Evening star., 1952-03-30
Groups Indorse
.zoning Proposal.
In Montgomery
Planners to Keep
Hearing Open Before
Acting on Ordinance

The proposed new coming ordi-
nance for suburban Montgomery
County received the general in
dorsement yesterday of several
business and civic leaders.
Most of the dozen or so spokes-
men for various business and civic
groups who testified at a hearing
in the Silver Spring Armory
praised the comprehensive set OF
zoning regulations drawn up by
the Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
after two years study.
The proposed ordinance, which
would increase the number of
residential. commercial and in
dustrial zones from the present
five to IA, is similar to the law in
effect in Prince Georges County
since 1949. It also is very much
like the new coming ordinance
adopted recently in Alexandria.
Not Adopted by Commission.
In opening the hearing, at
tended by about rs persons, Dom
aid E. Gingery. member of the
planning commission, said I'VE
are not trying to ram anything
down your throats."
The proposed ordinance has not
yet been adopted by the commits
sion, he said, and even when it
is adopted, with whatever revi-
sions seem necessary. it does not
become law until the County
Council APPROVES it after public
hearing.
William c. Burrage, planning
engineer for the commission, said
new zoning regulations are needed
because constant revision over the
years has made the present zoning
law confusing and difficult to
understand" The present law also
is seriously outdated," he added.
Provision Criticized.
Planning officials pointed out
that the proposed new coming law
would not affect existing coming.
Planning engineers are now at
work on master zoning plan for
the entire regional district, which
includes the heavily populated
urban areas of Prince Georges and
Montgomery.
The provision Of the proposed
ordinance which came in for the
most criticism yesterday was the
one allowing establishment of pub
lie parking lots in residential zones
when they are adjacent to a COM
mercial or industrial use.
Blair Lee III, chairman of the
Planning and Zoning Committee
OF the Montgomery County Civic
Federation, said his group realized
that the county's public parking
lot program would be doomed il
it were not permitted to overlap
into residential zones.
Urges Especial Exception"
He suggested-and this was
concurred in by several other
speakers-that private parking
lots in residential zones adjacent
to commercial property be per-
mitted in the ordinance as "a
special exception" Applications
for special exceptions" have. to
be approved by the Board of
Aoning Appeals after public heap
ings.
Mr.. Lee praised the commission
Tor its deliberate failure to allow
for row houses in the proposed
ordinance" The Prince GEORGES
ordinance, which also was drawn
up py the commission, provides
Tor a triple-attached type OF
dwelling, whereas the proposed
regulations for Montgomery con-
dones only two-family detached
houses in residential zones.
Professional Study Suggested
Mrs. Charles L. Williams of ths
county League Of Women Voters.
which. like the Civic Federation
has indorsed the proposed reguIa-
tions in general. called on the
commission to hire a professional
planning advisory Organization
such as the American Society of
Planning Officials, to study some
OF the more technical aspects of
the ordinance.
One spokesman who had several
objections to the proposals was
Page Hopkins. representing the
washington Metropolitan Home
builders Association. Among other
things. he urged that the RIA
zone be eliminated because it's re-
qulrement for a two-acre mini
mum lot size is too big, that lot
size requirements for apartments
be sharply reduced and that the
proposed co commercial zone.
permitting only Office buildings.
be eliminated because it is "im-
practical"
Mr.. Gingery said that since at
tendence was so light, the record
OF the hearing would be kept open
for another month to receive fur
ther written or verbal comments.