Evening star., 1950-03-14
County Official
DefendsP| Planned
Road Ordinance
Popugeoree Attacks
Estimated Increase
In Building Costs

In Building Costs
The head of the Montgomery
County Public Works Department
today took sharp issue with op-
ponents of the county's proposed
new road code over the estimated
increase in cost if the code is
adopted.
The official, George T. Papa
george, told the County Council
during a public hearing that the
regulations would result in an in
crease of 1913, based on a $4,000
house and lot.
Opponents said earlier the cost
would be about $1,100 for a lot of
average size.
Calls Estimate Out of Line.
According to Mr.. Papageorge,
who helped to draft the new code.
the larger estimate was "far out
OF line" He said that if the new
code were put into effect in Alex
andria. it would cost the average
new home buyer less than per
cent more than at present.
In the District the increase
would be seven-tenths of l per
cent and in Arlington IA per
cent. MIR. Papageorge declared.
Thomas G. Oyster, an engineer.
claimed, however. that the new
ordinance would result in an in
crease of $32,763 more per mile
of road in the Viers Mill Village
development.
This was disputed by Mr..
Papageorge. He contended most
of the increase cited by Mr..
Oyster would be caused by the
construction of sidewalks and
grading the entire right-of- way
on the developments streets.
Points to Other Counties.
Every county and municipality
in the Washington area except
Montgomery requires builders to
grade the full right of way on all
new Streets" Mr.. Papageorge as
serted, land all except Montgom-
cry and Prince Georges Counties
require sidewalks"
The last speaker before the
hearing adjourned shortly after
noon was Donal L. Chamberlin,
who developed the Kenwood sub
division. He said the proposed
code was unavoidable" and urged
the Council to appoint a COM
mittee to study the proposals
further.
After the hearing adjourned,
Acting Council President Thomas
E. Kelley said a decision would be
reached in about three weeks. He
added written statements from
both sides would be received by
the Council within two weeks.
Code Called Too Rigid.
Earlier. the proposed code was
attacked as "too rigid"
The charge was made by Irwin
/. Kaplan, former chief engineer
of the Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
The proposed code would re-
qnire sidewalks and vertical curbs
in all new subdivisions and would
increase the present 26-foot paved
width of streets to % feet.
Grading Required.
In addition, builders would be
forced to grade the entire right
OF way on subdivision streets,
which would be increased from
SO to so feet in width and to
post bonds guaranteeing satisfac-
tory work.
The present code, which is con-
fined to subdivisions in the subur-
ban area of the county, requires
builders to put down streets,
rolled curbs and cutters. They
are not required to grade any por-
ton of the right of way.
Mr.. Kaplan emphasized that he
favored practical" residential
subdivision streets. But he ar
gued that the requirements in the
proposed code "are unnecessarily
rigid and can be modified without
adversely affecting the ordi-
nance"
Calls Width Ample.
Another witness, Gilbert Bell. a
civil engineer, claimed that the
present 26-foot width is ample"
and that widening it further would
merely increase the cost of con-
struction and maintenance"
He added the increased widths
also would cause more traffic
hazards, since it would take Pc
destrians longer to cross the street.
AS for sidewalks, Mr.. Bell in
sisted that they are unnecessary
except on heavily travelled streets.
Letter Introduced.
David E. Belts, Rockville attor-
ney representing the county's
Home Owners Protective Associa-
ton, introduced in evidence a
letter from the Washington Met
ropolitan Chapter of the Ameri-
can Institute of Architects.
The letter charged that the
proposed code would result in an
excessive increase in road con-
struction costs and discourage
new construction. resulting In loss
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