Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-07
ALEXANDRIA zON|NC|
PLAN IS OUTLINED.
Irving C. Root Details Pro-
gram and Tells of InfIu-
encing Factors.
BY HOWARD M. BAGGETT,
stan Correspondent OF The Star.

| stan Correspondent Of The Star.
| ALEXANDRIA, Va, December e.
The coming and planning survey of this
city, which is now well under way and
which will have a profound effect on
| its future growth, was outlined today
by Irving G. Root, coming and planning
engineer, following the completion last
tween this city and the engineer for
the work. The 1881 city budget car
ries $500 in the contingent fund to
cover the cost of the survey.
An interim coming ordinance is now
being prepared by City Attorney Carl
! BudweSky to prevent any changes in
the situation pending the final adop-
ton Of the coming ordinance which is
being prepared in connection with the
survey. This interim ordinance will be
presented to City Council at its next
regular meeting.
In discussing the work Of the Zon-
! ing Board, which Is being directed by
him, Root today called attention to
| the fact that Alexandria Is the last
important center In the District of
Columbia region not under zoning con-
Root, much of the local coming work
is being done by George e. Garrett of
this city, chairman Of the zoning
Board.
Maps to Be Furnished.
Planning for the future Of the city
will follow as q natural by-product of
the coming work, and complete maps
and plats showing the location of flu
will be furnished the city by the zon-
ing engineer. The survey, Root said,
will serve to protect the submerged
values and attractiveneSs Of the city
and save 1t to the community, which
will eventually cash In on it.
The construction Of the George
Washington Memorial Parkway, Root
explained, has led to q change in the
complexion of the development here.
| large investment and Is anxious for
proper protection Of the boulevard
frontage.
It Is the intention of the Zoning
Commission, Root continued, to take
the Federal interest and the future Of
the area opened by the new parkway
carefully into consideration in coming
to bring the best possible results from
standpoint Of beauty and land values.
QUAINT Attractiveness."
Attention was also called by the en-
gineer to the quaint attractiveness"
Of Alexandra and the great value to
the community itself in protecting this
character. The coming, he said, will
be designed to protect this character
as completely as possible and to guide
future development along the same
lines.
Aiexandria's historical appeal is as
great. as that Of Williamsburg, Root
said, and 1t has o greater appeal to
visitors than to those living here. The
coming will be designed to prevent dis
cord by the building of ultra-modern
buildings along side of fine old Colonial
homes and will serve to dress up the
city and place it on display.
Public hearings will be held on the
coming ordinance before it is adopted
Consideration will be given the neces-
sity for business districts and the
city living more than one-half mile
| from store center, with the average
| person living a quarter mile or less
from such a center.
Residences will be divided into three
classes in the ordinance, the first being
| single family dwellings, the second Of
two-family dwellings, and the third
apartment, houses and row houses.
There will also be q commercial zone
and industrial zones The Industrial
zones will correspond with the so-called
second commercial zone Of the District
of Columbia.
The coming is necessary, Root said, to
prevent commerce going into areas de-
signed for the future use of parks
school sites or community uses. The
| industrial zone would not allow the
establishment Of nuisance industries
and before such industries could be
considered under the proposed ordi-
nance, special permission would have to
| be asked and public hearings held before
City Council would take any action.
The engineer also stressed the fact
that the wishes Of residents would be
given consideration in the planning and
| that citizens living in areas from which
business Is now excluded need have no
! fear that the new coming ordinance
would change this condition.
Commissions Engineer.
Root, who was chosen by City Coun-
ell as director of the work Of coming
and planning the city from a group Of
men men, recommended for the position, is
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission. He has planned q large
number Of cities and prepared coming
ordinances and coming plans for
another large group of cities.
| Among the cities for which he has
! prepared coming ordinances and plans
are the Maryland Washington Metro
politan district, Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties, Nd, including 20 in
corporated towns and villages; Akron.
Ohio Benton Harbor Mich. Flint,
Mich: GAINESVILLE, Wis; Kingsport,
Tenn; Lacrosse, Wis; Midland, Mich
Muskegon, Mich; Niagara Falls, N. Y,
and others.
In addition to most of the above
cities, Root has also done ci<v planning
work for Charlotte, N. c.; Green Bay,
Wis; st. Joseph. Mich, and list OF
other cities. He is the holder Of a
B. S. degree in horticulture with special
credit in architecture and Landscape
architecture from Kansas State College
and holds an M. 8. degree in landscape
architecture and city planning from
Massachusetts State College.
He said today that he plans to make
series of talks here before various
civic bodies to acquaint the people with
the purpose Of the work and what Il
will mean to this city.