Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-06
Most Citizens
OK Zone Plan
Independently
HuIf-Acre Lot Size
Hit by Federation
And Planning Unit
By CHARLES L. HOFFMAN

Ia favorable reception at its frs
public hearing last night.
Objections arose from only two
major sources-the Montgomery
County Civic Federation and the
Montgomery County Planning
Association.
Both favor an agricultural
zone for most of the rural ares
with a minimum lot size Of five
acres. The proposed ordinance
sets the minimum lot size at only
a half acre.
It was the night Of the bis
turnabout.
Those who in the past have
attacked Upper County Planning
Commission proposals wer'
among its supporters at thu
hearing in Rockville. Formel
supporters were fighting the lat
lest proposals. About 200 at
tended.
Effective compromise
The compromising nature O.
the ordinance which establishes
two estate areas-one in the Pc
Itomac-Darnestown area and TIT
other in the shadow Of Sugarloa.
Mountain - broke the back o
lUp-county opposition.
The two-acre minimum lot siz
for the estate areas drew ap
Iproval of Herman Schmidt a
Representative Of the West Mont
gomery Citizens Association
which embraces the Potomac
Hunt Country area.
Mr.. Schmidt spoke as sup
porter of the ordinance.
Hunter Davidson, long an ad
lvocate of the now dead fiv'
acre agricultural zone. also sup
ported the measure.
Mr.. Davidson. who lives IL
the Jamestown area, suggested
however, that a one-acre mini
mum lot size be substituted TO
1.-THE half-acre tract coming.
Ward w. Fetrow. president o
the Farm Bureau. also expressed
substantial agreement" with thu
proposed ordinance which i
slated to go to the Count!
Council by January IT.
Urges Greater Setback
Jerry L. Cook. president of TIT
Damascus Chamber of Com
merce, urged adoption of TIT
ordinance. but suggested tina
the minimum building setback
be increased from Is to IS fee
from road right of ways.
E. r. Jones. Of the Damascu.
Planning Committee. backed TIT
ordinance but urged a new
street classification for remot,
residential areas that woult
have a 40 to so foot right of wa.
and 16 feet of paving.
The bitterest attack on tn
Ordinance came from Arthu
Kelsey, president of the Mont
gomery County Planning Associ
ation.
MIR. Kelsey described as al
"absurdity" and as stupid" tn,
agricultural residential half -acr
Hot zone that would permi
farming operations on such {
Hot.
He also expressed doubt tina
the ordinance would stand up il
court as he contended it wa
arbitrary and capricious" ant
discriminatory"
Backs Consultant
Mr.. Kelsey also objected T.
the planning commissions re
lection of recommendation
from its consultant. Irving c
Root, who urged the five-acr
minimum lot size for most Of tn
larea, a country home zone ant
a residential zone with a hal
acre minimum lot size.
Although urging adoption o
the Root recommendations, Mr.
3. Kelsey at another point attacke,
the commissions commercial an,
industrial zones, which wer
based almost entirely on MI
Roots proposals.
Mr.. Root and the commission
technical staff were accused b
E. Brooke Lee of attempting T.
keep families of moderate mean
from moving into the uppe
county.
Mr.. Lee charged that the pro
lposed flve-acre lot size woul
make subdivision prohibitive be
cause of high street construction
costs and would bar eventua
extension Of sewer and waite
lines into the up-county area.
Jerome j. Harris Of the Count,
Civic Federation read a fedora
ton resolution supporting tn
Root proposals.
Mr.. Harris commended Mr.. Roo
had recommended more half
acre lots than has been estimate
would be needed by 1880 for ne,
homes.
Adoption of the ordinanc
would lead to indiscriminat
growth and ribbon development
along highways, Mr.. Harris sale
Watershed Protection
Both Mr.. Harris and Mr.. Kelse
urged protection of the water
sheds in the upper county.
Bartlett Atwood, of the Gle
Hills Citizens Association, urge,
that instead Of a half-acre 10
size for the Glen Hills area,
one-acre minimum should be re
quired.
A proposed road classification
that calls for several roads to b,
tabled as future dual-lane high
ways drew a cool reception.
Attorney James r. Mile
urged the commission to adop
the classifications for existinI
roads but to eliminate thos
planned for the future.
Bernard N. Siegel. OF Pooles
vile, urged adoption of the plal
to assure the development Of tn,
rural areas.