Evening star., 1950-04-11
Board Opposes
Bethesda Area
Apartments
Recommends Denial
Of Rezonine for
Sl3 Million Jobs


The Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
has recommended denial OF two
rezoning petitions in the Bethesda
area for construction of SIS mill
lion worth Of apartment projects.
At the same time the commits
sion recommended that the Mont
gomery County Council approve
two requests for commercial re-
classification and one for indus
trial coming in the area,
The planning agency also dis
closed. in a letter to the County
Council from Vice Chairman Blair
Lee III that certain preliminary
decisions have been made
concerning the Bethesda zoning
plan. = ="
Decisions Conclusive.
Mr.. Lee told the Council that
although some of the far-fiung
phases Of the proposed plan re-
main to be restudied, the prelim-
mary decisions which we now are
reporting to you have been taken
conclusively and will not be re-
considered"
The Council had deferred action
on several Zoning applications, in
cluding the five discussed In the
letter. at the request of the plan
ming group.
The applications on which the
commission recommended un-
favorable action are one by Miss
Virginia K. Casey, daughter of
Eugene B. Casey. Gaithersburg.
one-time executive assistant to
President Roosevelt. and one by
the White Fathers Of Africa, Both
proposals have been strongly op-
posed by Bethesda residents.
46 Acres Involved.
Involved in the Casey request Is
"a 46-acre tract at Connecticut
avenue and Rock Greek Park. in
the rear of the Naval Medical Gen.
ter. A $40 million project to
include 1858 apartments in nine
elevator-type buildings had been
planned on the property.
The l7l2-acre White Fathers of
Africa track faces the Rockville
pike, about a quarter-of-a-mile
from Pooks Hill, where a multi
million dollar skyscraper-type
apartment is under construction.
A SO million. History apartment
structure was to be erected on the
site.
In his letter. Mr.. Lee said the
commission feels that the presence
OF apartments on the White
Fathers tract would amount to
an unjustifiable encroachment
upon the rights of the people Of
Maplewood and Locus Hill Estates
to have their neighborhood main
tain its stability of character and
land values"
Such change might be justi-
fed II there were no other suitable
areas to satisfy Bethesda's legit-
innate apartment needs, but such
is not the case"
Shopping Center Lacking.
The commission said much Of
the reasoning applied to the White
Fathers tract also can be applied
to the Casey petition.
THE Casey tract impinges upon
the single family communities Of
North Chevy Chase and Section 8
Of Chevy Chase and upon several
private residences on Jones Bridge
road-although not as intimately
as does the White Fathers tract
upon its neighbors," the letter
stated.
Mr.. Lee pointed out that the
Casey tract, besides being on a
section of Connecticut avenue
that is hopelessly inadequate to
handle even its present load OF
traffic" is in an area that lacks .
nearby shopping center.
The commission recommended
rejection Of petition for apart
ment house reclassification of the
42-acre Parker tract at the north
west corner Of Cedar lane and
Rockville pike, Bethesda.
The commission pointed out that
the land. owned by Mr.. and Mrs.
w. B. Parker. is adjacent to the
White Fathers of Africa property
and would affect the same single
family home development If re-
zoned. Mr.. Parker formerly was
chairman Of the board OF Wood
ward g. Lothrop.
A hearing on the Parker tract
will be held at 8 am. Saturday in
the Bethesda County Building.
Recommended for approval was
request for commercial use Of
1856, ,402 square feet of land at
Bradley boulevard and the pro-
posed extension of Arlington road
and two applications for industrial
and commercial zoning Of land
adjacent to the present industrial
property on River road at the
Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad tracks.