Evening star., 1955-11-16
Views Divided at Hearing
On Minimum Size Of Lots
2 Groups Clash
Over Proposed
Zoning Rule
By HECTOR MCLEAN

by hECIOM MCLEAN
Washington property owners
md builders clasked today before
he District zoning Commission
1ver proposals to set minimum
;izes on city building lots.
Residents of Georgetowntur1ie
,ut in force at the District Build
ing hearing to back the proposed
interim change in the zoning
regulations. It was suggested BY
5he Zening Commission to pre-
vent continuation Of building on
small lots until an overall re-
vision of District coming regula-
lions is completed next year.
The recommended restriction
was opposed by the Washington
Board Of Trade, which contended
the problem should be handled
only as part Of the overall ron
Ing revision. In q statement,
the board also argued that the
proposal would seriously retard
low rent housing programs, f,i-
lure development programs ana
the entire effort to provide better
housing for low income people
and improve substandard housing
IN the District Of Columbia." !"
Keyes Opposes Plan
The opposition was echoed bv
Arthur H. Keyes. jr.. for the
Washington Building Congress,
He said the organizations Conn
n1ittee on City Planning and
Zoning supports the idea Of reg
ulating density Of population,
but questions t.the value as wen
as the principle OF an interim or
piecerneal change In the zoning
law" !"
Mr.. Keyes warned the pro-
posed regulation fails 10 con-
slider irregularly shaped lots and
those located on curves or ct the
end Of dead send streets. Also.
he said. many isolated lots
smaller than the proposed stand
ards @could not be used for any
purpose whatsoever.
Support for the proposal came
from Harlean James, secretary
Iof the Committee OF 100 on the
Federal City. Other supporters
were John w. Gill Of the
Georgetown Citizens Assocfa-
ltions. who said his organization
lis overwhelmingly IN favor of
THE proposal and has been urg-
ling such restrictions.
An organized demonstration of
support was made by the Pro-
gressive Citizens Association of
Georgetown. Mrs. Harold q.
Hinton called several supporting
Witnesses and denied opposition,
arguments that the proposal Is
unconstitutional.
Objects TO Small Houses
Directing to building of addi-
tional snail-frontage homes ifs
Georgetown. Mrs. Hinton cori-
tended IT takes practically 1
technician to live in 4 small
house Z
A statement from Raymond
N. Wilmotte, president of tie
Progressive Citizens, contended
that "the speculator that chs rlres
q plot of land from one address
70 four addresses has made
e sizeable financial gain, achieved
fat the expense Of the owners ~
other residences in the neia1-
borhood. .
He warned that in view of tl1e
overall coming revision s,,,w
under way 1T is only natlIraI
that SPECTATORS In real estate
would concentrate their EFFORT
during this period while It il
Still possible to suhdivide lots e.
|cessiyely and increase pop,iia-
ton density unreasonable before
the new regulations would make
such practice impossible I
Gen Raymond E. Lee said
that within a block of his resi-.
dence at Thirtieth and o streets
NV. nine residences have been
built where formerly there was
one.
Twenty-Five supporters Of the
proposal rose In the audience
when Engineer Commissioner
Thomas Al. Lane. chairman 81
the zoning Commission cut or
the procession Of Georgetown
witnesses.
Called Unrealistic
Other opponents included 4.
Seth Schnitman Of the North
Washinton Council Of Citizens
Associations. He branded the
proposals as unreaiistic, unsoul1d
and said they would impede
urban renewal. slum clearance
and redeyelopment."
Herman Schmidt Of the Home
Builders Association Of Metro
politan Washington expressed
vigorous" opposition, contend
ing that private enterprise can.
not supply low rental housing
on esthetically designed lots
IL private enterprise is going Ia
be allowed to do any more build.
ing, present lot sizes must BE-
maintained. 2
The proposed regulation saws
single family. detached houses
can be built only on lots having
q minimum width OF SIS feet ana
p minimum lot area Of 5000
square feet.
Semidetached houses would bA
limited to lots wider than 26
feet and with more than 2.75o
square feet. single family row
houses would be limited to lots
70 feet wide having an area az
2.l00 square feet.
Exceptions would be granted
for lots which do not asiioin
other uninproped lots or lard
control BY the owner If the area
and width are not more than is
per cent less than the standard.
The regulation also would per-
NIT the conversion Of buildings