Greenbelt News Review

County Stymied
By Rhea G. Kahn

The Prince George's County Commissioners held a public hearing yesterday on the petition of Greenbelt Land Improvement Corporation for rezoning of the strip of land on Southway between the 10 court and the Armory from residential to C-2 commercial and took the matter under advisement until April 16, when they will issue their decision at Upper Marlboro.

Greenbelt Consumer Services wishes to erect a new gasoline filling station on the site.

Called to testify by Hammond Welch, attorney for the cooperative, were GCS general manager Samuel Ashelman; professional planner Roger Willcox; Rev. Robert C. Hull of Greenbelt Community Church, who is also a member of the GCS board of directors; Greenbelt city councilman James Smith; and George M. Eshbaugh of 12-A Ridge.

Opposition speakers, all of whom appeared as individuals only and some of whom were cross-examined by Welch, were: Mrs. Helen Dondy, 6-K Ridge; Mrs. Rose Amberg, 10-D Southway; George M. Jones, 11-M Southway; Don D. McCaughney, 7-M Southway; and Abraham Chasanow, 11-T Ridge.

Arguments in the main were those brought out at the recent city-council hearings on the same question. Willcox stated that from the planning viewpoint there are too few gas stations in Greenbelt to serve its population and that the desired site has long been considered suitable for a gas station.

Opposition witnesses took issue with the latter assertion, pointing out that the site had been planned for a park until last spring (1955). They also cited the effect of the proposed station on traffic safety.

Chasanow pointed out that with a 75-foot buffer zone next to the 10 court of Southway deeded to the city for a park, a gas station on that site would be illegal, since they are not permitted within 300 feet of public parks. (A deed transferring this zone to the city has already been executed by Greenbelt Consumer Services and is being held in escrow by Ralph Powers, city solicitor, according to city manager Charles T. McDonald.)

The hearing was attended by about twenty from Greenbelt, of whom more than half apparently favored the rezoning.