Evening star., 1951-11-22
Mass Meeting
Protests Plans
On Subdivision
100 Attend, Hear
Suggestions for
Mild Controls

voted to oppose subdivision regu-
lations proposed for the area by
the Upper Montgomery County
Planning Commission.
But most of the speakers at
tending the 212-hour mass meet
ing in Poolesville High School in
|dicated they would favor some
form of mild zoning ordinance
that would protect residential
property from business encroach-
Iment.
The meeting was presided over
by Charles Jamison, former county
commissioner and one of four per-
sons with farm interests who
sponsored the mass meeting.
Subdivision regulations pro-
posed by the Planning Commission
were attacked by a score of speak
ers, led by Edwin Brown, Rock
vile attorney, who outlined the
controls contained in the ordi-
nance.
Mr.. Brown attacked the plan
as "the most vicious, confiscatory.
most poorly written piece of legis-
lation I have ever known to be
proposed"
Explains Cost.
He explained that the ordinance
would prevent the conveyance Of
any land of less than acres, un-
less the land was plated and re-
corded and the approval of the
Planning Commission was OBJ
tanned. He said 10 steps would
be provided for the transfer Of
property under 5 acres and esti-
mated it would cost $3.50 to COM
Iplete the transaction, if approved
by the commission.
He said the commission has an
nounced it will alter its proposals
because Of the heavy opposition
registered at public meeting in
Rockville two weeks ago. But he
said the question faced by Upper
Montgomery residents is, "Is this
commission entitled to the con-
fidence Of the people of Upper
Montgomery County?'
Frankly" he said. "I don't be-
lieve they have displayed the
amount of Judgment, legislative
ability and fairness that entities
them to write any kind of legis-
lation for this part Of the county"
Mr.. Brown declared that the
area does not need regulations but
needs planning.
4 Says Mortgages Affected.
i "About the only thing we peo.
Iple have left is the right to use
our ground as we see f1t so long
as we don't interfere with the
piece of ground owned by our
neighbor," he said. But if this
thing goes through, we wouldn't
leven be able to mortgage our land
without the approval Of the COM
mission"
! Other speakers were:
! Clyde Thomas, former CATH
ersburg businessman: THE county
has plenty of rules and plenty
of regulations. This proposal is
about $50 years in advance Of
the time 1t is the most assinine
thing I ever read"
John Oxley, Rockville attorney
and former county commissioner:
"It is unbelievable that any group
iof responsible, intelligent citizens
would sponsor such a measure. No
Ione in Russia could pen a docu-
ment more radical. more regula-
tory. more confiscatory than this
lone"
William L. Thompson, area
farmer: eve have got to offer
something better, that is the only
way to beat this thing. We need
some sort Of light zoning regula-
tions, so that we don't have to
move some ones house every time
a road Is widened."
David v. Smith, farmer and q
former real estate developer: I'VE
should campaign to educate the
voters of the county as to what
Il. these proposals mean. Frankly.
: we don't need zoning controls. All
| we need is to strengthen the
building code"
Mild Control Recommended.
l Lewis Rudacille, farmer: I'VE
> need mild form of control to
prevent some one from putting
a beer tavern or junk yard right
, across the street from a nice row
of houses"
Paul Tombaugh, farmer: This
is an entirely impractical pro-
posal the commission has devel-
loped. We should adopt a resolu-
Ition telling the county council
Iof our opposition"
Jack Jones, farmer: 1.-THE sub
division controls constitute an in
Ifringement on human rights"
The group lined up to sign a
petition protesting the severity
and broad scope of the proposals
offered by the commission and
authorized Mr.. Jamison to ap-
point committee to present the
petition at the next meeting of
the County Council.
Named to the committee were:
Edwin Brown, Mr.. Jones, Mr..
Tombaugh, Mr.. Thompson and
Charles H. Davis.
Lone Dissenting Vote.
Mr.. Davis was one of those who
declared the commissions pro-
posals to be too severe but said
some mild form of control is nee
essary for the orderly Develop
ment Of the county.
A lone vote was cast against
Endorsing the criticism of the
commissions proposals by Mrs.
j. j. Chisolm III, who had de-
Iclared that some form of control