Evening star., 1942-01-11
Arlington Plans
Hearing Soon on
Master zoning
10-Yeuy Outline
Given County After
Months of Study

Public hearings are to be held
soon by the Arlington County Board
on the county's master zoning plan
following its presentation at the
boards meeting yesterday.
The plan was prepared by the
county planning department in
consultation with, Jacob Crane, COM
munity planning expert, who was
retained by the county board sew
eral months ago. Final action on
the plan has been deferred pend
ing completion of the hearings. A
proposed zoning ordinance to carry
out the aims of the plan will bs
submitted by the planning de-
partment to the board in about
two weeks.
In a written memorandum to the
board, submitted by Donald r.
Locke and Frank L. Dieter. county
zoning administrator and planning
engineer, respectively. three major
results Of the new plan, which Mr..
Dieter said should provide a guide
for future development for the next
10 years, were outlined. /.
Density Areas Retained.
First, the plan creates and pre-.
serves population density districts,
carrying from high-density district
in apartment zones to low-density
districts in those areas best suited
to such control.
This is accomplished. 1t was ex-
planned, by setting up four single.
family residential districts, two two
family residential and three apart
ment districts. Purpose of this
phase Of the plan. offlcials pointed
out. is to stabilize existing neigh
borhoods and to create a design
for future development OF new
neighborhoods along rational Ii "
The second feature OF the pan
is the establishment of larger and
more unified general commercial
districts to serve neighborhood
needs. While this has resulted IN
the elimination in some cases OF
small, unrelated spots" of CONNER
cial Zoning which were described as
being incapable of being unified or
developed in any orderly plan. In
most cases, existing commercial
areas were included and unified
where it was deemed reasonable.
Off-Street Parking Plan.
Third. the plan makes it possible
to establish off-street parking IA
cilities in all commercial zones bv
making such facilities an integral
part of the commercial district it.
self. it was said
"Expedients, such as one-way
streets, fringe parking lots. ETC. the
two men declared, ARE due to the
inadequacy of the old commercial
district designs. Vacant lot parking
areas are. in a sense. temporary,
pending the opportunity for more
! profitable land use, while parking
| garages are a matter Of more
or less individual enterprise"
Arlington County. the letter
stated. in the creation of new COM
mercial areas designed to lessen
congestion in the street." has the
Exceptional opportunity to profit
by modern experience ."
The memorandum added: "The
zoning plan herewith submitted
provides the instrument for the .or-
derly use of land, the prevention Of
overcrowding. by population density
control, the stabilization of land
values, the recognition of the need
and provision for terminal facili-
ties in commercial districts and for
the rational and orderly develop
ment Of the community with .
future"
Population up to 100000.
Importance of the plan was EN-.
phasized in letter from Mr. Crane,
who pointed out that during the
next 20 to 40 years the Washington
Metropolitan Area will increase to
a population between 100000 to
100000 persons and that the Ar
lington County population will prob
ably constitute about Is per cent
of this total or between 200 900 and
100000 persons.
In his opinion, Mr.. Crane told
the board, such an increase in
population in the county can be
accommodated without materially
increasing the amount of apart
ment areas in Arlington.
"It is also my opinion" he de-
clared. that Arlington County is
and can remain predominantly open
and suburban in character, with .
predominance Of single family
homes and relatively large lot areas.
The proposed zoning plan will easily
accommodate the prospective popu.