Evening star., 1950-01-25
Assembly Gets
Bill for Merging
Virginia Areas
Bill Leaves Decision
On Consolidation
To Voters Concerned
BY Alex R. Preston
BY Alex R. Preston
Ster Stoff Correspondent

OSAAoO@@S%h%SS
any manner the voters desired
under new legislation offered to.
day in the General Assembly.
Delegate Edwin w. Lynch sale
he would introduce a bill to bring
his home territory of Fairfa,
County and Falls Church, as vel
as Alexandria and Arlington, un.
der provisions Of the State Con-
solidation Act for counties, cite:
and towns.
"In the long rum" he said, 'l
hope it will make possible better
coordination of planning anc
more orderly growth in this en-
tire area which has so many in
terestS and problems in common
1t would, however, be up to the
voters to decide on any proposed
merger and on any changes in
their local government"
His move came at time Wher
another issue, annexation, was
approaching a climax. This mat
ter always causes a fight between
legislators representing the rural
counties and those from the land
grabbing cities.
Hearing Scheduled.
A new bill on annexation was
scheduled for introduction in the
Delegates this afternoon and a
legislative committee has set 2:30
pm. of February 2 as the date for
a public hearing on all pending
annexation bills.
Under Mr.. Lynch's proposal
there would be made available a
method Of consolidating urban
areas which lacks many Of the
objections raised by counties to
annexation suits. The new bill
would require petitions for ref
erendum, initiated either by the
voters or by local governing bodies
and also would require. apprcva.
by a majority of the voters af-
fected.
There is nothing in the pro.
position, however, that woule
change existing or pending an
nexation laws. Contemplated &C.
; QUESTION of territory from Fair
fax County by Falls Church apo
by Alexandria, therefore, would
not be affected by the legislation
He said that the urban areas
of Arlington, Alexandria, Falls
Church and Fairfax could COM
bine into one city or into one
and the rural area remain
as one county. In any case the
people would decide which type
of government would be most
suitable, either under existing law
or under special acts to be en-
acted at future sessions of the
Legislature, any combination OF
these political subdivisions, such
as Alexandria and Arlington, OF
Falls Church and a part of Fair
fax, could consolidate into two OF
more cities or counties.
Plan Called Flexible.
"It is the most flexible plan
that I know Of" Mr.. Lynch de-
clared. yet nothing along this
line can be done without the ap-
proval of the people involved"
If the area should consolidate
into one municipality, even with
out the more rural areas of Fair
fax County, it probably would be-
come Virginia's largest city. Es.
Inmates agree that Arlington ha'
about 100000 population; FALL
Church more than 5000. Alexan.
dria $4,000 and Fairfax abou
10000, with most of the latter
population centered closer towarc
Washington.
1--WE should have some method,
Mr.. Lynch said, where the people
of this area can solve their prob.
lens in an orderly and economi.
cal manner.
For instance, look at the varied
problems concerning water supply
Arlington has its system; Falls
Church has its own; Alexandra
has an Independent company ana
Fairfax has two or three indie.
pendent companies.
Then there is the common
problem of sewage. Alexandra
has to build disposal plant, Falls
Church and Fairfax have to build
one and Arlington must expand
and improve its disposal system
Petition Provided For.
There could be better co-ordi-
nation of planning. Falls Church
wants to annex Fairfax territory
and so does Alexandria. There
has been some talk of incorporat.
ing communities in Fairfax aroune
Annandale and Mount Vernon
BY terms of his bill, either tn,
governing bodies of two or more
counties or cities or both couls
petition for a referendum or II
per cent of the voters participat
ing in the last presidential elec
tion could file such a petition. TIL,
governing bodies would nam,
three representatives to a council
to prepare an acceptable plan O
government which the affectet
voters could accept in a refer
endum.
The new bill to restrict annexa
tion procedure will be introduce,
this afternoon by Delegate Samue
Swanson of Pittsylvania County
1t would freeze all pending ant
contemplated annexation pro
ceedings and would require ap
proval of the voters of the annex
ing city and of the entire count,
or counties affected by the lane
acquisition.
: MIR. Lynch's bill on consolida
tion is not considered annexation
legislation and has not beer
scheduled for hearing with tn,
annexation bills.
Chamber Offcioi Resigns