Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-01
Rural zoniing
In Montgomery
Hit al Hearing
Formers Say Plan
Viii Freeze Lund
And Depreciote Value
By Charles |. Hoffman

By Charles |. Hoffman
A proposed temporary zoning
ordinance for rural Montgomery
County drew fire last hight at .
public hearing. punctuated by
outbursts of applause at the
county Office building in Rock
vile.
Some 200 persons attended the
hearing, and IS Of them took
the floor to speak.
Farmers and developers at
tackled what they termed q
freeze on agricultural land that
would depreciate the value OF
their property.
The proposed two-year ordi-
nance, which would zone by
definition, would establish four
zones, and all other land would
be classified as agricultural.
Maps Preferred.
Attorney James r. Miller and
representatives Of the Home
Builders Association IF Metre
politan Washington urged that
any ordinance adopted consist OF
maps rather than definitions.
The interim ordinance. Attor-
ney David E. Belts said, would
create confusion that would
tend to depress the property
values in the upper county.
Mr.. Belts, for the home build
ers' group, said the ordinance
was too broad. He added that
an ordinance, by map, should
cover only the fringe areas
around the suburban section
where it may be needed.
Such an area, he said, would
encompass only about one-third
to one-half of the area proposed
in the ordinance.
Five attorneys took the floor
and told the Upper Montgomery
Planning Commission they were
unable to understand the pro-
posed law.
Urged to Go Slow.
E. r. Jones of Damascus urged
the commission to go slow in
recommending adoption by the
county council.
"Take it easy and sell the COM
munity on the need" Mr.. Jones
said. Don't hand this thing
down from above"
Commission Chairman Thomas
e. Kelley said the council wanted
the ordinance for consideration
in the May legislative session.
He added the record would be
kept open for seven days for sug-
gested changes.
The commission got support
for the ordinance from the West
Montgomery County Citizens AS
sociations which includes the
Potomac Hunt country.
Other support was given by q
committee of the Glen Hills sub
division and the County Civic
Federation, which represents
chiefly the suburban area.
But even these supporters
asked for at least so days to give
more study to the proposals.
The proposed ordinance has been
public only about a month.
Mr.. Belts also hit at require
ments calling for bigger mini
mum lots sizes and setbacks than
does the suburban area coming
ordinance.
There always will be poor
people and they always will have
to have a place to live" he said.
Mrs. Kathryn j. Lawlor. at
torney for the General outdoor
Advertising Co. assailed restric-
tioris on signs which she said
would put her client out of BUSH
ness.
She said under the definition
of a sign, storeowner would
have to get a permit to change
his show windows.
Mr.. Belts said he had been
informed that the subdivision
regulations, passed over violent
objection of farmers. had resulted
in only two subdivisions being
recorded in the last year COM
pared with Is in the year prior
to passage.
1.-THE coming ordinance would
truly freeze and bring develop
ment to a dead standstill," he
said.
S. E. Sanders, city planner.
representing the Suburban Mary
land Builders Association said his
group generally speaking" felt
the Opdiya a vono MO Q all rinht