Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-13
COUNTY OFFICIALS
DEFEND OIL PERMIT
Arlington Supervisors Seek
development of Home
Building and Industry.
BY LESTER N. INSKEEP,
STAFF Correspondent OF The Star.

ARLINGTON COUNTY COURT
ROUSE, Va, June ia well balanced
dsyl..pment, consisting of both industry
and home building, is the idea of the
board of county supervisors in its at
titude toward the Sun Oil Co. permit
and other permits granted by them that
have met with opposition from various
quarters.
lar one by the owners of property that
appears to them to be suitable for In
dustrial use are given to show the 9th
or side" in the oil plant fight.
Feels 1t Represents Public.
In granting this and other permits the
board feels that it represents the real
population of the county and not what
they describe as the experimenting
type," and that one OF their duties is TO
bring in industry that will not only in
crease the taxes, but furnish employ
nlent to those citizens of the county
who need it.
Parks, it is pointed out by members,
have been discussed for years, but have
never materialized. They believe that
there is no assurance even now that
any are to be developed, since the pro-
visions of the Crarnton bill call for a
matching Of Federal funds by the State
or locality affected, and it would be i'm
possible to count on an appropriation
by the State.
If the Federal Government is sincere
I'm its park development plans, one of
the county officials said. it will do as it
did in the development of a part of
Potomac Park in ashington-consider
what is needed and then institute con-
deinnation proceedings, paying a fair
price for property acquired. Property
owners, they say, cannot go on paying
taxes on property while they hold it to
await the pleasure of the Federal Gov
eminent or any other agency to make
use Of 1t.
Another pronounced attitude Of the
local governing body is that the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission has no rights on the Virginia
side Of the river until 1t acquires
the property to give it that right. hence
itsis up to the board of supervisors to
exercise the authority vested in it to
the best of its ability.
Not Averse to Parks.
The board, it is claimed, is not averse
70, parks or park development, provided
the owners of the property are remu-
nerated In an amount equal to that
which could be obtained in the sale of
their property to private ownership.
There are undoubtedly cases in which
this attitude can be understood, an eX-
ample being that of the position In
which are placed the present owners Of
the property sought by the Sun OH
Co. for its tank farm and wharf.
The owners of this property and Of
other properties in the county have had
st. in their possession for number of
years, having in some cases invested
almost all of their funds on one tract
of land. They are not opposed to park
development-many of them, in fact,
favoring it-but they are not financially
able to hold the land until such time
as it will be purchased by the National
Capital Park and Planning Commission
or similar agency, especially when they
are not sure how long they will be
compelled to continue payment of taxes
on land that is increasing yearly in
assessment.
In this particular case and in others
of a similar nature industry has Of
fered attractive prices for the property
and the owners have not felt justified
in turning these offers down. If the
Federal Government were In position
to. equal these offers 1t is believed that
the owners would just as readily sell
for park purposes. The Sun Oil Co.,
incidentally, has offered to donate a
3oo-foot right Of way, through the
property to be acquired by it, it Is
claimed.
The only part Of Arlington Countys
water front that Is on navigable water,
st is claimed, is that plot to be ac-
uuired by the Sun Oil Co. and small
strip south Of the Key Bridge, and the
board of supervisors believes that this
should be retained for marine shipping
purposes.