Evening star., 1947-12-11
l. -
Apartment Plea
For ChevyChase
Up! for Hearing .|
Zoning of Tract Near
Connecticut Ave. to
Be Studied Tuesday

~~uItSSAHSoN NVSs ~
Be Studied Tuesday
A petition to rezone q 30-acre
tract to permit construction of 4
3S8-unit apartment project between
Connecticut avenue and the Rock
Creek Knoll subdivision north Of
highway will be heard
by the Montgomery County COM
Tuesday.
The application has been filed by
the Chevy Chase Land Co. The
hearing will be held at 2:05 pm. In
the Bethesda County Building.
The site is bisected by the Balti-
more & Ohio Railroad and is part
OF a 150-acre tract owned by the
company, bounded by Dunlop street
on the south, Jones Bridge road ON
the north, Connecticut avenue on
the west and the Pennington. and
Rock Creek Knoll subdivisions on
the east. -.-....---.
Expected to Ask Approval.
Although the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning COM
mission will not make a recommen.
dation on the petition until Monday.
1t is reported both the commission
and its planning staff will ask that
1t be approved.
The attitude of Planning Engineer
William C. Burrage and Chief Engi-
neer Thomas A. Morton is that
where apartment zoning can be es-
tablished in the Bethesda Chevy
Chase area without damaging ex,
isting single-family developments,
the proposed zoning change should
be granted.
A similar position is taken by
commission members.
Garden Type Apartments.
According to William S. Farr.
president, the project
would consist of garden-typie apart
ments, two stories high and of Co
lonial design. Construction prob
ably would start next spring If the
petition is approved, he added. No
estimate of the cost has been OBJ
tanned, he said.
Fifty per cent of the proposed 3Ss
units would contain two bedrooms.
Mr.. Farr said. while the remainder
would be divided equally into one
bedroom and three bedroom apart
ments.
The so acres involved is split into
two sections with about IA acres
south Of the railroad and Is acres
north Of the tracks.
Separated by Park Strip, -
The southern portion of the prof.
ect would be separated from EXIST
ing residential property by a 20
acre park strip. North of the 16-
acre portion and adjoining it would
be 10 acres to be set aside as q
school site, Mr.. Farr said
The proposed apartments would
be owned and operated by the Chevy
Chase Land Co.. Mr.. Farr asserted.
while the remainder of the 150-
acre tract would be developed with
single-family homes.
Mr.. Farr said the company may
seek commercial zoning of another
large portion of the tract fronting
along Connecticut avenue just north
of the Chevy Chase f1rehouse.
He emphasized. however. that the
company has no immediate plans
for such a move. It depends on
whether additional commercial land
is needed as the area Is developed,
he pointed out.
Land Held Since 1890.
The entire tract, he said, has been
in the company's hands since 1890.
In 1941, he said, the company
studied the possibility of developing
the property on purely residential
basis but was unable to interest
builders in erecting homes in the
area adjoining the railroad.
AS a result. he said, the company,
as far back as year and half ago,
started drafting a land-use plan for
the property providing for apart
nent houses along both sides of the
railroad tracks and surrounded by
single family homes.
I'VE have no desire to damage
values in nearby areas"
Mr.. Farr said, "but this land has
been idle for 81 years and must be
used. We believe this plan is the
best method of putting 1t to use"
Low Population Density.
Mr.. Farr said there would be an
average density of 1873 families per
acre in the apartment project, as
with densities as high as
Is families per acre in other apart
ment projects being built in the
county.
Adjoining the company's property
on the south is the Chevy Chase
Woman's Club. Mrs. r. j. Danne-
miller, club president, said she would
not oppose the petition If the apart
ments were erected along the rail-
road.
She said club members had been
told the project would be built next
to the club property and that they
strongly opposed such a move. She
added representatives of her organi-
zation probably would attend the
zoning hearing. 2.
Church Planned for Area.
Immediately to the south Of the
club is land owned by the First
Church Of Christ Scientist of Chevy
Chase, which plans to build a church
there.
Edward P. Felker, chairman of the
church Board Of Trustees, said that
because of the distance between the
proposed apartment project and the
church property I'VE wouldn't be in
in either favoring or op-
posing the application"
Although the Board of Trustees
has taken no action on the matter,
Mr.. Falker said representative may
attend the hearing.
Hotel Managers
Shooting Of Clerk
Held eIf-DefenseI