Evening star., 1953-08-02
Montgomery Council
Showed Under by
Pleas for Rezoning
By ChurIes l. Hoffman

By ChorIes L. Hoffman
The Montgomery County
Council is facing the tremen-
dous task during the next few
weeks Of holding public hearings
on 80 applications for rezoning
of land.
The large number of applica-
tions is probably a record.
county employees say.
BY far the majority of the ap-
plicationS ask for rezoning of
Single-family zoned land to
apartment house and CONNER
cial uses. Many Of them are
highly controversial and will be
bitterly opposed by residents of
nearby areas.
The council receives rezoning
applications twice year-Jan-
uary and July. The number sub
mitted last month was double
the number received for the
same period last year.
Night Meetings Slated.
One of the chief causes of the
deluge is the probability that a
new and more restrictive ordi-
nance will be passed and put
into effect by January 1.
The council is able to hear
about three or four applications
at session Plans now call for
the council to hold night meet
ingS on zoning applications on
Mondays and Thursdays for the
next three months.
One of the more unusual ap-
plications filed came from the
town of Garrett Park, seeking to
block an apartment development
on land it does not own.
The town fathers have asked
the council to rezone 70 acres of
a 76-acre tract ON which Alvin
L. Aubinoe has begun construc-
ton of a 1,400-unit apartment
development to cost SIS to $40
million.
The tract is located off Wis
consin avenue and abuts on the
town. The town is asking that
the apartment house classif1ca-
tion be changed to single-family
dwelling use.
Also requested for rezoning is
land formerly occupied by
Turkey Branch farm on Viers
Mill road.
One request filed by the En-
terprise Construction Co. asks
rezoning of 12.4 acres of the
tract to commercial D for a site
of a new shopping center.
Another asks for similar re-
coming of a 2.5 acre parcel of
the old farm at Randolph road
and Viers Mill road. Both of the
tracts lie within sight of the
VierS Mill Village shopping
center.
The council also has received
a number of applications for
commercial reZoning along the
Rockville pike south of the new
and rapidly developing annexed
area of Rockville.
Several applications call for
rezoning on the pike in the vi
cinity of Wall lane where the
Board of Appeals last year grant,
ed a special exception to the Zon-
ing law to permit construction
Of a $500, 900. 80-unit motel. The
motel is nearly completed.
Also up for reZoning are 38
acres known as the Hawley tract
at $3.50 Rockville pike. The ap-
plication asks for apartment
house rezoning of the tract which
lies south of the exclusive Pooks
Hill apartments.
Commercial rezoning has been
asked of 18 lots at Georgia ave-
nue. and Alton parkway for con-
struction of shopping center.
Another shopping center Is
proposed on Goldsboro road be-
tween Massachusetts, avenue and
Macarthur boulevard if COM
mercial rezoning is granted.
WOOdmOnt Triangle.
Six lots on Ellsworth drive be-
tween Fenton and Cedar streets
also have been put up for re-
coming from residential to COM
mercial.
Included in the applications
are a large number requesting
rezoning from residential to COM
mercial of small pieces of land in
the Woodmont Triangle, Beth
esda.
The latter area has been under
study for some time by the coun-
Gil and street grades and storm
drainage plans should be released
soon. The triangle is slated for
nearly complete commercializa-
ton.
Also requested for commercial
rezoning is land at the south
west corner of the busy East
West highway and Colesville
road intersection, Silver Spring
The council will begin holding
hearings Monday, August 10,
when it meets in Bethesda.