Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-28
Council Rejects
zoning Project
In Alexandria
Tract on Route I
Retains Status as
industrial Section

residents Of Alexandria, Sixth Ward
that consumed two hours, the City
Council last night refused to recon-
slider its action rezoning to E in
dustrial 12% -acre tract on Route
l, east Of the Washington g. Old
Dominion Railroad right of way.
The council, in a tie vote. re-
affirmed a decision made February
Is to permit construction of an
industrial development on the land.
After the meeting, Mrs. Ernest
Domaine, secretary OF the Sixth
Ward Citizens Association, said the
association will meet tonight at 300
Calvert avenue to consider a court
test of the councils action.
Had No Representation.
Led by George Giammittorio, 3os
Calvert avenue, a sailor home on
leave, the delegation protested that
the rezoning had not been properly
advertised. that the Sixth Ward
was not represented at the time the
action was taken, and that no public
hearing was given the matter.
Residents of the area stated they
had not seen placards posted on the
property before the coming action,
as required by law. They added that
the action was taken following the
death of Sixth Ward Councilman
Charles Burgess and before the cleo
ton Of the present representative,
Edward Downey, and that they were
not represented at the time of the
vote.
Mayor william T. wilkins was
forced on several occasions to call
for order as property owners We
hemently protested the industrial
development close to their homes.
The Mayor said the Council acted,
according to its belief, in the best
interests of the city.
Mr.. Giammittorio pointed out that
the Planning Commission in pre-
senting its master zoning plan of
the northwest section of the city,
had advised leaving the tract in the
residential zone with light CONNER
cial coming adjacent to the highway.
He added that, although no action
has been taken on the Planning
Commissions report, Council mem
bers and the Mayor in particular
had expressed approval
Not Suitable for Homes.
John Barton Phillips, attorney
for John Mcpherson and DR.. Will
liam Burch, who have purchased
the tract from Miss Helen Calvert,
pointed out that the Federal Hous-
ing Authority had surveyed the tract
on two occasions and reported that
1t was not suitable for residential
development and for that reason a
plan to construct residential pro-
ject on it had been Abandoned.
He also stated that the E-indus-
trial coming does not carry the right
to establish anything which might
be Objectionable to neighboring resi-
dents without specific permission
from the council. and assured the
protesting residents that the owners
plan an industrial development
which will benefit the neighborhood,
bring increased employment and
added taxes to the city.
Voting for the motion to rezone
the property residential were Mr..
Downey, John Logan, councilman
at-large who is a Sixth Ward resi-
dent: Charles Stump, council-at-
large, and Third Ward Councilman
John Ewald. Negative votes were
cast by Mayor wilkins, First Ward
Councilman Thomas Hulfish, Fourth
Ward Councilman George Bender
and Fifth Ward Councilman Everett
Hellmuth.
Moving Home Denied.
Following this action, the Council
denied the application OF Miss CAL
vert to move one-family frame
structure and a four-family frame
apartment now located on the re-
zoDed property to another location
in the fire zone.
The application to rezone the
southwest corner of Patrick and
Pendleton streets from C-l residen-
tial to d. commercial was voted
advertised and set for hearing at
the second meeting in April.
The application to rezone the
southwest corner of Pitt and Pendle-
ton streets from C-1 residential to
Dc commercial was denied.
The request of Henry Hammer,
trading as the Alexandria Cleaners
& Launderers to operate a dry clean
ing plant at his premises, TIL King
street was granted. A request to
install an automobile washing rack
in the rear of 1873 South Columbus
street was denied.