Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-12-19
MonroneyH Hits
Move 10 Rezone
WoodIey Estate
If People Had Vote
They'd Kill Proposal,
Senator Declares

Senator Monroney, Democrat,
Iof Oklahoma today declared that
the Woodley estate rezoning move
would have been thrown out in
five minutes" if the people in
Washington had the vote,
MIR. Monroney made the state
ment as one of more than a score
of Woodley area residents appear
ing before a Zoning Adjustment
Board hearing to protest rezoning
of part of the old tract from top
residential to permit apartment
house construction.
The Senator, who lives at 2760
Thirty-second street NV, told
the four-member board that he
was also authorized to register the
objection of Senator Mcmahon,
Democrat, of Connecticut to the
rezoning proposal. Senator Nc
Mahon. who is out of town at
present. lives at 1901 Woodland
drive NV.
Got Frequent Applause.
Senator Monroney spoke ex-
temporaneously and read from a
prepared statement amid frequent
applause of his Woodley area
constituents" Although he did
not elaborate on how the vote
might have choked off the present
rezoning plea, he described the
petition before the board as "the
slickest deal have ever seen APP
piled for in my 13 years in the
District of Columbia"
Senator Monroney contended
that the three owners seeking the
rezoning paid but 100000 for Is
acres of the Woodley estate,
whereas the assessed property
values of about $50 area home
owners totals more than 50 mil
lion.
They want to make money on
the deterioration OF property
values in the area" the Senator
charged. They seek destruction
Of zoning restrictions by infiltra-
ton"
Sees Apartment Pattern.
To grant the present applica-
ton, he added. would mean the
eventual use for apartments of
most Of the 16-acre tract. Attor-
ney James c. Wilkes, who repre-
sents the owners Of the disputed
property, assured the board yes
terday that private detached
homes would be built in all but
the four-acre area sought for
apartment-use coming.
Referring to the 250-foot depth
Of the proposed apartment area,
which would front on Twenty
ninth street Just north of Cleve-
land avenue NV, Senator Mon
roney declared 1850 feet a year
means a lingering death to one of
the few high-class residential
areas still within reasonable dis
lance from downtown Washing
ton"
Charges Handsome Profit.
If, as he feared, further piece
meal "encroachments" were made
on Woodley. this would repre-
sent a handsome speculative
profit for any group"
The Senator charged paren-
thetically that the owners stand
to make 800 to 500 per cent
profit on their present short time
investment.
Let them take some areas else
where in the vicinity that are al
ready zoned for apartments"
Senator Monroney said. But let
them preserve this beautifully
wooded area" by building detached
homes in preference to apart
ment dwellings. he added.
Demands Reduced.
Mr.. Wilkes, who represents a
triumvirate of owners, only last
month asked the District Zoning
Commission to rezone a four-acre
plot of Woodley, so that IA three
story apartment buildings of "a
living units could be built.
Yesterday, Builder Monroe
Warren told the adjustment board
he would settle for construction of
eight two-story buildings contain
ing 48 units.
Opposition to the amended plan
was voiced today by Joseph Fair
banks, an attorney representing
the Chevy Chase Citizens Associa-
ton.
"Two-story buildings" Mr.. Fair
banks declared, "are better than
three or five story buildings
in the sense that measles are
better than smallpox"
Cites Serious Alarm.
He added that serious alarm
was felt toward the apartment
house proposal. by a large group
OF property owners who live out
side the immediate vicinity of the
Woodley estate. This concern,
he said, is Legitimate" because
homeowners in the general area
fear that if Woodley is "en-
croached upon" other undeveloped
acreage will be in danger of
similar multiple housing develop
ment.
In answer to previously voiced
fears Of nearby residents that the
proposed rezoning would be an
opening wedge of multiple housing
in top residential area. MIR. War
rem asserted that he would
agree to a strict order by the
board to ring the proposed apart
ment section with private, de-
tached, single-dwelling homes.
This way. he said, the protest.
ing residents should be assured
that no more apartments would
be built in the 14-acre section OF
Woodley he plans to develop.
Terrain Is Chief Point.
The chief point in the owners
appeal for an exception to exist
ling coming laws was contention
that, owing to rugged terrain Of