Evening star., 1946-12-19
Residents at Hearing
Oppose Bannockburn
Housing Unit Project

virtually unanimous OppCSltlOIl
by residents OF the Bannockburn-
Fairway Hills-Glen Echo areas to
petition to rezone parts of the
124-acre Bannockburn Golf Club for
apartment house and commercial
use featured two-hour hearing
yesterday before the Montgomery
County commissioners in the Be-
thesda County Building.
The petition, along with 18 others
affecting property in the Bethesda
Chevy Chase area, was taken under
advisement.
Bannockburn Co-operators, Inc,
owner of the golf club tract, pro-
poses to convert the property into
a community Of detached homes,
duplex dwellings, apartment houses
and shopping center in a gar
den" setting Uf trees and park land
Opponents centered their argu-
ments on the contention that the
project would reduce the value OF
neighboring homes and result In
increased congestion, thus creating
a traf1ic hazard.
Would Cost $1,000, 900.
They also claimed that members
of the cooperative could give nc
assurances of adequate financial
support to complete the project, the
cost of which was estimated at
Sc 900 900 by James w. Gill. attor-
ney for the applicant.
Declaring the county in general
consists of single-family homes
John r. Reeves, Bethesda attorney
representing residents Of adjoining
subdivisions, asserted:
"We have no guarantee that this
plan will be carried through II the
rezoning is approved. In addition
the petitioner has put no covenants
in the deeds to the property to pro-
tect homeowners in the area.
Earl s. Draper. Bannockburn, for
mer deputy commissioner Of the
Federal Housing Administration
said the area is too small to serve
as site for such an ambitious
project. He added that favorable
action by the commissioners woule
set a precedent for the owner oi
every 100-acre tract in the county
Another Site Suggested.
He also said it would be extremely
hazardous" from a financial view.
point to open the tract to elevator
apartments in such an "out-of-the'
way" location. He suggested thu
River road and Wilson lane area al
much better" location. The Ban
nockburn Golf Club is at Macarthur
boulevard and Wilson lane.
Petitions opposing the application
were presented by Joseph H. Sheehy
president of the Woodacres Citi.
zens' Association: Cleveland Nor.
cross, president of the Bannockburr
Citizens Association, and Howard
Graham, president of the Fairway
Hills Citizens Association. Mr.
Reeves submitted a petition signec
by approximately SO Glen Echo resi-.
dents.
Mr.. Gill requested that the ap'
plication be amended to reclassify
only 40, instead of the, rs acres ol
tthe 124-acre total. ,er.
Subdivision Promised.
He said the applicant has agreee
to subdivide land facing Bannock.
burn Heights and Fairway Hills IL
q manner similar to lots In the twe
developments. Homes on the lots
he said, will be built to harmonic
with those in adjoining subdivisions
Mr.. Gill emphasized that only
about eight OF the 40 acres for which
rezoning is requested will be occu-
pied by apartment houses. duplex
homes. driveways and parking sites
If construction does not begin within
the next three years, Mr.. GIN prom
ised, the petitioner will seek to have
the property rezoned back to resi-
Dental A.
Would House 500 Families.
Declaring that the average popu-
lation density on the project will be
less than five families per acre, Mr.
Gill said it is planned to build three
large apartment buildings to house
about $50 families and 40 smaller
duplex-type buildings with a shop
ping center in the middle of the
project. The entire area would be
surrounded by a fringe of single
family homes. Only about 500
families would occupy the entire
project, which also would have a