Evening star., 1938-10-04

ROW HOUSE BAN
BACKED BY BOARD
Arlington Group Votes to
Push Amendment Changing
Ordinance.

The Arlington (va) County Board
set in motion today the machinery
necessary to ban row-house construc-
ton and thereby bring to an end the
heated controversy which has been
raging for months over proposals to
open the county to, real estate devel-
opment Of that type
BY 4 vote Of 3,to 2 the obard adopt
ed a resolution proposing the adop-
ton OF an amendment to the county
coming ordinance which would pro-
hibit row-house construction of any
nature. 1t then ordered publication of
the necessary legal notices.
The suggested amendment, which
under the rules must lay over for two
board meetings, will come up for a
public hearing and final action on
October %.
Adoption Of the resolution today
came as a surprise, for it had been
voted down. 3 to 2, when it was in
troduced by Board Member F. Free
land Crew at = meeting Saturday.
Yeatman Changes Position.
However. when the board met this
morning George M. Yeatman, who had
voted against it Saturday and who is
one of the triumvirate that has been
opposing bans on row.house develop
ment, made a motion that the Chew
resolution be adopted.
His motion was seconded by Mrs
Elizabeth B. Magruder. chairman Of
the board, and it was passed when its
sponsor joined withs>.Mr. Yeatman
and Mrs. Magruder when the motion
was put to vote.
William A. E. McShea and William
P. Ames. who have steadfastly favored
provisions for some type of row-house
construction, opposed the resolution.
Mr.. McShea. supported by Mr.. Ames,
moved to table the Chew resolution
before the vote on the measure was
taken, but his motion failed to carry
Ofncials OF the Arlington County
Civic Federation and executives of
other civic groups who have been
wrangling with the board for sew
eral months in an effort to persuade
the members to block row houses were
overjoyed when notified OF the boards
action this morning.
Many Support Amendment.
They said that large delegations
from every association will 60 before
the board at the October 2s meeting
to voice their support Of the amend
ment proposed in Mr.. Chew's resolu-
tion
An amendment proposing that row.
house development be limited to units
made up OF three houses, introduced
recently in an effort to satisfy both
civic leaders and real estate develop
ers, Is scheduled to come before the
board for a hearing on October a.
1t is opposed by civic leaders, how
ever. and members OF the board said
today the hearing probably will be
postponed
They pointed out the hearing could
be postponed until the date OF the
hearing on the Chew resolution and
1t could be voted down at that time
The Chew measure could be adopted
then and the ban on all types Of row
houses would become effective.
The controversy over row houses
began several months ago after the
Circuit Court ruled that an old zon-
ing ordinance made no reference TO
houses Of that description and that be-
cause of the lack Of such reference
they could be built.
AEitat ation for Ban.
County residents then began agita-
ton for a ban against row homes
when the board adopted the county's
new zoning ordinance, which was
passed recently. but until today their
efforts were in vain.
The board also approved this morn
ing contract for construction Of ap-
proximately $500 feet of lateral and
trunk line sewers in Ballston and Vir-
ginia Highlands. the contract going to
David A. CalabreSe of Arlington, who
submitted the low bid Of S23,7l0.s0
when bids were opened last week.
The project, however, is aided by
the Public Works Administration and
must gain the approval Of the P. w. A..
before the contract becomes final.
Two contracts for sewer projects
financed entirely by the county were
awarded to the firm of Jack Goddard
d Sons. Contractors, Inc, of Ohio.
One is for $7.750 and calls for install
lation Of trunk line sewers in Hatfield,
Arlington View and Twenty-third
street North. The other is for $40. 700
for a trunk line sewer at Pimmit Run
and lateral lines on Military road.