Evening star., 1947-04-24
Gen. Grant Sees
Drive for zoniinq
DensityControI
Tells Citizens Council
Of Need Of Revisions;
Halls Fort Drive Plan

A campaign to redraft the zonine
map and regulations of the District
to include density control, one of
the newest weapons in the zoner,s
kit, is in the offing.
This was indicated yesterday bv
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III, chairman
of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, when he
said:
There is great need to revise the
zoning map in the light of present
needs and conditions" He added
that density control-governing how
many persons can occupy the land
in given zoning area-should be
added to the city's zoning plan.
Addresses Citizens Council.
His remark came in discussion
OF progress made on Washington's
master plan at a luncheon meeting
Of the Citizens Council for Commu-
nifty Planning, Inc, at the Roger
Smith Hotel.
Presumably, detailed suggestions
for Qyerhauling the citys zoning
setup would come in the master
plan which the planning commits
sion must make under the new Land
Redevelopment Act.
Density control is a zoning meas
ure adopted by few cities so far. 1t
is employed to keep neighborhoods
from becoming blighted by over
crowding. Present laws limit the
types and sizes of buildings which
can be erected on city land, but
place no ceiling on the number of
residents per acre, for instance.
Halls Fort Drive Plan.
Gen. Grant also spoke in favor of
Fort drive, which has been assailed
by the District government.
tits really not park drive at all"
he said, ''but a free flowing high
way"
Not long after the planners took
over the job of charting the Capitals
development in 1926, Gen. Grant
said. it was seen there were many
roads leading into and out of Wash
ington, but no good road that would
take traffic around the congested
center of the city.
The old Fort drive plan, which
had been urged as early as 1898 as a
park project, he said, looked like
the answer to the problem and still
does.
Speaks on U. S. Buildings.
John Nolen. jr., who directs the
technical staff of the planning COM
mission, also spoke. He said the
commissions plans for the location
of future Federal buildings meant
that about from 10000 to 100000
Government workers ultimately
would work in Offices west of the
Capitol and about 10000 would work
in buildings along East Capitol
street.
These buildings along East Capitol
street, as well as the fact new build
ings west of the Capitol would be
spread out more than they are now.
would reduce present congestion, he
said.
In answer to suggestions that
some park land, particularly that
bought for the Fort drive, be con-
verted to taxable private property,
Gen. Grant told the council the
bulk of park land is unfit for build
ing development.
Contrasts Cost, Tax Loss.
Most of it would cost the city
more in terms of grading, sewers,
highways and other utilities than
the city losses in taxes, he said.
The Rock Greek and Potomac
parkway cost $3,O00.0O0 It would
have cost the city $6,000,o00 to fill
it in and prepare the land for build
ings, he said.
He said the commissions thor
oughfare plan. which has been ad-
vanced as an alternative to long
range plans of the District High
way Department and its out-of-
town consultants, would benefit the
city greatly, since it would attract
through traffic to favored streets at
the boundaries of neighborhoods
and leave residential streets free for
local traffic and parking.