Evening star., 1947-07-23
Apartn1entH Hotel
|sApprovedf for
Pooks Hill Tract
Commissioners Vote,
81, for $4,000, 900
Project Near Bethesda
RY ]. B. Zafman

Pookis Hill estate on the Rockvill.
pike near Bethesda was approved
yesterday by the Montgomery
County Commissioners.
The commissioners granted a pc,
tition to rezone the property, war.
time home of Crown Princes.
Martha of Norway, from Residential
A to apartment house use.
The vote was 3 to 2, with Commis.
sioners Wesley I. Sauter and Charles
H. Jamison dissenting. The actor
was taken in a closed meeting.
At a hearing on the petition last
month Harry H. Brodie, Washington
builder, said it was planned to erect
approximately 1000 apartment units
at a cost of about $15,000,000. He
added that construction could start
Immediately.
Grosvenor Favors Application.
Only two neighboring property
owners opposed the application al
the hearing while Gilbert Grosve-
nor, president of the National Geo.
graphic Society, whose property
adjoins the tract, favored it.
In approving the petition the com.
missioners rejected a recommenda.
tion by the Maryland National Cap.
ital Park and Planning Commission
that the application be denied.
The commission said the propose
was entirely out of harmony with
the established trend of community
development in the area and woulc
result in an additional unnecessary
burden to the public"
Mr.. Brodie, at the hearing, tolc
the commissioners a portion of thu
property would be set aside as 9
school site and that the home now
on the tract would be used as 8
clubhouse for residents of the pro.
jected apartment-hotel. He added
there would be swimming pool
tennis courts and other recreational
facilities.
Taxi Rate Raised.
The board also increased the 25-
cent taxicab fare in zone 1 in Be-
thesda, Silver Spring and Takoma
Park to 80 cents. The $50 regis.
tration fee for each taxicab- was
ordered reduced to $25 and the SIC
license fee per driver to IS.
In addition, the provision in the
county taxicab ordinance permitting
children up to IL years old to ride
free If accompanied by an adult
was changed to permit free riding
for children in arms under S.
Taxicab drivers were urged, how.
ever, to observe the ordinance with.
out yesterdays changes until they
are advertised for two weeks. The
ordinance became effective July Is
but County Public Utilities Agent
Albert E. Conradis has announced
he will not enforce it until copies
of the zone maps and rates are
made available probably by All
gust l.
The changes in the ordinance
were made after approximately A
taxicab drivers from Bethesda, Ia
koma Park and Silver Spring ap.
peared before the board to demand
that the ordinance be repealed ane
that a new one be adopted after 8
public hearing.
Town to Buy 73 Lots.
In another action, the commits
sioners approved a request by Sted
man Prescott, jr., attorney for Gar
rett Park, that the town be per
mitted to purchase about 73 lots IL
the municipality which have beer
taken over by the county after take
became delinquent.
Mr.. Prescott said the tow1
planned to acquire clear titles tt
the lots and sell them to indi
viduals so as to put them back OF
the tax books. He estimated tn,
lots would cost between $4,000 ane
$4,000.
The board announced that hear
ings on rezoning petitions involving
land In the Silver Spring ares
would be held at 2 pm. August 2;
in the Liquor Dispensary Building
on Colesville road, near Georgis
avenue.
Slow signs were ordered installed
at Goodwin avenue and Forest Gler
road, Prospect avenue and Garlanc
street and at Greenwood and Pros.
pect avenues, Silver Spring.
A resolution authorizing county
assessors to attend the annual as
SCISSORS school August 4 to at the
University of Maryland at cost Of
s295 was approved.
Senior Stenographer Established.
Also adopted was a resolution
creating the position of senior
stenographer in the Health Depart
ment at a salary of $4,000 a year
Of this amount, the State will pay
$3.50 and the county, $3.50.
The board appropriated $40 fol
the county's membership in the Ma
tional Association of Assessing OF.
ficers and authorized a preliminary
survey looking toward the inclusion
of county employees in the State
retirement system. County Super
visor Irving G. McNayr estimated
the cost at between $3.50 and $400.
Louis A. Gravelle appeared before
the board to praise Detective Capt
Theodore Vollten. Detective Sergt
John P. Leahy and Detective Corpl
William Whelan, of the county
police force, for their work in solv-
ing a $1,000 robbery at his home
June %.
Mr.. Gravelle, who lives at 872(
Bradley boulevard, said almost all
of the jewelry and clothing stolen
was recovered by the three detec-
tives within 10 days and two boys
arrested on robbery charges.
Brooke Johns, president Of the
board, resigned as commissioner ir
charge Of the county aims house
effective August /.
In requesting that his resignation
be accepted, Mr.. Johns said he was
taking the action "in the interest
of better administration" He added
he would continue to maintain
active interest in the operation Of
the aims house"
As commissioner in charge of the
aims house, Mr.. Johns received an
additional $500 a year.