Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1958-01-30
Hearing is Ser
Countrywide Zoning
Now Under Study
By NIarge Flynn
staff Reporter

Montgomery County is on the verge of adopt
ing for the first time in its history countrywide
coming ordinance.
All county residents will have an opportunity
to express objections or offer suggestions on zon-
ing regulations at a public hearing the pro-
posed new ordinance February "a at PM in
the auditorium of the Richard Montgomery High
school in Rockville.
The ordinance proposes to establish uni
form coming regulations for the entire county
in place of the two ordinances which have been
in force, one for the downcounty and the
other for upper Montgomery County. Upper
Montgomery County added to the jurisdic-
ton of the Maryland-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission at the last legislative ses
sion of the General Assembly The ordinance for
the former upper Montgomery County planning
district which became effective March l, 1885,
automatically ceases to apply next June l.
Exempt from the proposed single coming law
will be the Incorporated of Poolesville,
Rockville Gaithersburg, Washington Grove, Lay
louisville, Brookeville and GAINESVILLE which are
excluded from the planning commissions juris
diction
One of the more significant provisions of the
proposed new ordinance would provide brake
reduction of lot sizes. Under the present upper
county regulations, half-acre lots may automat-
cdlly De reduced TO lU,UUU square IeeI Wnen water
service is installed, and to $500 square feet when
both sewer and water service becomes available
The ordinance would eliminate such auto
matte provisions for reducation of lot size. Appl-
cants in the future would have to seek rezoning
approval from the County Council to reduce half
acre coming
The effect of this change would be to prevent
carving up" of half-acre coming sites into smaller
lots without consideration of any but water and
sewer facilities in area.
The proposed ordinance would transfer
filling stations from permitted to special
exception in the CT commercially zone. This
provision is now in effect in Prince Georges
County. Filling stations would become special
exceptions subject to requirements restricting
proximity to certain public buildings, and resi-
dences, and location of lighting, screening fences,
drveways and gas pumps
Another revision in the new ordinance clari-
flies the difference between bboards and signs
At present the terms are used INTERCHANGEABLE
with outdoor advertising structures and are
difficult to interpret. The new ordinance also
spells out specific provisions under which the
Board of Appeals may grant special exceptions
for airports and airfields in resdentialagricul-
tural, rural residential general commercial light
or heavy Industrial zones in the county. New
regulations for off-Street parking will increase
each car parking space from 160 to 200 square
feet
The new ordinance will triple the amount of
tWoacre residential coming in the county by ex-
tending the twoacre zone along the Potomac up
to Dickerson and along the Patuxent River and
the northeast boundary of the county as well as
IN two-me area north of Gaithersburg.
Zoning categories would be increased from
the present four to 13 in the upper county area
but the ordinance would make no changes in
land use. The Is categories already in effect in
the down-county area follows: RIA, resi-
dential-agricutural; RR, rural residential; R-9O
one-family detached, restricted residential; R-6O
onefamily detached residential; R-40, one-family
semi-detached and two-family detached; R-30
multiplefamily, low-densty residental RIO,
multiplefamily, mediumdensity residential; RIO,
multiplefamily, high-density residential; CO,
commercialoffce building; C-1 local commercial;
CT, general commercial; IL, light industrial and
H. heavy industrial