Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1959-09-03
Cabin John-Brookmonf
NeW Plea
ZsFiIed bv
DayCam,p
By Sandy ROvner
Oliver 6-8863

An appeal for rehearing and
reconsideration of a County
Board of Zoning Appeals deci-
sion last month, which could
spell doom for the popular Ban
nockburn Day Camp, was filed
Friday by the local law firm of
Moore and Linowes on behalf
of the Bannockburn Community
Club and the YMCA.
The decision would limit the
four-year-old, YMCA operated
camp to a maximum enrolment
of so children. Previously, on
the basis of the original exemp-
ton which ambiguously pro-
vided for 40 or more" campers,
the camp has been functioning
with an enrolment of nearly
100. In an effort to clarity the
situation, which was brought to
a head as a result of series
of complaints from a local res.
ident, the Community Club and
the 'Y" applied for a new spe-
cial exemption last spring which
would have specified 100 as the
maximum limit.
Although last months denial
Of this request left the original
exemption intact, Increased
overhead expense and priority
problems might make further
continuance of the camp i'm.
practicable" Leon Brooke, Com
munity Club president, said, in
announcing the new appeal.
Brooke pointed to the over
whelming popularity of the day
camp among residents of the
community in general and with
the 70-odd families whose prop
critics abut the several tracts of
land used by the camp in par
ticular as partial evidence in
support of the appeal. He ex-
planned that while 80 per cent
of the abutting property owners
had signed a petition last spring
favoring the larger enrolment,
and only one family had active
ly opposed it, informal and I'M
counselled handling of the case
before the Zoning Board pre-
vented adequate presentation of
the case for the camp.
Brooke also cited new evil
dence, previously unavailable, as
further support of the reconsid.
Grafton request.
Meanwhile, community feeling
has been running high. Said
Mrs. Laura Jacobson, whose
property is adjacent to the Ban
nockburn Clubhouse which
headquarters the day camp,
Specific complaints about camp
activities have always been
ironed out quickly and amicably
on an informal basis. Now it
seems as though one family's
objections have taken precedence
over the needs of the community
as a whole even though camp
officials have bent over back.
wards to eliminate the cause of
each complaint"
DR.. Margaret McCabe, whose
home abuts another tract used
by the camp, declared, at seems
incredible that such a healthful
and constructive project, 50 de-
sired by the community could
be destroyed with such little
cause"
Max Malin, who, with his
wife, made up the sole opposi-
ton to the exemption request
at the hearing, said last week
that he felt the Boards decision
would have been the same "even
without us" and that he did not
think his opposition vas the sig
nificant factor in the denial.
Gift For Council: Jim Church,
president of the Cabin John Gar
dens Cooperative, last week pre-
scented a ceremonial gavel to the
County Council as a token of
appreciation from Gardens res
idents for action taken by the
Council on their behalf last year.
The Council had amended the
coming ordinance to allow resi-
dents of the erstwhile World
War II housing project to OBJ
tain building permits for add.
tons and Improvements. Previ-
ously, residents were barred
from obtaining permits through
peculiarities in the original set
up Of the little community. Mrs.
Stella Werner accepted the gavel
for the Council.
NOTE: Watch for swimming
roundup next week.