Evening star., 1945-02-14
Rezoning Plea
For Alexandra
Project Granted
Industrial Plant
Planned on l2-Acre
Tract on Route |

III PuOcPCCt lOI NOIbllWcot AlcA-
andria today following the City
Councils action last night in re-
zoning a 12& -acre tract OF land on
the west side of U. s. Route No. /,
east of the Washington 6 Old Do
minion Railroad right of way from
d. and A to E industrial.
John Mcpherson, Washington
contractor, who applied for the re-
coming, said he plans an industrial
development on the site.
Aubrey Brown and Mr.. and Mrs.
Ernest Demaine, Sixth Ward resi-
dents, protested the rezoning on
the grounds that owners OF abutting
property had not been given due
notice of the application and that
since the death of Councilman
Charles Burgess the Sixth Ward was
unrepresented. In addition, they
pointed out that Mayor william T.
wilkins was the only one of the
three at-large councilmen present
at last nights meeting.
Rezoning Granted, 4 to 1.
With five members of the council
present, the rezoning was granted
by a 4-to-1 vote after Mayor Will
kins pointed out that quorum was
authorized to act in any matter
without regard to individual ward
representation.
The Council also rezoned from
G residential to D industrial q lot
listed as lab at ITO North Henry
street.
Application to rezone lot 30 on
the east side of 600 block North West
street from C-1 residential to d.
commercial was denied.
State Senator Andrew w. Clarke
and representatives of Naval Tor
pedo Station employees asked the
Council to pass resolution in
forming Gov. Darden, Senator Byrd
and Representative Smith of the
Councils wish to have the station
continued after the war.
The action followed a meeting last
week at which torpedo station en-
ployes informed the Council and
other civic groups of the possibility
that the plant might be closed after
the war and asked support for its
retention. The Council agreed to
act on such a resolution after Mr..
Clarke has presented it to the
Council.
At the request of the Board of
Education the Council designated
City Manager Carl Budwesky, City
Attorney Joseph Pancoast and City
Engineer c. Luckett Watkins to
cooperate with the board in OBJ
tanning the support of Senator Byrd
and Mr.. Smith in their attempt to
get FWA funds for an addition to
the George Washington High School
While no definite action has been
taken by FWA, the board has been
led to believe it will be denied.
Teen-Ages Ask Dances.
Representatives of the Alexandria
Teen-Age Club, led by their presi-
dent, Edgar Sims, jr., renewed a re-
quest made to the council in October
for a place in which to hold weekly
dances. The teen-agers pointed out
that another group recently had
been granted the use of the city
armory which had been refused the
club. Mayor wilkins assured the
young people that negotiations are
under way to obtain the use of q
building.
The council passed on first read
ing an appropriation of $2,O81. 40 to
buy an addressograph for the COM
missioner OF revenues office; $24C
for city maps for the Chamber oi
Commerce, and sl7, $50 to pay salary
increases recently granted Police
and Fire Department personnel. Ar
increase Of $40 month was granted
to Kenneth Smith of the trafic
squad whose salary was not adjusted
at the time the increase was given
other police officers.
1t was agreed to start work next
Tuesday night on the problem Of
redistricting the city wards in ar
effort to secure more even djstri-
button of population.
The council held an executive ses.
sion to discuss the disposition OF
Ramsay House, landmark purchased
last year by the city. A committee
Of citizens has raised funds fol
restoration of the home of Alexan-
dria's first Mayor, but to date the
council has made no decision as tc
whether the restoration shall be In
the hands Of the city or of the
Ramsay House Committee.