Evening star., 1948-07-21
County Weighs
Unit on zoninq
Compliance
Would Nap Steps
For Enforcement
In Prince Georges

decide on steps necessary to obtain
full public compliance with the zon-
ing ordinance in Prince Georges
County Is under consideration by
the Board Of County Commission.
ers today.
A committee OF representatives
from various interested agencies,
such as was named In Montgomery
County to consider a similar situ-
alton, was suggested by j. Bond
Smith. general counsel of the Mary
land-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission at a confer
ence yesterday.
The conference, held during the
regular weekly meeting of the
county commissioners. also was at
tended by representatives of county
departments, incorporated towns
and county agencies concerned with
enforcement of the zoning ordi-
nance.
Existing Violations Cited.
Mr.. Smith, on behalf of the plan-
ming commission, pointed out vio-
lations OF the zoning law still exist,
including conversion of one-family
dwellings to multi-family residences,
tolerated during the war because
of the need for living Quarters.
Yesterdays conference was called
to discuss the extent of the vio-
lations In Prince Georges County
and what should be done about
them" Mr.. Smith said.
William A. Carson, president Of
the Board OF Commissioners, de-
clared he has not received any com.
plants on the zoning violations.
Regarding strict enforcement Of ex-
isting regulations, Mr.. Carson said
he hated to start something we
can't finish.
Mayor Harry A. L. Barker OF
Riverdale. member of the Rental
Advisory Board for Montgomery and
Prince Georges Counties, said he
had found many violations of the
ordinance in his investigations as .
member of the board.
Would Enforce Future Cases.
Mayor Barker declared his recon.
mendation was to wink" at VIOLA
tions which have occurred to date
and enforce the ordinance In all
cases from now on.
Councilman Warren James Of
Mount Rainier asserted the viola
tions we're at least partly the result
of failure of the Planning Commits
sion to cooperate with town officers
in the issuing of contraction permits.
Lack of knowledge" is back OF the
whole problem, Herman C. Heffner
of the Takona Park Town Council
told the conference. He said also
lack of facilities on the part Of the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission might have contributed
to the situation.
Others who discussed the problem
were Fred Tuemmler, director OF
planning for the Prince Georges
office of the Planning Commission:
'Perce Wolfe, county building In
spector; Charles Wood, county SAN
itary engineer, and Hervey G.
Machen, assistant States attorney.
Vance T. Vaughn, counsel eor sew
eral incorporated towns i'll the
county, appealed for more help for
the county building inspector as an
aid to enforcement of the ordinance.
Observers at the conference were
John Briscoe, States attorney for
st. Marys County and attorney to
the county commissioners there, and
Tell w. Nicolet, secretary and tech
nical adviser to the st. Marys
County Planning and Zoning Com
mission.
Sign Permit Authority Asked.
Mr.. Smith also requested the COM
missioners to authorize the planning
commission to issue permits for the
erection of outdoor advertising
signs. This also was taken under
advisement.
The commissioners agreed to name
the four district road foremen as
special county foresters to receive
instruction from the State IN trim
ming trees along roads and high
ways. This was done at the re-
quest Of Dave Prince, State roadside
tree supervisor.
Mr.. Prince also requested that the
commissioners order removal OF
brush which has been cut along the
roads, and thereby reduce the
danger Of fires.
|. A. J. Pickall. district forester for
Southern Maryland. also appeared
before the commissioners with Mr..
Prince.
The commissioners agreed to COM
ply with a request Of the >State
Roads Commission and draft reso-
luton barring parking on the north
side of the Tuxedo road near the
Cheverlv-Tuxedo Fire Department
for a distance OF about 325 feet.
Waldo Burnside, attorney to the
commissioners was instructed to
prepare the resolution.