Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-15

In zoning Issue
Groom
Lewis Proposal
Expected to Stir
Citizens Meetings

tb@SuS NtSSttuS
Thomas J. Groom. chairman of
the Commissioners Citizens
Zoning Advisory Committee, is
delighted" at q recent outburst
Of interest shown by various
organizations. In Washington's
red-hot coming revision contro-
lversy.
Mr.. Groom made the comment
at committee session yesterday
which raised prospects of stormy
doings at a series Of 10 citizen
meetings to begin Monday on the
rezoning proposals of consultantl
Harold M. Lewis.
A relative calm over the Lewis
proposals has exploded within
the last week or so. Some groups
have circulated sentiments IA
voring the proposals. But bust
ness and professional groups
have modified to kill the revi-
sion in its tracks.
1.-THE more interest that we
can stir up in this way. the better
purpose we can serve" Mr..
Groom said.
Move to Throttle Plan
The Central Business Associa-
ton has joined the Washington
Board of Trade in a move tot
throttle the plan.
The action was taken in a
meeting Wednesday on the reel
Iommendation. of a special zon-I
ing study committee headed by
John l.. C. Sullivan. The bust
ness association membership
consists of the smaller business
establishments located in the
downtown area.
The Central Businessmen
branded the recommended re-
Ivised code as "un-understand-
able. complex, confusing, confis-
Icatory and completely destruc-
tive of property values, par
ticularly in the central COM
mercial area"
| The 10 citizen meetings, to be
sponsored by the Groom Com
Imittee to acquaint residents with
the new coming effects in each
part of the city, became an issue
lin themselves at yesterdays ses-l
sion.
Lewis to Explain Plan
Ernest F. Henry, in charge of
setting up the meetings. said he
hoped to make them "as friendly,
courteous. cooperative and Dig
Inif1ed as possible"
He said the opening explana-
ltion of the new proposals would
be made by Mr.. Lewis, followed
by general discussion. Partici-
lpating, he and Mr.. Groom made
plain, will be members Of Groom
subcommittee. which strongly
oppose many of the Lewis ideas
Miss Ann Miller of the Wash
lington Housing Association, said
she was concerned" about par
ticipation by the Groom SUBJ
committees. She said she un-I
derstood the main purpose Of
the sessions to be an explanation
of the revision, and that lengthy
debate might "usurp time that
properly belongs to the citizens"
Tracy Augur. city planner,
asked if steps were planned to
prevent professional hecklers"
from travelling from one of the
area meetings to another.
Reverse Feared
Louis Justement, architect and
opponent of the Lewis revision,
said he feared precisely the
reverse" He said he feared
propaganda meetings" at
which the consultants would
present a glowing picture"
without time for rebuttal.
He and Bernard Locraft of
the District Council of Engineer
ing and Architectural Societies
said they felt the public hear
ings we're a waste of time, and
urged their immediate rejection
by the Commissioners.
Assistant Engineer Commits
sioner Thomas B. Hunter said
he thought such a course would
be wrong, and urged opponents
to document their objections as
specifically as possible.
ANY one can shoot a shotgun
and hit this thing" he added.
George S. Cater. head of Mr..
Lewis Washington Office, stressed
thata the first draft of the new
coming regulations and map we're
highly tentative and intended to
invite objective discussion. He
said the consultants already
have started to rewrite the regu-
lations" and probably will be
doing so up to the time they give
the Commissioners a final report
next November.
Mr.. Groom said there was con-
siderable doubt that the report
schedule could be met and sug-
gested the possibility that an ex-
tension of Mr.. Lewis time limit
be considered.