Evening star., 1949-02-09
NorthwestGroup
.HitsCommercid
Parking Plan 1
Zonine Board Told NJ
Proposal Would Cut !.
Property Valuation \

Residents of the Northwest
area appeared before the District
Zoning Commission today to pro-
test a proposed amepdment Of
zonlng regulations to permit COM
mercial parking within 500 feet Of
residential property. =
Spokesmen for five citizens
groups. at a crowded session In
the District Building boardroorn,
attacked the proposal on the
grounds it would detract from tho
residential character Of their
property. No one appeared in IA.
vor of the proposal.
Robert A. Maurer, jr.. a MEM
ber of the Executive Board of the
American University Park Citizens
Association. said the amendment
would destroy the residential char
acter of many of Washington's
finest neighborhoods.
Grant Opposes Plan.
Also appearing in opposition was
Mai. Gen. U. S. Grant III, chair
man of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission. Gen.
Grant said his group believes such
a rule would open the way for too
many commercial parking lots in
areas now protected by a provision
that permits parking only on lots
contiguous to commercial zones.
Gordon M. Atherholt of the
Northwest Council of Citizens
Associations said parking lots in
the residential areas would en-
danger children and lower neigh
borhood values. Discussing a re-
port that American University
plans to build a mammoth sports
arena soon, Mr.. Atherholt said
parking space for the arena
should be put on university land.
Attorneys for Walter E. Edge.
owner of property at 1920 Eigh-
teenth street NV. asked the
commission to relax a section Of
the zoning code which provides
for establishment of educational
institutions in residential areas.
Attorneys Lewis A. Gravelle and
Camden r. McAtee told the
commission that Mr.. Edges prop
erty is the former residence Of
Bernard Baruch. who left the
mansion in the early 1920s.
Area Becoming Business Zone.
The large house is unsuitable.
Mr.. McAtee declared. for any
present permissible purpose. The
attorneys said Mr.. Edge was able
to rent the house only II of the
"a years he has owned. The re-
mainder of the neighborhood, Mr..
McAtee said, gradually is becom-
ing a boarding house and office
building area.
The amendment would permit
colleges. universities or private
schools In residential districts, or
Fpreschoo1 groups in the A. B. c
and D areas, if they were not like
ly to become Objectionable or if
their operation would be impaired
by operation on a business street
or If they had no commercial ar
ticles for sale.
Meanwhile, more than $50 peo-
pie jammed the boardroom await
ing commission consideration of o
proposal to change the classifica-
ton of property on the estate Of
the late Mrs. Evalyn Walsh Nc
Lean. Zoning officials said the
proposed change would permit
construction of multiple housing
units on property on the north
side of Reservoir road between
Wisconsin avenue and Thirty
fourth street NV. the east side
of Thirty-fourth street from Res
ervoir road to r street and the
south side of R street between
Thirty-fourth street and Wiscon-
sin avenue NV. The proposal
also would extend the commercial
classification to depth of $50 feet
from the west building line Of
Wisconsin avenue from Reservoir
road to r street.