Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-13
Heurich Zoning Plan
Hit by Citizen Group

S"NSSA/
Residents Plan
Fight at Hearing
A group Of University Park
(Md0 residents agreed last night
to fight proposed rezoning Of
the neighboring Heurich prop.
erty.
At the same time. the City
Council of Hyattsville. which
also abuts the 376-acre tract.
went behind locked doors to de.
eide to let the County Commits
sioners zone 1t as they wish.
The University Park resolu-
ton was carried by a vote Of l13,
representing nearly all of those
present at the meeting Of the
town citizens association. No
opposition was recorded.
Major objections were aimed
at problems of storm drainage,
overcrowded schools and cuts in
the towns property value which
residents said proposed develop
ment Of the Heurich tract would
produce.
After days of conference, the
Harry A. Boswell Co. and the
Maryland National Park and
Planning Commission last FRI
day settled on plan which
would break up the property.
now zoned residential. into II
acres of commercial land plus
sites for single family dwellings.
apartments, schools, churches,
civic buildings and a firehouse.
Letter to Commissioners
Benjamin Bolinger, Univer-
sity Park councilman said the
town council already has sent
"a letter to the County Commits
Isioners requesting the Heurich
property remain completely resi-
dental. Pointing to a map Of
the latest coming proposals, how
ever. he said.
I'VE have to accept compro-
misses. and personally. I think
we are very fortunate with this.
I feel the town council will &C.
Icept it."
His feelings collected little
support during the discussion,
which ran for more than two
hours.
| A. S. Will of 4109 Tennyson
road made the approved resolu-
ton. He said after the session
he will meet with other residents
this week to prepare his argu-
ments for the special coming
hearing at 10 am. Monday in
Hyattsville before the Prince
Georges County Commissioners.
! The county heads have the
final say on how the tract can
be used.
T. Earle Bourne, chairman Of
the Washington Suburban SAM.
tary Commission. told the group
meeting at the University Park
Elementary School that storm
drainage problems on the town
should not be too acute, since
lit would take several years for
the Heurich tract to be de.
veloped.
Storm drainage for Univer.
sity Park, the Heurich property
and Riverdale is all tied into
one project and the soonest we
can get the money for it is 1857"
Mr.. Bourne said.
Payments in Prospect
He added that plans for the
Riverdale work are complete, and
that more detailed blueprints for
the Heurich and University Park
connections would he little COM
pared to What Riverdale would
be charged.
You mean we're going to have
to pay for a project to take care
of Heurich storm drainage?"
complained one LADY.
Yes. but you cannot just cut
University Park off from the rest
iof the county" the commission
chairman replied.
Mrs. Emma Everson, a MEM
Der of the County School Board
and a University Park resident,
said the Board of Education had
been notified of the Boswell plan
and would expect to build q
Junior high school and elemen-
tary school on reserved sites to
keep pace with the influx of
new families.
Not Within Limi.
Meanwhile the Hyattsv : City
Council, after an hours secret
session. made public a letter to
the commissioners stating since
"the tract is not actually within
the corporate limits of the city
of HyattSville, we should refrain
from making any positive recon-
lamentations" on its development.
The letter said the original re-
coming plans contained some
Objectionable coming requests"
However. it added, lit is our
understanding that the Planning
Commission (Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission) has submitted the ap-
plicants' alternative plans modi-
flying these aspects of the matter
and that these new plans have
received their favorable consid-
erations."
After the meeting, Mayor
George J. O'Hare said Council
members had objected to what
they considered too much COM
mercial coming in plans SUBJ
mitted last month. The alter
nate plans. he said, provide for
more residential and less COM
mercial coming and are more
feasible"
The Council, the Mayor added.