Evening star., 1948-06-02
Score Advocate
|zoniA1g Change
In Georgetown
Dean Acheson Joins
In Urging Limit on
Commercial Places
By Jerry o'Leory, Jr.

wy eSsJf 80
A score Of Georgetown residents,
including former Undersecretary of
State Dean Acheson and John
chief curator of the Ma
tional Gallery of Art, testified at a
Building hearing today in
favor Of proposed zoning change
that would bar commercial enter
prises from a large area of George.
town east Of Wisconsin avenue.
The proposal. initiated by the Dis
trict Zoning Commission and in
dorsed by the Zoning Advisory
Council, is the result of a land-use
survey sought by both Georgetown
citizens associations and many area
owners.
AS the hearing got under way
before the Zoning Commission this
Henry G. Ashton, commits
sion executive officer, declared the
proposed change is the final step in
the creation of comprehensive
plan for the entire Georgetown Sec
tion and, If put in effect, will elm
mate five acres of first commercial
zoning. The proposal would change
large tracts to residential restricted
status and prevent the influx OF
business properties into the largely
residential section.
Urges Trend Be Encouraged.
THE prevailing tendency in the
entire area is the construction of
either new row housing or the rec
lamation of existing structures to
single family use, in harmony to a
large extent with a type of housing
prevailing during the early history
of Georgetown" Mr.. Ashton told the
commission.
This trend the council believes,
should be encouraged AS the plan
now exists, the excessive and unused
commercial zoning creates a poten-
tial blighting influence on any
further redevelopment by private
enterprise of this entire neighbor-
mood"
For these reasons, Mr.. Ashton
concluded, the council recommends
that the proposal be approved, sub
ject to possible minor adjustments
in the fringe areas.
Members of the Zoning Advisory
Council are Robert o. Clouser, John
Nolen, jr., and Assistant Engineer
Commissioner v. A. Shurm. Sitting
on the Zoning Commission at today's
hearing were Commissioners John
Russell Young, Gordon r. Young
and Guy Mason, and David Lynn,
architect of the Capitol, and Newton
B. Drury.
Walker Urges Change.
Mr.. Walker, who lives at 2806 N
street NV, asked that the COM
help preserve the beauty Of
Old Georgetown by permitting the
He compared the area
to historic portions of Europe, which
European government commissions
preserve.
Mr.. Acheson, now an attorney In
private practice, said he has lived
at 2805 P street NV, for the last
26 years. He described Georgetown
as a remarkable old 18th century
town known all over the Nation. He
said he is heartily in favor of the
zoning change to bar stores and
businesses.
Attorney Robert E. Lynch, repre-
senting so property owners in the
area, said the proposal has the back
ing of 300 signatures-representing
400 pieces of property-one a petit
ton. He pointed out that both the
Citizens Association
and the Progressive Citizens of
Georgetown support the proposal.
Others testifying for the change
included Mrs. Helen Leary McCau-
ley, 2714 Olive street NV, owner of
four properties; Benjamin w. Thor
on, 1900 N street NV; Mrs. Caro-
line Binyon, 1248 Thirty-first street
NV; Atty. Frederick S. Hill, 3134
P street NV; Mrs. A. P. Dewey,
3125 o street NV; Mrs. Richard
Norton. 1927 Thirty first street NV,
and Mrs. Joseph C. Harsch, 2808
N street NV.
Some Oppose Change.
A handful of persons appeared in
opposition to the proposal, mostly on
behalf of individual properties which
they wanted excepted. Among them
was Burton Benedict, 1910 P street
NV, who, although not objecting
to the general plan, asked that the
first commercial classification of his
be continued. He declared
he bought the property for its COM
mercial zoning and has been ad-
vised that the value of his land will
If the commercial classi-
fication is removed.
The proposed amendment would
affect the properties on the south
side of p street NV, between Wis
consin avenue and Thirty-first
street; the north side of o street
NV. between Wisconsin avenue and
Thirty first street; both sides Of
Thirty first street NV, between M
and N streets NV, both sides of
Olive street NV. between Twenty
seventh and Thirtieth streets; both
sides of Twenty eighth and Twenty
ninth streets between Olive and M
streets NV, and the east side of
Thirtieth street between Olive and
NJ streets.