Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-12-12
Q Apartments
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00O OAOg
ed his individual comments to
the recommendation, indicating
the coming should be denied.
More than a half-dozen North
Bethesda civic groups, repre-
senting over 1000 area residents,
also opposed the application.
Among these were scores who
wrote to the Council protesting
the invasion of their well.to-do
residential community with
apartments.
Cahoon told the Council the
high-rise development sought
by the Aubinoes would bring
$500 new citizens in the 900
apartment units which could be
built on the site.
He emphasized the lack of
suitable access to the site from
Old Georgetown Road and said
apartments would generate a
major traffic problem in the
area.
The planning board stressed
these points also, and noted
apartment coming would violate
the master plan for the North
Bethesda. Garrett Park area.
Lackey, however, argued the
master plan was in error in not
providing for apartments. He
said the Aubinoe property is
similar to a tract in White Oak
recently zoned for high-rise
apartments, in its proximity to
two major highways and a COM
munity shopping center.
He said the apartments would
be a desirable addition to the
community, occupying only Is
acres of the land available, set
well back from adjoining prop
erty and Of luxury" construc-
ton and design.
Though the planning board
said the areas shopping facili-
ties could not handle a major
influx of apartment jewellers,
Lackey entered in the record a
letter from the Wildwood
Manor Merchants Association
assuring the Council they could.
During the hearing, Cahoon
introduced a letter written by
Aubinoe in March, 1861, in
which he declared he saw no
necessity for rezoning on Old
Georgetown Road and said, "in
my opinion. there never will
be-"
Lackey said his clients letter
was written in 1859, before the
establishment of the high-rise
apartment zone.
To arguments that the apart.
ments would generate large
numbers of children for whom
new classrooms would have to
be provided, Lackey estimated
single-family residential devel,
opment would produce 167
pupils, contrasted with 104 in
apartments. His estimate, he
noted, was based on garden-type
developments, which have more
children than high-rise.
Lackey also was the success.
full attorney in the Councils re
cent grant of high-rise apart
ment coming for 43 acres of the
Kay tract on the old Indian
Spring Country Club in Silver
Spring. The move was strongly
opposed by nine area civic
groups and the technical staff
Of the Park and Planning Com.
mission recommended denial.
In three other zoning applica.
tons represented by Lackey,
the Council this week tentative,
ly granted approval of IS more
acres Of high-rise apartments on
land on the west side of Colum.
bia Pike and us. Route 20 in
White Oak owned by John L.
Chapman Jr. and voted instruc.
lions to deny garden apartment
zoning for two adjoining parcels
totalling almost SO acres owned
by Chapman.
The White Oak high,rise de-
velopment would permit con.
struction of 1880 units.
The vote for instructions to
grant it was SO, with Council.
men Williams and Walker dis.
senting. The garden apartment
denial was by a AZ vote, Coun'
cilmen John Henry Hiser and