Evening star., 1948-10-13
Real EstateMen
Parking Spaces
Required Off-Street
Facilities for New
Construction Opposed

"AAeSoi ASoA CStotC Ltcu pIcS
sented united front at a District
Zoning Commission hearing today,
opposing proposed new regulations
that would require off-street park
ing facilities for all additional new
types of construction here.
The proposal would permit con-
struction of parking garages in
some residential areas to provide
the required parking facilities. 1t
would set up schedule of exactly
how many parking spaces must DO
provided for each dwelling unit in
all new construction.
The opponents told the commits
sion the proposed amendment to the
zoning regulations would boost con.
struction costs of multiple housing
and force developers to shift their
operations into adjoining areas Of
Maryland and Virginia.
Taken Under Amusement.
The change. which the commits.
sion took under advisement after to.
days hearing. would apply to regu-
lations that went into effect in 1947
requiring off-street parking facilities
for certain types of new construc-
ton. The proposed amendments
add number of categories of build
ings to the list of those already re-
quired to provide off-street parking
spaces and include at least one
relaxation of the present code.
James Crane, secretary of the In
stitute of Real Estate MANAGEMENT,
testified that survey of downtown
apartments indicated not one of IS
tenants owns car. He said there
is no necessity for the parking space
regulation and declared that IF you
continue to restrict men who want
to build, you will further complicate
the housing situation
He said the high cost of construc-
ton already has bought building op-
erations to a standstill.
Grant Asks Further Study,
Charles j. Bauer, representing the
Building Owners and Managers AS
sociation, said efforts to solve the
parking problem should be re-ex-
amined. Efforts to do away with
rent control will be further delayed
If the proposed amendments are
adopted, he added
Alvin Aubinoe, representing the
Home Builders of metropolitan
Washington. said he recently fin.
ished construction of the Congress
sional Hotel here and cannot get his
patrons to use the parking accom-
niodations he provided.
Herbert Harvey, a real estate
operator with two buildings, said his
properties contain 2l2 units. He
provided Is parking spaces to &C.
company the dwelling units, Mr..
Harvey said, but only 10 persons
park their cars there.
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III. chair
man Of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, urged
further study of the parking situa-
ton before adoption of the proposed
amendments.
american y. urges Delay.
Postponement of action also was
advocated by American University
and James c. Wilkes, attorney rep
resenting the Washington Home
Builders.
The proposed amendments would
open the way for George Washing
tom University Hospital to erect q
parking garage in residential C and
D areas. Previously hospital au-
thorities were denied permission to
build a garage near the hospital in
the block bounded by Twenty third,
Twenty-fourth, H and I streets NV.
Dormitories would have to pro-
vide one parking space for each
eight bedrooms; hospitals, one space
for each three beds; sanitaria, con-
valescent homes and homes for the
aged, one space for each six beds;
orphanages and charitable institu-
tions, one space for each eight beds.
and high schools and colleges, one
parking space for each IS class
room seats.
One Relaxation Cited.
Robert o. Clouser, executive off,
Ger Of the commission, pointed to
one relaxation in the amendment.
This would set a ratio of one space
for each eight utility dwelling units
in apartment and tenement houses
in residential areas B. G and D.
Present regulations make no refer
ence to utility units, setting up
this scale for apartment and tene-
ment houses:
Residential "A, one space for each
two dwelling units; residential B,
one space for each three units; resi-
dental C, one space for each four
units, and residential D, one space
for each five units.
Flats, under the proposal, would
have to provide one space for each
two dwelling units, whereas at pres
ent flats are not required to pro-
vide any off-street parking. An
other amendment would reduce the
area of parking space per automo-
bile from 200 square to $50 square
feet, exclusive of driveways.
Testify on Rooming Houses.
The Commission also took under
advisement a proposed amendment
that would extend until October l.
1949, the wartime relaxation of zon.
ing rules which permitted operation
of lodging, rooming and boarding
houses in A restricted and semire-
stricted districts. An earlier nine
month extension granted by the
commission ended October /.
One citizen. G. L. Weller. opposed
continuance of the rooming houses
in restricted zones on the grounds
that wartime conditions no 'longer
exist here. Half a dozen tenants
and landlords appeared in favor Of
continuing the permission for ROOM
ers to reside in the restricted zones.
Mr.. Clouser said there is no ac-
curate figure Of the number Of per-
sons who would be affected II the
wartime rules are thrown out. But
the Washington Guest House Asso-
citation estimates there are at least
so boarding houses with 10 or more
residents each in restricted areas.
Representatives of Protestant,
No&l,a1;o orI Te,,,scI, nt,,,rchos anH