Evening star., 1946-12-27
Preparatory School,
Woodside zoninq
Opposed at Hearings

OppOSlblOIl W d klOpSSCO plCpdl
atory school in the Brookeville area
and to a petition for industrial zon-
ing in Woodside was being studied
by the Montgomery County COM
missioners today as they prepared
for further zoning hearings in Silver
Spring this afternoon. Decisions on
all applications being heard this
month will be announced early next
year, the commissioners said.
The opposition was voiced by large
delegations at hearings in Bethesda
yesterday. About ITS residents pro-
tested against the preparatory
school, which will be established on
the Brookeville farm of George P.
Kimmel, Washington attorney, if the
commissioners approve a petition
filed by him together with Harvey
L. Petit and o. D. Norman.
I, A slightly smaller delegation op-
posed the industrial zoning applica-
ton, which involves seven acres be-
tween Seminary road and Mont
gomery avenue in Woodside.
JyIuIl6Skum DClHE uts
In behalf of his request for a
permit to build the prep" school
Mr.. Kimmel said it would cost
$500 900, be equaled in this area only
by Georgetown Preparatory School
and qualify boys for institutions on
the educational level of Annapolis
West Point, Yale and Harvard.
Construction has started on the
school gymnasium, he said. 1t is
planned to accommodate only Ga
students at first, enlarge the facili-
ties later to include such things as
a lake for swimming, boating and
fishing, Mr.. Kimmel said. He added
that the sponsors planned to furnish
free scholarships for deserving boys
who could not afford the proposed
s1,400 tuition.
A delegation from the Olney-Nor-
beck Citizens Association termed
the project a menace to the resi-
Dental community. A petition sub
mitted by the group described the
area as one devoted primarily to
dairy farming and raising high
spirited horses. It expressed con-
Germ over the influx of large num-
Der of boys Of precollege age who
are likely to be mischievous and
prankish."
Daniel T. Doherty, who spoke for
the opponents, said establishment of
the school would lead to widening
the highway in front of the Kimmel
farm because of increased traffic.
This, he said, would result in higher
taxes for neighboring landowners.
James F. Hardy, who filed the pc
tition for the industrial zone il
Woodside, failed to appear at yes
terday's hearing The petition has
been disapproved by the Maryland
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission. The citizens who
asked that Mr.. Hardy's request be
denied filed petitions bearing about
500 signatures and resolutions from
several organizations in the Wood
side Montgomery Hills residential
area.
Jesse B. Matre, former president
of the Montgomery County Civic
Federation, pointed out that the
hearing would have been held in
Silver Spring, instead of Bethesda,
III usual custom had been followed.
Brooke Johns, board chairman, ex-
planned that the hearing was sched-
uled by the previous county board,
but said he thought a clerical error
was responsible for the hearing being
advertised for Bethesda.
There was no opposition to two
petitions for changes of small tracts
in the Bethesda area from resi-
Dental A to residential C. One was
filed by James c. Christopher, at
torney, and involved property on
the East-West highway near the
Bethesda-C Chevy Chase High School.
The other was submitted by Harry
E. and Kathryn S. Pontius for lot
IA, block S, Highland Park sub
division, Bethesda.
The commissioners said they ex-
pected no opposition at the hear
ings in Silver Spring this afternoon.
They were to begin at 1:3O O'Clock.