Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-05-17
Council Rejects
Three Bethesda
.ApartmentPlan
Other Zonino Pleas
Are Turned Down,
One Is Approved

Petitions for apartment house
,oning of three large Bethesda
tracts. two of them involving pro-
oosals for $l3 million worth Of
apartment projects, have been
ienied by the Montgomery County
Council.
The action highlighted yester-
lays council meeting. during
which the group turned down two
,ther coming applications and APP
proved two.
Earlier, council members In
PRODUCED six bills, one Of which
outlines the procedure in petition
ing for amendments to the county
charter. The next legislative ses-
sion will be held at Q pm. Friday
n the Rockville Courthouse.
The council also announced Il
will hold public hearing at 1880
pm. May "a in the courthouse on
all hospital proposals.
nOnu issue PENDING.
Pending before the group is n
proposal for a 81 million bond
issue to build a Silver Spring
hospital and a recommendation
by the Hospital Facilities Advis-
sorry Committee for a medical CEN
ter on East-West highway east
of Rock Creek. The committee
suggested that the center be con-
solidated with Suburban Hospital,
Bethesda.
Just before the council adopted
a seven-page resolution stating
its reasons for rejecting the three
large-scale apartment petitions,
the county heads denied q re-
quest by attorneys for owners OF
one Of three tracts for permis-
sion to withdraw their applica-
ton.
The request was made by John
r. Reeves and Clarence c. Kieser.
agents for Mrs. Irene w. Parker
and the Congress Construction
Co.. who had sought apartment
house Redistribution of the AM
acre Parker tract at Cedar lane
and Wisconsin avenue. Construc-
ton of a 1,000-unit apartment
development at a cost of $40 mil
lion had been planned on the
When told of the councils re-
fusal of the request, Mr.. Reeves
said he would file suit in Circuit
Court to force the group to rescind
its action.
Next Filing Period In July.
The council commended more
than 80 days had elapsed between
the date Of the hearing on the
coming petition last April Is and
the filing Of the withdrawal
request.
THE only purpose to be served
(by the withdrawaD the council
said. would be to permit the filing
of new application for coming
Redistribution of the subject land
at the next filing period instead
Of waiting Is months for further
consideration"
The next period during which
coming applications may be filed
is in July.
The second Of the three apart
ment coming petitions rejected was
filed by Milton c. White, agent for
the White Fathers OF Africa, to
permit erection of a SO million
apartment house on TN acres
adjacent to the Parker property.
The third applicant. Andrew M.
Saul, had requested apartment
house Redistribution of approx
mately II acres at Saul road and
Cedar lane.
In its resolution, the council
claimed there already is enough
apartment-zoned land in the Be-
thesda area to permit erection Of
1888 units-"enough to satisfy
the legitimate needs of the com.
including those Of ex-
banded Federal installations. for
the present and foreseeable fu-
ture."
In addition. the group said that
to permit large apartment de-
velopments in Bethesda would
be to change the (single- family
character of the area and inter-
fere with the normal process of
growth Of the established pattern
of the community"
Finally, the council cited the
almost unanimous opposition"
of Bethesda Chevy Chase resi-
dents to increased apartment zon-
ing.
Also denied were the following
coming petitions:
Joseph F. Manley, residential A
to commercial D Of a lot at Price
avenue and Elkin street, Silver
Spring.
Joseph F. and Teresa r. Anas-
tasi. residential A to commercial
D Of property on the south side
OF Piney Branch road east of
Greenwood avenue, Takoma Park.
Two Petitions Approved.
The two coming petitions ap-
proved were:
A s. Kay. residential A to B
tsemidetached or two family
homes OF II lots on the south
side OF Claridge road near
Wheaton.
julie Gordon, residential A to
commercial d Of a lot at Ennals
avenue and Viers Mil road,
In addition to the bill dealing
with amendments ~ thn $500.