Evening star., 1946-10-18
Planners Slated
ToAct Today on
FreewaySite
Area Of Superrood
From Georgetown to
Goblin John Toured
By Rudolph Kouffmonn II

Planning Commission was expected
to announce some sort of action to-
day on Montgomery County's Diff
cult freeway problem.
The planners spent the entire
afternoon yesterday talking about
the controversial superroad. They
also made tour of the Cabin John
Georgetown area but postponed any
action until today.
The commission has been asked
by the Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission to
see II freeway traffic can use the
proposed George Washington Me-
mortal Parkway from Cabin John
into Washington.
Ordinarily the commission would
reject such a proposal without a
second thought. But, it has become
increasingly plain that if the free
way is to fulfill it's intended func-
tion-that of by-passing Gathers
burg, Rockville, Bethesda and the
crowded Wisconsin avenue area of
the District-some way will have to
be found for commercial vehicles
using it to get from Cabin John
into town. Pleasure cars would be
able to use the parkway.
Discussion on Zoning.
A major part Of today's session
was to be taken up with talk of
District coming problems. The COM
advises the District on zon-
ing matters.
At the top of the zoning list stood
the question of rezoning the former
Martha Washington School prop
erty just west of Sixteenth street
on the south side of Piney Branch
Parkway. Owners of the property
want to build an apartment there.
1t Is now zoned for row houses.
Rezoning for an apartment would
permit building on the south slope
OF the Piney Branch Valley. The
commission has always taken the
stand that park boundaries should
be at the top of slopes to protect
parks from buildings getting too
close to streams and to prevent
property owners from deforesting
the land and dumping rubbish.
The rezoning of the tract will
come before the Zoning Commission
next week and the planners de-
clsion today is expected to call for
opposition to the rezoning until
money can be raised to purchase
the steep slope leading down to the
branch.
Subject on Court Action.
The Martha Washington tract Is
across Sixteenth street from the con-
troversial Poretsky property which
has been rezoned for an apartment
but. has been the subject of lengthy
but unsuccessful court action
brought by nearby property owners
to have the rezoning rescinded.
Apartment plans for the Poretsky
tract were to come before the COM
mission today at the request of the
Fine Arts Commission. The latter
body merely wants to know If the
planners have any objection to make
before 1t considers the design under
the terms of the Shipstead-Luce
Act
This act gives the Fine Arts Com
mission authority to review proposed
buildings which are to border Gov
ernment and park areas in the Dis
trict where the Federal Govern
ment wishes to maintain a type
OF architecture which would not
clash with its own developments.
Other zoning matters included
four requests for commercial recon-
ing near the District line which are
to be considered by the commissions
new committee on Maryland Dis
trict zoning problems
Location of Properties.
The four properties are located
on the north side of Kalmia road
near Georgia and Eastern avenues
NE; on the south side of Central
avenue near Southern avenue; on
South Dakota avenue near Riggs
road NE, and west of Georgia ave-
nue. near the Northminster Presby.
terian Church.
The special committee was formed
because nearby Maryland property
owners are affected by District re-
zoning near the line.
Before tackling the freeway
problem yesterday, the commission
determined to confer with the Dis
trict Commissioners and Brig. Gen.
Albert L. Cox on how proposed
legislation to set up operating prac-
tices for the Districts National
Guard Armory could be worded so
as not to endanger plans for a Ma
tional Sports Center on land sur
rounding the armory building.
Legislation was introduced at the
last session of Congress which would
have given Gen. Cox and the Com
missioners the right to pre-empt as
much sports center land as they
considered advisable for parking
and drill purposes. The bill did not
pass, but is likely to be reintroduced,
Otntr ACTON laken,
The commission yesterday also:
l. Proposed to add part of Blue
Plains now occupied by temporary
and also Camp Simms and
part of the land around Dalecarlia
Reservoir to any Capital clearance
legislation proposed to the next
Congress. Such legislation would
setup three-man commission to
determine whether land in the Dis
trict now used by the Soldiers
Home, st. Elizabeth's Hospital and
other institutions could not better
be used for other purposes and the
institutions moved out of the Dis
trict.
2. Decided that the Marshall
Heights area, bounded by Central
avenue, Forty ninth street NE. and
the District line, would still be
suitable for redevelopment work
done under the Districts new slum
act.
5. Announced it would call in
Harland Bartholomew, nationally
known st. Louis city planner, who
has acted as a consultant for the
commission in the past, to help it
create an advisory transportation
plan for the city. The plan would
oe turned over to the Commissioners
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