Evening star., 1955-10-06
zoners Propose Ban.
On Undersiized Lots
Would Require
Minimum Size
OF 5000 So. Fl.

= AZ &S4obA ASs A9k4A4A8 O0kAAuAao-
sion today proposed . regulation
TO keep builders from putting
houses on understood lots.
The move was taken, q state
ment said, because Of the recent
development In the Cleveland
Park area Of lots for single
family, detached houses with
only 80 feet Of frontage. CONE
pared with the 55 feet proposed
in the regulation.
The proposal win come up for
hearing at the next session Of
the zoning commission Novem-
ber l6. A spokesman pointed out
that the commission, In making
the announcement now. was al-
lowing 40 days notice Of the
hearing instead Of the usual 30.
The proposed regulation was
labeled as an interim measure"
TO hold the line ON lot sizes
until completion Of the present
overall revision Of the Districts
35-year-old zoning regulations.
Stfll Under Study
The announcement Of the pro-
posed regulation. however, point
ed out that the study upon which
this revision Is to be based viii
not be completed until Novem-
Der, 1866.
Specifically, the regulation
proposed that single-family. de.
tached dwellings be built only
on lots containing more than
5000 square feet, with q min
imum lot width and frontage Of
IS feet.
Single-family. semi-detached
houses could be built only on
lots larger than also square feet.
with frontage Of Is feet. and
single-family row houses on lots
with more than 2,10O square
feet and frontage Of 20 feet.
Announcement Of the proposal
declared the coming general re.
vision Of coming regulations 10
expected to contain provisions
for minimum lot widths and
and minimum lot areas for res
idential structures" and pointed
out that "such provisions are
not incorporated in the existing
zoning regulations" /"
Densities Too Great
Without such controls, the
commission said, "and with the
current shortage in housing.
there Is q tendency to develop
land for residential use at dem
sites which are greater than
deemed desirable under present
day standards for health, safety
and general welfare"
The proposal allows for certain
odifications Of the recon-.
ulS11uSu StdludTuS.
Median Is 60 Feet
A statement said that In areas
restricted to one-family de-
Itached dwellings there is a total
Iof 5.098 lots. 1t said the median
lot area was $3.50 square feet
with q median lot frontage Of
about so feet.
Only II per cent of all such
lots studied had areas Of less
than 1000 square feet" the
statement declared. I'm com.
Iparison with these figures, one.
family detached dwelling lots
recently developed in Cleveland
Park which indicated q need for
interim control had only 30
foot frontage, while an analysis
Iof all lots in that particular area
showed a range in lot area from
I2,l22 square feet to 20.5 acres,
with q median lot area Of 9,450
square feet and a median 'front.'
age of about IS feet"
Semidetached dwelling areas
had q "median lot size of 2,480
square feet and a median width
LOT % feet. OF the total SIS per
cent fell within q group where
the lot areas range from 1000
to $500 square feet. Only 8 per
cent OF the lots are smaller than
II 500 square feet"
Row House Areas
The statement declared that
row house areas contained 1861
lots with a median lot area Of
1854 square feet and a median
lot width of about 10 feet.
The proposed regulation also
declared that single-family
dwellings or flats built before
June "a. 1924. may be converted
to fats or apartment houses
only If located on lots with q
minimum area Of 1000 square
feet for each household unit to
be provided therein"
The regulation. however,
would prohibit such conversions
into tenement houses. as defined
by the city's recently adopted
housing code.
Size Preferences
The statement said the re-
lsponses to questionnaire issued
last January had indicated
preferences for minimum lot
areas Of 1000 square feet for
Ione-family detached dwellings
I'm the new developments, "al-
though a subcommittee (of the
Citizens Zoning Advisory Com.
mittee) favored 5000 square
feet"
The statement also declared.
lit would seem to be a reason.
able and sound policy for the
District to require high standards
for development Of the small re-
manning area Of vacant land in
order that the full resources of
the future may be devoted to
rehabilitating the thousands Of
acres OF sub-standard develop.
ment which already exist
On the other hand, it should
|be possible. pending general
zoning reYiSinns fn hermit H.