Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-15
c,heVerlYFo
OF Swim Pool
Storm Council
Town Council Drops
Neutral Stand After
Three Hour Debate

- = = 49, - = -
Three Hour Debate
About so aroused citizens last
might brought to q head the
lnoisiest controversy to engulf|
Icheverly, Md. in more than two
|years-the ito be or not to be-
Iof a 100000 private swimming
pool.
After three hours of debate
with the Cheverly Town Council.
the group opposing the proposed
pool had:
/. Persuaded the council,
Though it cannot decide the is
sue, to become officially involved
lin the controversy.
2. Argued It into abandoning
Its neutral stand.
8. Heard Mayor Lawrence A.
Yates appoint q committee of
two to prepare and submit q re-
port at the next meeting on Mo-
vember 4 on the effect Of SWIM
ming pools on adjacent residen-
Etial properties.
Swim Club Formed
The controversy began several
months ago when q group of
citizens formed the Cheverly
Swimming Club, Inc
That group, headed by Joseph
S. Cullins, jr., Of 2431 Fifty
ninth place. began selling $500
subscriptions to build a private
lpool on 81 acres of corporation
property west OF 2700 block OF
Crest avenue. As of last night
he had 240 purchasers. Mr.. Cul-
llins said.
The opposition. led by Harold
u. Straub. Of 2716 Crest avenue,
was started by residents of the
Crest avenue area. More than
$50 opposition signatures have
been collected, Mr.. Straub. said.
Both groups favor a pool but
they disagree as to its location
City Tract Favored
The latter group wants the
pool built on a l0-acre tract I'M
la less residential area which
was purchased. by the city last
year for recreational purposes.
Plans for its development into
baseball and football fields are
now under study.
Since all Of the smaller tract
and part of the second one is
outside city limits, Mayor Yates
held. the council could not
act effectively. It can. however.
offer a recommendation to the
Prince Georges County commits
Esioners with regard TO a request
for rezoning the 3.1-acre site
so 1t can be used for CONNER
cial purposes.
In the case Of the l0-acre site
owned by the city, the council
could not permit a private COM
pany to build on city ground.
Until last night the council
had held that any action it took
could not be enforced. Mayor
Yates explained.
Both Sides Present
Leaders Of both groups were
present last night but only Mr..
Straub's followers spoke. :.
One spectator described the
debate as "the hottest thing
around here since the race for
mayor two years ago."
The primary complaint was
that the presence of the pool
near Crest avenue would seri-
Iously affect the value of $4,000
land $4,000 residential proper
ties. The opposition also held
that the pool would create addi-
tional traffic hazards on pres
lently overtaxed streets.
As a body. the opposition de-
manded that the council take
Official action by expressing its
views one way or the other. It
called repeatedly for an inyes-
tigation which would determine
iii the presence OF pool in a
residential area would decrease
property values.
Three hours after the meeting
began at 8 pm, Mayor Yates
said: II presume after all this we
will have to take a stand sooner
or later"
Council members John <.
Dorr, 3115 Parkway. and Mrs.
Anna Flynn, 3021 Parkway,
were named to the pool COM
imittee.