Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-05-03
Sirens Appeal
By Ronald H. Nessen
Staff Reporter

| III tiiC past ~ JCcI . lbOIhNlIt
has been as attractive to devel
opers as the sirens to Odysseus
sailors. Annexations since 1916
have quintupled the towns area
Some planners predict the towns
ultimate size will be twice today's
area. Yet the town has taker
and is taking steps to make itself
in some ways, less attractive tc
developers.
Why have developers sought
annexation? Two reasons are
widely cited.
l. Many of Rockville's codes
and ordinances have been less re-
strictive than the county's. In
some areas Rockville had no re-
strictions.
2. In Rockville, administration
of sewer, water, planning, and
coming is conferred in one author
ity. Developers in the county
must contend with the county
government, the washington Su.
burban Sanitary Commission,
and the Maryland-National Capt..
tai Park and Planning Commits
sion.
Combination of Factors
Actually, a combination of
those two lures has probably at
tracted developers to Rockville.
Now, though, neither lure is as
great and annexation requests
may slacken. Most future an
nexations to the east and south of
the town will be under the juris-
diction of Suburban Sanitary and
Park and Planning, unless the
state legislature alters the com
missions boundaries. And Rock
vile is rapidly making its ordi-
nances as strict or stricter than
the county's.
The road, building, fire, plumb.
ing, electrical, and gas codes of
the town and county are about
the same. Rockville's coming and
off-street-parking requirements
are less restrictive than the coun-
tvs. The town has no subdivi-
sion regulations.
Revisions of Rockville's build.
ing, coming, and gas ordinances
are being studied. Twon sub-di.
vision regulations are being
drafted.
Many of Rockville's ordinances
are newly-enacted. The plumb.
ing code was passed this year, the
road code last year, the off-street
parking requirements in 1854, the
building rules, the electric and
fire codes in 1850.
Differences Favorable
How have the differences be-
tween town and county codes en-
ticed developers to seek annexa-
ton?
Rockville's coming ordinance
provides for only one size residen-
tial lot: 5000 square feet. (Few
houses have actually been built
on such small lots, thought The
county has two-acre, half-acre,
5000 square foot, and 5000 square
foot residential lot zones. Re-
zoning requests must be approved
by the county council.
Land annexed to Rockville is
automatically zoned for the 5000
square foot lots. This could be
a lure to a developer anxious to
build as many houses per acre as
possible.
The proposed new Rockville
zoning law would closely match
the county's residential standards.
Because there are no town SUBJ
division regulations such details
of planning as block-lengths, re.
lationship of block lengths to
block widths, etc, are technically
unregulated in Rockville. Town
planner Robert Plavnick, how.
ever says That's not a major
problem" Planning details are
usually worked out in negotia.
tons between the developer and
the town.
In both the town and county,
developers must provide one off.
street parking space for each
dwelling unit. In apartment, com
mercial, and industrial areas, the
county requires more off-street
parking than the town. Most OF
the towns recently-annexed sub
divisions were built before the