Evening star., 1944-12-05
Fairfax County
zoning PIan|s
Hit al tHeariinq
Residents Protest
Proposal Limit
On Lot Sizes


from all sections of the county were
on record today as in favor of zoning,
but opposed to certain stringent"
regulations of proposed county
zoning ordinance.
Unanimous in their protests over
certain regulations in a proposed
zoning code which would replace the
present law adopted in 1941, prop
erty owners testified yesterday at
hearing in the county courthouse
that tn new ordinance would be
unfair to many landowners.
The ,bitterest opposition was to
that section of the proposed ordi-
nance which would provide a mini
mum lot size in the agricultural
area of five acres. If enacted, land
owners in districts zoned agricul-
tural would not be permitted to sell
parcels of land under five acres.
i. 5-Acre Plan Called Confiscatory.
Former State Senator John w.
Rust said that he wanted it under
stood that he is in favor of zoning
law, but added that there should be
IAN orderly plan" adopted. He said
that the proposed ordinance af-
fected every one in the country, but
mot person in the whole county
knows what it means"
Senator Rust pointed out that the
five-acre lot minimum would prove
"conf1scatory'' in that it would pre-
vent small landowners in the agri-
cultural district from utilizing their
entire holdings for building pur-
poses.
John S. Barbour. who said he was
representing A. Smith Bowman,
largest Fairfax County land owner,
asserted that it appeared to him
that the County zoning Commission
had gone at the matter backward.
He said that instead of telling peo-
pie what they can do, the zoning
regulations should list only that
which is prohibitive.
Raps Proposed Rules.
Even God, in His wisdom, didn't
attempt any such rules as these"
Mr.. Barbour said. 1T looks as if
the Board of Supervisors appropri-
ated the money and the commits
sion turned in this thing just to
show that it had been on the job
and spent the funds The present
proposal provides only for the land
uses that the commission could
think Of"
Clark Warburton, representing the
Fairfax County Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations, said the associa-
ton favored the type of ordinance
proposed, subject to such altera-
tions as may be necessary to relieve
certain stringent regulations" He
said that perhaps a five-acre lot
minimum for the agricultural dis
trict was too large
Mrs. Percy S. Crewe, former
Washington real estate broker, said
that prospective residents had SHE'D
away from Virginia because of the
lack of protective regulations She
emphasized that Virginia must de-
eide now what kind of people it
wants-and must plan to keep the
rabble out"
"UndesirabIes From Washington"
Asserting that the Zoning Com
mission believes that the proposed
ordinance is better than the present
law, Cecil c. WALL superintendent of
Mount Vernon and member of the
commission, said Fairfax County
now must face whether or not it is
to become the slum clearance area
for Washington" He pointed out
that Arlington and the two Mary
land counties adjoining the District
have zoning regulations, and unless
Fairfax adopts plan it will become
an open market for undesirables
from Washington.
Ollie w. Timer, representing the
Northern Virginia Baptist Deacons
and Christian Union of Colored Citi-
zens, said his group also is opposed
to the five-acre minimum lot size on
the grounds that it would work
hardship on colored residents.
Waldron Adams, colored, of Gum
Spring, also spoke for colored groups
opposing the five-acre regulation.
I'll let you in on the secret of the
Negro" Mr. Adams said The In
dian is here no longer. The Indian
is gone because he was a fighter
The Negro is not a fighter. but asks
peaceably for his rights. If this law
is adopted you had better pull down
the Virginia flag and let tyranny
up again
Another Hearing Planned.
While the majority of those at
tending the hearing were opposed to
the proposed regulations for the ag-
ricultural area, number of real
estate dealers pointed out that lot
size restrictions in other areas would
hamper future developments. De-
velopments in such sections as An
nandale, it was said, should be al
lowed to consist of lots smaller than
1-acre tracts.
James H. WcWhorter, Annandale
surveyor, said that under the pro-
posed law there was nothing to pre-
vent acre lots having only small
frontage and extending several hun
dred feet in depth.
G. Wallace Carper, chairman of
the Board of Supervisors, who pre-
sided at the hearing, said changes
in the proposed ordinance would be
prepared by the Planning Commits
sison after studying objections pre-
sented at the hearing. He said
these would be presented at another
public hearing to be held early next
year. :.
-. Al