Evening star., 1954-02-17
CountyCounci|
Criticizes Delay
In Hoyt Report
Montgomery Body.
Also Prods Survey on
Housing Conditions

The Montgomery County
Council yesterday criticized de-
lays in Planning Projects in one
Of its shortest public sessions in
many months.
The open meeting lasted about
two hours. Then the council
went into a previously unan-
nounced .closed-door session,
part of which at least was held
with builder Donald E. Gingery.
Reporters refused to attend q
late portion of the closed meet
ing on an "of the record" basis.
The planning operations which
drew criticism from the coun-
cilmen were:
/. The delay by DR.. Homer
Hoyt. land economist, in submit.
ting his economic land use sur
vey of the suburban Maryland
area.
2. Delay in completing a two
year interim zoning ordinance
for the upper county which
Councilman Grover Walker said
has been in the mill for four
years.
3. The failure of County Man
ager E. T. Beall to report to the
council on its request of last
November for, a survey Of the
cost Of improving housing and
sanitary conditions in the Lyt-
louisville area of Silver Spring.
Retained for $4,000.
DR.. Hoyt was retained at q
100000 cost last June to do the
survey of the bi-county area for
the Montgomery Council, the
Prince Georges Commissioners
and the Maryland-National Cap
ital Park and Planning Com
mission. Another $4,000 was
allotted for printing and dis
tribution of the report.
/ Councilman George F. Nesbitt,
yesterday asked County Attor-
ney David Macdonald to review
DR.. Hoyts contract.
Il appreciate that it's a big
project. but DR.. Hoyt has been
active everywhere except where
he is being paid to work." MIR.
Nesbitt said.
! Mrs. Werner Irked.
Councilwoman Stella B. Werner
also took a slap at DR.. Hoyt's
frequent public discussion Of
some of his studies.
He has been telling our busi-
ness everywhere except officially
here where it belongs" Mrs.
Werner said.
Dr. Hoyt told The Star by
telephone from Columbus, Ohio,
today that I'VE have taken on
many extra jobs not covered by
the contract in an effort to make
this the outstanding job of its
kind ever done"
/ One of the basic elements Of
the job, he said, was to deter
mine how much taxes are gen.
Grated by each type of property
in the counties. The data needed
to determine this wasn't avail
able, he said. and his staff is
still workf1ing on the enormous
tabulation" of property value
assessments.
/ DR.. Hoyt said he was ploughing
virtually all the money he will
get from the two counties back
into their survey.
Promises Speed.
The land economist noted that
the next lowest bid to his for
the bicounty survey was $4,000.
He said he intends to move
heaven and earth to finish it
in March"
! AS to speaking engagements.
Dr.. Hoyt said he has discussed
numerous findings throughout
the area but that Il absolutely
have held back everything of a
critical nature pertaining to
either MONTGOMERY or Prince
Georges County"
The council yesterday was told
the Upper Montgomery County
Planning Commission has not
yet prepared for public distribu-
ton its final draft of the pro-
posed rural zoning ordinance al
though it is planning a public
hearing on the law sometime
late next month. The commits
sion has done much of it's work
on the ordinance in closed ses-
sions and then has submitted the
results to its various advisory
groups for consideration.
Some council members indi-
Gated they are interested in set
ting up a special taxing area for
the upper county so that rural
residents can pay for their own
planning services. as do the sub.
urban hOmeoWnerS.