Evening star., 1948-04-14
Rate 10 Hospital
For |ndigents'
Montgomery Heads
Get Complaints Of
Zoning Violations

Zoning Violations
The question of how much Mont
yomery County should pay Suburban
Hospital, Bethesda, for the care Of
ndigents was still unsettled today.
The county commissioners yester-
day passed and then rescinded a
resolution to pay the entire cost of
caring for such patients, provided q
separate bill is received for each.
The question was raised in a letter
from Arthur G. Lambert, president
Of the hospitals Board of Trustees.
MIR. Lambert recalled that the COM
agreed last fall to pay the
full cost of hospitalizing indigents
after January l, 1948.
Declaring that the average daily
cost per patient from July / to De-
cember 81, 1947, was $14.16, Mr.. LAM
bert said this figure would be used
as the basis for payment for patients
admitted after last January.
Rate Called High.
The commissioners said they be-
lieved the $14.16 rate was high and
they preferred to pay the cost of
caring for indigents on an individual
basis.
After County Supervisor Irving
G. McNayr suggested asking Mr..
Lambert to appear before the board
next week, the board rescinded Its
previous action.
The commissioners received .
copy of a letter from Louis A. Gra-
velle, chairman Of the Board Of
zoning Appeals, to the Maryland
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, complaining that con-
tractors are "f1agrantly violating"
county zoning regulations.
Mr.. Gravelle said his group Is
called on at each meeting to con-
slider appeals by builders who erect
homes and then find they don't
meet zoning requirements, such as
the proper setback, etc.
Held almost a Scandal
"The board has taken a very
broad view in granting relief in
such cases." he wrote, "but now,
they have reached such proportions
that something must be done to
stop this fragrant violation of regu-
lations which amounts almost to
scandal"
He suggested that after the
foundations are in, contractors be
required to have each lot surveyed
and certify that the completed
buildings will meet zoning regula-
tions.
The commissioners took no action,
holding it was a matter to be
decided by the planning commission.
In other business, Board President
Brooke Johns and j. Ernest Haw-
kins, clerk to the commissioners,
were instructed to sign an agreement
with the Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad
for the erection of warning signals
at the Lincoln Park road crossing
in Rockville. The railroad also
agreed to remove an embankment
at the crossing.
CIuD Gets Tax Exemption.
A request by Arthur j. Hilland,
attorney for the Bethesda Woman's
Club, that the clubs property be
exempted from taxation was ap-
proved. He said the property had
been assessed at $18.420.
When notified of the action,
Supervisor of Assessments Wilton T.
Allen said he would appeal to the
State Tax Commission. He cited an
opinion by the Baltimore Circuit
Court last week which held that
such organizations are not entitled
to tax exemptions.
Declaring that an investigation
should be made of schools and other
institutions which claim tax ex-
on the ground they are nom
profit, Mr.. Allen said:
81 know of a school which went
from a second floor on G street to
a s2,ooo,ooo plant in Montgomery
County"
Asked to identify the school, Mr..
Allen said he referred to the Landon
School in Bethesda. The commits
sioners then authorized the assess
ment official to make an investiga-
ton of such schools.
Road Improvement Asked.
A petition by So Montgomery
County residents seeking improve
ment of the Mullinix Mill road from
the Damascus -Etchison road to
Howard County was taken under
The resignation from the county
police force Of Donald E. Gibson.
Takoma Park, was accepted. Mr..
Gibson Is moving to Rhode Island.
Next week was proclaimed by
the commissioners as Cleanup,
Paint-up Week in Montgomery
County.
A request by the Friendship
Heights Citizens Committee that
the commissioners do whatever is
feasible" to end operation of a
carnival on the east side of Wis
consin avenue near the entrance to
the development was referred TO
Commissioner Wesley I. Sauter.
Also referred to Mr.. Sauter was
a request by the same group for
no parking signs on the north side
of Montgomery street between Wis.,