of the plan
ming experts services and one-third
would be shared by the Park and
Planning Commission. The plan
ming commission is to meet today
and is expected to take up the pro-
posal. which has the unofficial ap-
proval of some of its members.
May Affect Pending Petitions.
Under terms of the resolution ap-
proved by the County Commits
sioners, Mr.. Bettman would be paid
$50 a day plus travelling and sub
slstence expenses, and would appoint
an expert on planning and zoning,
whose salary would be subject to the
approval of the commissioners.
Expected to be affected by the
announced policy of the commits
sioners is an application to rezone
about so acres of land on Massa-
chusetts avenue extended to permit
apartment houses. public hearings
on which will be held tomorrow
night in Bethesda. Other projects
which might be held in allowance
until comprehensive zoning plan
is approved include the Sacks re-
zoning request to permit apartments
on Bradley boulevard, in Bethesda.
1t was indicated that the new
policy will not delay the reclassifi-
cation Of property in Sligo Parkway
for apartment construction until
after the master zoning plan is
adopted. This change. asked bv
Sligo Park Properties, Inc, would
extend an existing apartment zone
and is to be given a public hearing
June l9. 1t is opposed by numerous
civic groups in the Silver Spring
area.
One provision of the resolutions
adopted yesterday was objected to
by Commissioner John E. Oxlev as
being too vague, but she joined other
members in supporting the meas
ures when the vote was taken. The
language he questioned was:
This board. sitting as County
Council to consider petitions for
reclaSslflcation of existing zonine
will not proceed with either the
reclassiflcation or with the further
consideration of any petition for
reclasslflcation of zoning use which
seeks to create new use which is
not now established in a general
nelghborhood or community or is
not now in existence immediately
or closely adjacent to the parcel
or parcels described by the petition
in question"
No estimate of the cost Of hiring
the experts could be obtained i'm
mediately but there is a provision
that the commissioners can dis
T. continue the experts services bv
reason of dissatisfaction or when
the services are no longer needed.
Bids were received from three
banks and those of the Suburban
National Bank of Silver Spring were
accepted for the purchase of $4,000
worth OF front foot benefit certifi-
Gates dated June 16 and due in one
year bearing interest at 1.08 per cent
annually: for the purchase of
Sl50,000 worth of tax authorization
certificates for the 194O-41 levy, due
IN 80 days and bearing interest rate
OF "a per cent, and for the renewal
OF $4,000 worth of certificates of
Indebtedness at lips per cent. Also
renewed were s19, 1000 worth of GER
tiflcates of Indebtedness with the
Farmers Bank & Trust Co. at Is
per cent interest. The rate on this
issue formerly was per cent.
Treasury Clerk Named.
The commissioners were notified
of the resignation of William Bird
as junior accountant to the County
Liquor Control Board to accept an
assignment with the Navy.
Walter K. Matthews of Dickerson
was named clerk in the county
trasurer's Office at a salary of S100
a month.
Bids will be opened early in July
on front foot benefit project on
AsOSolA AOciN III L al way SuDulNlolOI1
in Silver Spring. The project will
consist of installation of curbs, gut
tiers and surface treatment at an
estimated cost of $4,650 with an
estimated assessment of S3.10 per
front foot for abutting property
owners.
The board took under advisement
a. request from the Kensington
Chamber of Commerce asking ths
road through Kensington Parkway
to be designated by that name and
also to prohibit trucks on the thor.
oughfare and make it a through
street at the intersection with Con-
! necticut avenue.
Mrs. Pearl Hicks, 2437 Fifteenth
street NV, Washington, was issued
a permit to operate boarding
school for children between the ages
| of 5 and Is years at Ashton.
The board authorized publication
of an ordinance which grants
authority to the police department
to declare emergencies and close of