Evening star., 1948-05-21
Raps
.zoning Changes
In Arlington
Report AnoIyzing
Proposed Revisions
Presented to County

A 30-page analysis of proposed
amendments to the Arlington zon-
ing ordinance was under study today
by county officials following its pres
entation by the Board of Directors
of the County Chamber of Com
merce.
The County Board is scheduled to
hold a public hearing next month
on a comprehensive revision of the
ordinance and the master zoning
plan proposed by the County Plan
ming Commission.
The Chamber of Commerce report,
which is critical of the many of
the proposed changes, was developed
by the City Planning and Zoning
Committee and the Zoning Advisory
Council. The study will be pre-
sented to the membership of the
trade body at 8 pm. Wednesday
in the Rosslyn Gas Co. Building,
270O Shirley highway.
Lot Size Requirements Hit.
The study criticizes proposed in
creases in the requirements for lot
sizes in residence districts and pro-
posed limitations on heights of
apartment buildings. Also criticized
is change which would give the
County Planning Commission great
er authority in granting use permits.
1T should be borne in mind that
with the gradual encroachments in
United States Government land,
the considerable land being alb
sorbed in the expansion of main
roads and subdivision streets, the
area in the county available for
building is being considerably re-
duced," the study points out. I'VE
will ultimately reach the point
where there is no place to go but
up to obtain adequate housing for
the many thousands of people who
work in Washington. 1t seems un-
reasonable to limit the heights of
apartments in the manner pro-
posed"
Fear is expressed that adoption
of the proposed amendments will
throw large developments already
erected in the county into non
conforming designations
The study notes that many sec
tions of the proposed ordinance
deny certain uses of property with
out use of permits which might
readily result in voluminous litiga-
ton"
Commercial ZOning Reduced.
In the last 18 years. according to
the study. commercial zoning has
been greatly reduced" in some
areas, with comparative little addi-
ton in others. The study notes that
during the period when the county's
population rose from $4,000 to more
than 10000. privately owned
commercially zoned land has been
reduced 5 per cent"
The study recommends that busi-
ness zoning be extended throughout
the main arteries of Lee highway,
Wilson boulevard and Glebe road,
"as set out in the proposed ordi-
nance, with additions as necessity
dictates"
Serious consideration" Of more
industrial coming along the Wash
ington and Old Dominion Railroad
is recommended. Also suggested Is
the expansion Of business at the
county line on Main road. The study
estimates that several million dol
lars" of business development i'm.
mediately adjoins the county line,
and largely is supported by resi-
dents of the county.
Unless commercial properties,
with some assistance from the
larger homes. make up the deficit of
educational and municipal costs of
services furnished to themselves and
the smaller homes" the report says.
1T becomes necessary to increase
the taxes uniformly on all proper
ties.
The experience Of this county
has demonstrated that taxes have
gradually increased over the past
year, and there is strong demand
for additional increases. Unques-
tionably. further increases will be
required to meet the cost of Govern
ment unless a larger proportion of
the tax revenue is obtained from
those sources which do not add
greatly to the actual expense of
government"