Evening star., 1949-10-11
Federation Asks
Montgomery 10
Apartments
Council Told Time
Is Needed to Build
Roads and Schools

The most drastic citizens action
ever taken in Montgomery Coun-
ty, aimed at halting apartment
house construction, is before the
County Council on a plea by the
Civic Federation.
BY a vote of 49 to Is the fed
Grafton last night asked the coun-
Gil to suspend issuance of apart
ment house building permits and
apartment rezoning until such
time as measures may be devel-
oped to provide the necessary
road, school and utility services
and that legislation may be en-
acted to insure an equitable dis
tribution of the tax burden"
At the same time the federation,
meeting in the Bethesda Elemen-
tary School. urged the council to
delay hearings and final action
until December 81 on recent
sweeping recommendations by the
Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission to in
crease sharply the amount of
apartment house zoning in the
Bethesda Chevy Chase area.
Sees Future Danger.
A resolution introduced by Mrs.
J. w. Mohler of the Chevy Chase
Terrace Community Association,
darIeraN %hn plo opri~~ Covn ;ee;o~
proposal is "fraught with serious
implications for the future of the
entire community"
During a two-hour discussion on
the resolutions, both submitted as
"ernergency" measures, a majority
Of delegates expressed the view
that apartments do not pay their
way" A few, however, contended
that Ito stop apartments is to stop
progress"
One delegate, Maj. r. D. Dench-
field Of the Rolling Terrace Citi-
zens' Association. said new eight
room school is to be opened in his
area in January but because of
two apartment houses going up
nearby it is already known that an
additional eight classrooms will be
needed even before the school
opens"
II feel definitely our county
needs q catching up period" he
said.
A move to strike out of one of
the resolutions the request for
suspension Of building permits for
apartment projects was voted
down, 1926.
Cite Tax Survey.
Some speakers praised the re-
cent action Of the Prince Georges
County Civic Federation request
ing a freeze" on apartment house
construction in that county and
asking that land already zoned
for apartments but not In use be
zoned back to residential classifi-
cation.
Others cited survey last year
Of the Montgomery County feder-
alton in which it was claimed
apartment projects do not carry
a fair share of the tax burden"
Overcrowding in county schools,
according to report of Chairman
Russell I. Whyte of the groups
school committee, is most acute in
the kindergartens and first grades.
None of the kindergartens in the
county complies with the State
standards OF 80 pupils per teacher,
Mr.. Whyte said.
Asks Federal Aid.
A resolution submitted by DR..
Harold P. Morris of the Woodside
Park Citizens Association, asked
that the. County Council apply
for Federal funds, under a law
recently approved by Congress,
to offset the cost of educating
an estimated 80 children living
on aforementioned land in
the county but attending county
public schools. It was referred
to committee.
A recommendation by the NOM
mating committee that DR.. Morris
be elected to the executive COM
mittee to succeed George P.
Schultze. who resigned recently,
was approved.
President Herbert N. Eaton
reminded delegates that this is
the federation's 25th year. He
disclosed plans to observe the an
niversary at a special ceremony
later in the year.
A brief talk was given by
Louis Orgera, recently named
executive secretary of the Mont