Evening star., 1942-04-04
Arlington Board
Assai|sCapita|
ParkGroup
Commission Accused
Of Interference =
In County

Members Of the Arlington County
Board today bitterly attacked the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission charging 1t with
interfering with building operations
In Arlington County" They ap-
pointed committee to meet with
commission officials to find the
reasons for their recent actions in
stopping priorities for Arlington
housing developments.
p. Freeland Chew said, "The Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission never had more
ardent advocate or champion than
it had in me. I. have done every
thing in the world to get this board
to do things for the commission, in
cluding asking for lowering of the
building height limit from 110 feet
to 80 feet. Now they are asking us
to lower it again to 60 feet.
These latest moves on the part
Of the commission, including use Of
its influence to cut out priorities on
larse-scale developments in Airing
ton County that would be an asset
TO this community, constitute an
utter disregard for the officials of
this county and challenge our own
sovereignty.
Called Stab In Back.
Chairman Frederic A. Delano and
his associates are showing an utter
contempt for anything the people
of Arlington County want to do. 1t
Is stab in the back, after we have
co-operated in every way possible.
Hereafter, Mr.. Delano and the COM
mission can confine their planning
to Washington.
The Park and Planning Com
mission had better devote its time
to cleaning up its own back yard. I
will never be party to reducing
the heighth of buildings again to
comply with the commissions re-
quest. I question the sincerity Of
members of the Park and Planning
Commission as to Arlington County"
Attacks on the commission were
precipitated by the appearance be-
fore the board of Louis Justement,
Washington architect representing
owners of the so-called Nevius and
Grinder tracks on Lee boulevard.
Mr.. Justement told the board that
the Park and Planning Commission
had no authority over priorities on
building materials for Arlington
County housing developments.
In statement later to the press,
Mr.. Justement said either the cem-
mission had asked the War Produc-
ton Board not to grant priorities
for elevator apartments in Airing
ton, as proposed for these tracts,
or that the board was consulting
with the commission on such Lques-
tions.
Investigation Proposed.
The County Board passed unani-
mously motion made by Basil De
Lashmutt, seconded by Leo Lloyd,
TO have County Manager Frank
Hanrahan, Planning Engineer Frank
Dieter, Zoning Administrator Dom
aid r. Locke and Chairman Edmund
Campbell call on the Park and Plan
ming Commission and investigate the
whole situation.
After the motion had been passed
Mr.. Chew said if the investigation
did not produce satisfactory results
he would ask the board to send a
letter Ito higher power to see if
Mr.. Delano has the veto power over
this body and, if so, to 60 to the
people with this issue"
Mr.. Chew complained that the
commission had been going over
the head of the county board for
years by sending its agents to Ar
lington TO talk over planning and
building matters with citizens as
sociations and other groups.
Chairman Campbell described as
'intolerable- and unwarranted inter-
ference with the sovereignty of Vir-
ginis" the recent actions of the COM
mission with regard to Arlington,
actions which, he said, "the sitizens
cannot tolerate"
County Manager Hanrahan
charged the commission wanted to
conflne new building to Washington
and to let Arlington County 60 by
the wayside.
Mr.. Delano could not be reached
Immediately for comment. Thomas
9. Settle, secretary of the commits
sion, and John Nolen, jr, chief Of
planning, declined to make state
ment. --.