Evening star., 1953-06-18
? Tox-Producing Projects Get
Welcome in County Rezonings

bbu ~
Commerce treads a new well
come mat in Prince Georges to-
day.
In a series of zoning decisions.
the budget t-conscious county
commissioners made it clear yes
terday that additions to the tax
base henceforth will be received
with open arms.
DiScarding hitherto-h d d
protests of homeowners, the
county heads approved reclassi-
f1cations promising investments
totaling more than 50 million.
Two permits authorize use Of
33 acres of the old Schrom air.
port near Greenbelt for a SIS
million business center. with a
department store, a shopping
center and a motor court.
Another opens the way for a
supermarket, stores and Offices
costing $25O,OOO on a three-acre
tract on Riggs road and Highland
drive in the Adelphi Terrace sub
division.
Eight Other ReZOnings.
The rulings were given in a
day of sharp debate in the County
Service Building in Hyattsville.
Eight other rezoning requests
most of them contested. were
granted, two were denied and
one was withdrawn in the face
of opposition. ~ Eight use per-
mits were approved.
Commercial latchstrings were
loosened in a hearing on the
Adelphi application filed by Ell
mer D. Shook. Eight residents
of the immediate area favored
the project, claiming that it is
inconvenient to travel 112 miles
to the nearest shopping center at
Langley Park.
A delegation of more than so
from the Adelphi section OBJ
jected. They contended that
such construction would cause
general deterioration of an area
to which they were attracted ito
get away from stores"
Most of the delegation said
their chief complaint was that
they bought their homes in the
belief the community would re-
main strictly residential.
Tax Motive Voiced.
Commissioner Daniel A. Abbott
observed that the board often
hears similar remarks.
How can any one think for
one minute" he asked, that the
county can progress and at the
same time remain wholly resi-
Dental?
TAKES are the keynote of the
whole situation. The only way
we can increase the tax base is by
encouraging business and the
only way We can run a SIS mil
lion corporation is to get taxes
enough to run it,"
The commissioners approved
the rezoning unanimously. A
year ago they rejected a similar
application.
Charles Mcdonald, Greenbelt
city manager. and the Maryland
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission opposed pre-
mature" rezoning of the Schrom
acreage on the ground that the
section is too thinly settled to
support a large commercial
project.
Its a daring venture in enter
prise and initiative" Commis-
sioner Edward j. Waters rejoined.
Objections Sustained.
One of the petitions denied
was filed by Jerrold v. Powers.
agent for Mrs. Pantha Schmidt.
She asked commercial zoning of
property in the 4500 block Of
Longfellow street, Hyattsville.
Neighbors objected.
The other was presented by
Guy R. Elmendorf, agent, who
asked heavy commercial claSsi-
fication of q tract on the Lam
ham-Severn road. Objections
were filed by the Lanham Citi-
zens' Association.
Harry L. and Marie A. Clarke
withdrew their petition for
apartment zoning of a tract in
College Park when they learned
it would meet stiff objections.
Peter A. and Mildred H. Grose
failed to appear to support their
request for heavy commercial
coming of two lots in Cheverly
Forest. The commissioners con-
tinued the case for so days and
ordered the application readver-
tised, at the Crosses expense.
Zoning reclaSsif1cations were
granted Alice c. Bennett and