Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-09
PIuns Group
To Ask New
County Law
BY CHARLES L. HOFFMAN


for the rural area eliminating
the controversial agriculture
zone.
The commission, 1t was learned
yesterday. also has voted to con-
cur In Councilman Robert T
Snure's recommendation thai
Irving C. Root, retired Fedora
planner, be retained on q con.
sulting basis to assist in prepare
ton of the ordinance and q zon.
ing map.
The commission by q 3-to-t
vote late Thursday adopted {
four-point program Of action i
will recommend to the County
Council. according to Ulysses
Griffith, W, chairman.
The four points are:
/. Creation of a permanent or
dinance.
2. Half-acTe minimum lot zon.
ing for the entire Upper County
8. Preparation of an ordinance
with only three zones -residen-
tial. commercial and industrial.
4. Preparation of q coming mar
establishing areas for expansion
Of present commercial and in
dustrial centers.
The action of the commission
was a major blow against the
agricultural coming proposed By
the staff Of the commission anc
former Chairman Thomas C
Kelley.
II the recommended program Il
adopted by the council. it would
eliminate the councils own
temporary Up County coming or
dinance slated for public hearing
October IS in Rockville. The
councils proposed ordinances
would establish a minimum LOT
size of 5 acres in the agricultural
zone.
This controversial requirement
would bar farmers from subdi-
viding their land into homesites
of less than 5 acres without first
rezoning their property. The
proposed agricultural zone would
cover 98ce of the Upper County.
Mr.. Griffith. Wiley Griffith and
County Councilman Charles
Jarnison. who also serves as a
member of the commission. voted
for the program.
Merton F. DuVall. vice chair
man of the planning commission
and Mayor OF Gaithersburg. de-
clined to vote on the question.
The fifth member, Frederick
Gutheim. was absent because of
q death in his family.
Major Reversal
The action represents q major
reversal for the commission,
which had supported an ordi-
nance originally comprising ag-
ricultural. country home, rural
residential and residential zones
for the Upper County in addi-
ton to commercial and indus
trial classifications.
Chairman Griffith said the ac-
ton of the commission by in
ference recommends to the
Council that it not put into
effect a temporary coming or
dinance,"
The chairman added that 1t
was felt that a permanent ordi-
nance and zoning map could be
prepared by January 10, 1856.
The commission feels the
ordinance needs to be revised
in accordance with the wishes
of the Upper County people, =
Mr.. Griffith added.
Mr.. Griffith said that a series
of five community meetings
recently indicated Up-County
residents were bitterly opposed
to the fiye-acre zoning."
Not Acceptable
Mr.. Jamison said he did not
feel the temporary ordinance al
presently being considered could
be made acceptable to the Upper
County.
He added he had no fear that
farmers were going to subdivide
their land en- mass or even sell
off their road frontage property
Chairman Griffith said the
commission hopes Mr.. Root, who
attended the Thursday night
session, would get started i'm
mediately on the ordinance and
the coming map.
He will work with the present
staff of the commission headed
by Planning Director Harold
Taubin.
The commission's reversal also
puts the commissioners at sharp
odds with their professional
staff.
The County Council at its pub
lie hearing next week will con-
slider its own proposals for tenn
pering the temporary two-year
ordinance slated to become ef-
fective November /.
Special CHASING.
Chairman Griffith said the
commissions recommendation
for the half-acre domestic
coming throughout the rural area
does not necessarily preclude d
special classification for the Po-
tomac-Darnestown Hunt Coun-
try area, where some the courl-
tvs finest estates are located.
He said that If 1t is clearly
shown that a majority want
larger lot requirements In the
area. the commission would give
Serious consideration 70 their
wishes"
The County Farm Bureau and
the Upper County Landowners
Association. which have led the
fight against the five-acre zon-
ing, have expressed willingness
to support it for the Hunt Coun-
try area or any other special
area which desires it.