Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-30
AntibuHdozer Bill

0BA ICES, WAN bAhC ObJCCJANC VI
preserving natural contours
and vegetation in the course
Of land development. No bet
ter proof Of this can be cited
than the fact that it is more
profitable and cheaper to
build homes on land where
the natural contours are kept
and trees are not removed
than to regrade the property
and cut down and dispose of
trees. Grading is expensive
and tree removal Is not only
costly but troublesome. There
is no market for the trees
removed and they must be
burned, the stumpS dug out,
and the stump holes refilled.
Stump disposal is often a
real problem. In addition,
homes surrounded by trees
are much more salable than
those sitting out in a man
made prairie.
Then why is it that trees
are cut down and land re-
graded If the builder. the
home buyer and the public
generally would prefer it 9TH
erwise? This question has
never been asked in discus
sions Of the proposed Mary
land antibulldozer legislation
at public meetings or in the
press, and certainly has never
been answered. The answer is
that developers are forced to
regrade land and cut down
trees by the requirements of
the Montgomery County
Road Code. the grading regu-
lations Of the Federal Hous-
ing Administration and the
Veterans Administration, and
home purchaser preferences.
Most houses are built along
streets classified as second
airy residential roads" I'M
der the County Road Code.
The code requires that the
full width Of the right-of-
way be graded to the prop
erty line; that the grade in
cline along the street shall
not exceed 10 per cent; that
the length Of sag vertical
curves at changes in grade
where the algebraic differ
ence is positive shall not be
shorter than will provide a
headlight sight distance Of
$50 feet; and that the length
Of vertical curves over the
crest of a hill shall not be
less than required for a sight
distance Of ITS feet with eye
height Of as feet and height
Of object Of 4 inches. The
requirements for primary and
arterial roads are somewhat
higher, and landings must be
provided with grades even
fiatter than those mentioned
above at the intersection Of
secondary roads with pri-
mary and arterial roads.
There is no doubt that these
requirements result in very
fine roads; roads that may
even be overdesigned for
their purpose. In the typical
suburban Maryland country
side. however, with its rolling
hills. frequent stream ra-
vines. and arterial roads
often built in the valleys, it
is nearly always impossible
to comply with the road
grade requirements and have
the intersecting roads meet
at prescribed grade without
leaving the abutting lot high
above or well below the road.
In other words, in order to
meet the demanded road
grades the natural terrain
must be either cut or filed.
leaving the terrain at the
house location above or be-
low road grade. Assuming a
cut Of six feet. which is not
uncommon. there would be a
rise Of six feet in the IS feet
back to the house building
line required by the coming
ordinance. or a front yard
having an approximate one
to-four rise. almost a Is per
cent grade. Home buyers do
not want and will not buy
such lots. The lot, therefore,
must be regarded. which in
turn means tree removal.
FILA and VA regulations
require 9 fiat back yard for
at least Is feet behind q
house. On q sloping lot this
means changing all sur
rounding grades to eliminate
q steep terrace which is din.
cult TO NOW and not wanted
by the house purchaser. Also.
the Federal agencies insist
that the drainage fiow away
from the house in all direc-
tons. This again usually re-
Quires regarding.
The purchaser ofha houne