Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-10-01
PIannersSeek
PrimitiVeLand
zoneControIs
By JAMES B. ROWLAND
Star Staff Writer

In 20 years. the present pop
ulation Of some 10000 is ex-
pected to be close to 10000
residents. Much of the growth
will be spurred by the opening
this fall Of the Woodrow Will
son Bridge over the Potomac
River, planners say.
Hearing is Scheduled
In addition to the county
seat, Upper Marlboro, the study
covers the Piscataway Bay Sec
ton where a controversy has
arisen over a Washington Sub
urban Sanitary Commission
proposal to erect a sewage
treatment plant.
The 125 square miles, plus
six more adjoining the west
boundary of Laurel, were mad;
part Of the regional district
Coming controls) of the Mary.
land-National Capital Park anc
Planning Commission by the
1861 Maryland Assembly.
A public hearing on the zon-
ing proposals will be held by the
commission at 8 pm. October
10 in the Court House at Upper
Marlboro.
The proposals, in general
leave the region the way it is
with some provision for expan-
sion Of existing commercial
areas. Other acreage. including
all that land west of Laurel, is
slated for the largest residential
coming use available-rural-
residential R-R). one-hal1
acre lots.
ZOning Frequently Sought
Maps pinpointing the pro-
posed coming are on display In
the courthouse and the Com
MISSIONS office in Riverdale.
The planning agency and the
Prince Georges County COM
missioners have tried for years
to get the entire county under
coming controls so as to protect
virgin land from a hop-scotch
mixture of residential and COM
mercial building that plaques
other sections.
Still outside the regional dis
trict are the Accokeek, Noting
ham and part of the Brandy
wine election districts in the
southeast corner of the county
Also outside is the town OF
Laurel. which says its loca
planning body can do a faster
Job of zoning. Together these
areas cover more than 80
square miles.
BY law. all the vacant land
within the study area auto
matically became R-R wher
the 13l square miles wat
brought into the regional dis.
trict by the Legislature. The
commission had six months
which will expire october "a
to present coming plan to the
county commissioners.
Want Larger Plots
They. in turn. will hold {
public hearing and discuss TIT
results with planners beforI
finally adopting a coming map
Many residents in the arei
trying to preserve the wilder
ness character want a residen'
tial land use larger than R-R
according to James M. Hen
Messy.
Some in the Moyaone de-
velopment want lots of twt
acres or more" he said.
These residents, along with
planners, the county commits.
sioners, park and conservation
groups. joined in a fight u
block plans for the proposed
sewage treatment plant on thu
south shore of Piscataway Bay
Their strategy resulted in Con.
gress' authorizing the purchase
Of / 1876 acres of Potomac River
shoreline to preserve the view
from Mount Vernon on the
Virginia side. The sanitary
agency expects to look fol-
other, more inland, sites II
Piscataway.
Planners Won HassIe
Mr.. Hennessey said that ir
the southern area, industrial
coming is mapped for tobacco
warehouses near Upper Mari.
boro. and commercial-offict
COZ has been plotted for Q
part OF the city plans land ir
TB.
Commercial zones, with room
for expansion, are marked al
intervals to 3 miles apart ir
TB, Upper Marlboro, Accokeek
Cheltenham, Route 301 anc
Groom road, Meadows, Cole.
Corner and Branch avenue al
woodward road.
This southern area adioin.
Henson Valley. where a mum,
Der OF residents last year raised
a Juror when the county head,
indicated they would 60 against
planners advice and put com.
mercial and apartment zonins
in parts Of the valley. Tht
Commissioners made some
changes in line with public
opinion before finally adopting
a coming plan.
The Henson Valley Master
Plan, covering 30 square mile.
the largest undertaking BY
the planning commission!
expected to be ready for public
distribution next month. Hear.
ings by planners and the coun.
ty heads will follow.