Evening star., 1952-11-08
q MIly, E[)|7p)N
|Ne*MA'gvo Vote
On Story Limit
lin Buildings Due
Commission Fuils
To Settle Issue on
Permitting More

Permitting More
The District Zoning Commits
sion is thinking twice about its
decision yesterday to reject a pro-
posal that would eliminate from
coming regulations limitations
against the number of stories al
lowable In buildings Of 10 or
100 foot heights.
In fact. Brig. Gen. Bernard L.
Robinson. District Engineer Com
missioner and chairman of the
zoning body, will announce Mon
day whether a new public hear
ing will be held on the subject.
The controversy last was aired
in March. At that time builders.
supported by the Building Code
Advisory Committee. urged that
all reference to the number Of
stories as related to building
height be struck from the regula-
tions. They argued that the
change would enable construc-
Ltion economies by permitting one
or two additional floors per
structure.
In announcing the decision yes
terday, a spokesman announced
that the commission had turned
down the new proposal in the pub
lie interest. The change would
have meant undesirably increased
population densities in buildings.
this spokesman for the commits
sion reported that body ruled.
Favored by Two.
Later. however, Commissioner
Robinson attributed the ruling to
more technical cause. What
had happened, he said, was that
two Of the commission members
voted in favor of the change, one
opposed it and the fourth abb
stained.
A breakdown Of the voting. IL
later developed, revealed that
Gen. Robinson and District Com
missioner F. Joseph Donohue
voted pro; Conrad A. Wirth, di-
rector of the National Park Serv-
ice, voted against, and David
Lynn, Architect of the Capitol,
cast no vote. The fifth member
of the zoning group. District Com
missioner Renah F. Camalier, was
disqualified from voting, since he
had not yet been named to office
when the public hearing was held.
This voting result raised a legal
question. Gen. Robinson con-
cluded that. since zoning laws
require majority vote of the
five zoning Commission mem
bers, the two-to-one decision Of
yesterday is invalid.
To Poll Members.
Gen. Robinson declared that the
commission would have to act on
the question again "to complete
an inconclusive action" The ini-
tial step, he said. would be to
poll the commission members by
telephone to see if they want to
hold another public hearing or
to meet in closed session to re-
consider their earlier decision.
The Building Code Advisory
Committee, meanwhile. has in
formally requested a new public
hearing. The basis for the re-
quest is a proposal made, but re-
Jected. during the commissions
decisive executive session yester-
day by Park Director Wirth.
Mr.. Wirth proposed that, in
stead of eliminating references
to the number of stories, an ad-
ditional story be allowed in each
of the two height categories in
question. This would mean IL in
stead of the presently permitted
10 stories within the 110-foot
height, and 13 instead of IL
stories in the 130-foot height.
Would Exclude Service Floor.
Charles j. Bauer, executive Sec
retary Of the Building Owners and
Managers Association and a
member Of the building advisory
committee. said, moreover. his
organizations call for provisions
beyond those Of Mr.. Wirth. Mr..
Bauer said he favors a regulation
that would allow the floor level
containing such utility space as
heating and air-conditioning to
be excluded from the STORY"
category.
1t was revealed yesterday. mean
while, that, in the course Of closed
sessions on the subject, the coming
body decided to leave intact the
story limitations now existing for
structures of less than 110 feet.
One of the structures irnmedi-
ately affected by the commission
decision is the Wyatt Building, at
Fourteenth and H streets NV.
The structure has a thirteenth
level, within the 130-foot height
classification, but this top floor is
in only partial use because Of
the existing regulation. The en-
tire top floor may not be used
unless the recommended amend
ment allowing 13 stories Is ap-
proved.