Evening star., 1957-04-19
Zoning's New Look

Let the citizen beware OF the
wolff" cries being emitted by
this group lest he learn too late
that the cries were false and
diverting!
AS one citizen who has stud
led Harold Lewis new coming
plan for Washington" I am
convinced that these wolf"
cries emanate from two sources:
taI Those who don't mean
what they say and tb) those
who parrot what they hear
without knowing what they're
talking about. This does not
include, Of course. the thought
full citizens who have addressed
I h m selves to constructive
study Of coming revision and
have come up with suggested
improvements in Mr.. Lewis
plan"
One gentleman quoted in
your paper implies that Mr..
Lewis is attempting by sly
trickery through "an ingeni-
ously subtle plan. to change the
whole face Of the city"
Mr.. Lewis plan is not sly,
nor is it visionary. as some
times charged. 1t is honest
and realistic. based on firm
facts and figures as to Wash
ington's existing conditions
population, income. tax base,
etc., its needs tstreets. park
ing. schools. revenue. etc. and
the projected development of
the city tincluding our planned
capital Improvement outlay
estimated at 81 billion to be
spent between now and i970l
1t proposes to do precisely
what Mr.. Lewis, as one of the
country's leading planners, was
charged to do by the Commits
sioners who hired him: Set UP
a system Of zoning regulations
which will implement the plans
for the balanced growth and
development of our city.
One OF his major objectives
Is to maintain Through zon-
ing) a balance in land use
which will not allow building to
outrun the needed facilities for
the city's life and activities.
Now this is very important to
those who live here, work here
or come here to transact busi-
ness. but it does place some
restrictions on the building Of
apartments and large CONNER
cial buildings.
Another gentleman contends
that Mr.. Lewis plan provides
for no future growth. Let's
look at the facts. Would Mr..
Lewis permitted density regu-
lation of FART plus 2 stop
the growth Of our central busi-
ness district? The present
average density is FAR-3. The
modern and successfully oper-
ating Cafritz Building at 1925
Eye street NV. is an example
OF the kind Of building that
could go on downtown. It
meets the FART plus 2 re-
quirement in most respects.
exceeding 1t only by slightly
more floor space (FAR 9.4.
The parking space built into
the Cafritz Building compares
favorably with that required
in the Lewis formula.
At present apartment build
ings occupy 10.5 per cent of the
entire zoned area of the city;
under existing regulations this
proportion could 60 to 40.4 per
cent. Mr.. Lewis coming dis
tricts will permit an increase
up to 23.5.
Does this bear out the state
ment that the new zoning
plan" provides for no further
growth?
Mr.. Lewis has also increased
the area for single-family
dwellings. This should pro-
vide the incentive to upper and
middle income families to look
for their space. light and air
here in Washington rather
than fleeing to the suburbs as
they have been doing with dis
astrous effects upon our econ
omy.
Apartment units net much
less In tax returns than SINGLE
family dwellings, but require
just about as much in the way
Of public facilities (streets,
water. sewerage, recreational
space, etc..
These are only a couple OF
examples Of the sound basis
Of Mr.. Lewis plan. The rest
Of 1t is comparably realistic
II II Is put into effect In
Washington I shall feel that
the value Of my home here IL
substantially increased and
shall look forward to living
here.
John r. Snydef.