Evening star., 1950-05-29
Drive-in Movie
Supposedly
Planning Group
Rood Hozords Cited
In Action Against
Rezonine in Hillside

Denial OF a rezoning petition
to permit erection Of q drive-in
theater on the Marlboro pike at
Hillside. Prince Georges County.
has been recommended by the
Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission.
The recommendation was one
OF eight made to the county COM
misSioners. The planning agency
asked that five of the petitions
be rejected and the remaining
three granted.
In its action on one Of the
three applications recommended
for approval, the commission took
issue with the opinion OF its PLAN
ming director. Fred w. Tuemmler.
The petition. filed by John r.
Lillard. seeks the reclaSsification
from rural residential to local
commercial Of land on the north
side Of Defense highway, begin
ming about 500 feet east Of Buena
Vista avenue. near Lanham.
Mr.. Tuemmler recommended IT'S
denial on the ground that most
of an adjoining 5-acre tract,
which already is in the local COM
mercial zone. Is still unused for
that purpose. He also suggested
that the commission ask the
county heads to reduce the area
OF the existing commercial zone
adjacent to the land involved In
the application.
The commission took the stand.
however. that reclassification Of
the property would be a logical
extension of existing local COM
mercial coming"
Movie Site Now Golf Range.
The application seeking to clear
the way for drive-in theater was
filed by Stanley B. Frosh, who has
requested that the land be re-
classified from rural residential to
general commercial, The property
Is now the site of a golf driving
range.
Mr.. Tuemmler. in urging that
the application be denied, said
he "can think OF no worse loca-
ton along the Marlboro pike for
such a use (drive-in theater) than
on this property"
Declaring that the two-lane
road carries a daily average vol.
ume of $3.50 vehicles in that area,
the planning director pointed out
that two Of the "sharpest and
most hazardous curves on the
highway lie east and west Of the
applicants property"
He contended erection of a
drive-in theater at that location
would increase traffic hazards
land abet the potential danger
to life and limb of motorists
using this highway"
Both he and the commission
agreed that only the front por-
ton of the tract to a depth Of
200 feet from the present prop
erty line be placed In the gen.
eral commercial zone.
Other Denials Recommended.
The four other applications
recommended for denial are:
Frances and Howard Graham,
reclassiflcation from the SINGLE
family detached home zone to
local commercial of a lot on the
west side Of Thirty ninth place
near Allison street. North Brent
wood.
Jack Coopersmith. single family
detached homes to local and gen.
eral commercial of two lots at
Hamilton street and Thirty
seventh place. Hyattsville.
Pietro F. Franceschina, single
family detached homes to semi
detached and two-family homes Of
four lots at o street and Fifty
fifth avenue, Capitol Heights.
William Waldon, rural residen-
tial to local commercial Of two
lots at Stewart road and Camp
street, Forestville.
The two other petitions rec
commended for approval are:
Vivian E. Ashworth, single
family detached homes to local
commercial Of a lot on the west
side Of the Baltimore boulevard
near Queensbury road, Riverdale.
George P. and Opel A. Rate.
single-family detached homes to
semi detached and two family
homes of a lot on the west side
of Thirty fourth street near
Arundel road, Mount Rainier.