Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-12-01

OVereXtenSlOn in land ZOned II
The survey, which Mr.. Witen
stein started last May and re
ported initially in August, con
tains perpetual inventory O.
land use and an analysis of com
kmercial and industrial land use.
: Members of the planning com
mission stressed the fact that tn,
survey does not contain final an
sWers to Rockvilles master plar
but is necessary as basic data and
interim background material for
this plan.
The inventory shows Rock.
ville'S total land area to be 3,07C
acres; broken down into residen
tial land, as percent; vacant, 81
percent; commercial and indus
trial, II percent; schools, four
percent; recreation, two percent;
government and institutions, one
percent, and transportation, .05
percent (railroad station only.
These figures, which include
the street area in each category
are based on May, 1855 data but
can be easily brought up to date
by the city's engineering staff.
The area dimensions are scaled
to photo map base which has a
scale of one to 10000 and is suf-
ficiently accurate for planning
purposes as measurements are
accurate up to five feet in 100.
Good Busirrss Spot
The analysis of the industrial
and commercial land use points
out that Rockville is advantage
ously located in terms of its bust
ness future to receive abundant
retail trade from the rapidly
growing surrounding areas.
Three zones of trade areas are
studied which are based on the
distance it takes to travel by au
tomobile in five, 10 and IL
minutes.
The report shows that 4,500
families are within five minutes
driving time of the business area
The existing retail sales potential
of these families is almost $14,.
100000 based on an average So
600 per family
In the 10 minute zone, there
are 14,800 families with $44 mil
lion potential who could I've at
tracted to Rockville through a
community type shopping center.
Within Is minutes of a regional
type shopping center would be
29,600 families with a potential
of $50 million.
p Overlapping Areas
1t must be pointed out that
these last two zones overlap with
Wheaton, Silver Spring and Be-
thesda and to attract this poten-
tial buying power. to Rockville
the city would have to make full
use of all its available resources.
Rockville also has a fortunate
position astride. three and a half
miles of BIO track whereas
Wheaton has none and Silver
Springs area is relatively small.
This could make Rockville the
transportation focal point of the
area for express commuter traf-
fic to Washington and also as a
warehouse, wholesale and light
manufacturing center.
But before these ambitions can
be realized, Rockville's planning
commission must work out the
answers to three problems. The
city's market potential is less
than Silver Spring, yet it has
three times as much commercial
industrial land; and more land
zoned for retail commercial than
it needed or anticipated.
500 Commercial Acres
The II percent of the total land
area zoned ial.industrial
amounts to 500 acres: 108 in the
central business district and its
fringe; 1893 acres along the Rock.
vile strip, between Route 240 and
the railroad, the airport and the
TWinbrook district.
OF the 500 acres. 105 are in use,
81 are still non.commercial and
343 acres are vacant at present.
There are 20 acres of developed
parking lots existing at present,
suitable for 2,808 car spaces.
Parking is the second and most
serious problems facing the COM
mission. Rockville has one
800 fz.t - ,.,xt,;s1 a., o,,a,,,