Evening star., 1951-10-06
Arlington Planners
Outline SIG Million
Expansion Program

eN sV9hOsu
The Arlington Planning Com
mission today announced details
of its six-year improvement plan
calling on the county to carry
out a $16.6 million expansion of
services.
At the same time. the commits
sion indorsed the Board of Edu-
cations proposals for $16,996, 900
for the same period. And the
planning group urged that high
est priorities be given the con-
struction of new schools and i'm
provements to existing ones until
adequate facilities are available
for all children for full-day ses-
sions on the basis of Is to &c
pupils, per classroom.
The planning group had re-
vealed the general outline of its
recommendations at a public
meeting September 10. but the
full 120-page report was disclosed
for the first time today when il
was handed to the County Board
Contained in the 120 pages oI
recommendations handed to the
County Board by the commission
for the years 1852 through 1857
were. proposals covering every
phase of county activity.
program also contcmpIates at least
ia start on a fire alarm boX
system.
| AS part of an attempt tc
strengthen the county's economy
the commission strongly recon-
mended more vigorous CONNER
cial development in order to ease
the tax load on the individual
taxpayer.
81 Million Available.
| While the planning body made
no specific recommendations or
how to finance the huge program
! it pointed out that $7,487 $50 O!
the S166 million is now available
Or anticipated from county bond.
previously authorized or issued
from State and Federal fund.
4and from money allocated fol
capital projects in the county!
annual budgets.
For the remaining $9.127, $50
the commission said additional
bond issues probably will be needed
to provide at least part of this
amount.
! Nearly half of the money which
the commission recommended be
spent during the next six years
would go for highways, sidewalks
and storm sewers. For these func-
tions, the commission estimated
! ST, ,040, 900 would be needed.
Intra County Roads.
This part of the program calls
for developing a system of intra-
county roads and completing sew
eral major thoroughfares includ-
ing George Mason drive, Walter
Reed drive and Yorktown boule-
ward; building sidewalks for easy
access to schools, recreation areas,
shopping centers and other pub
lie places, and financing approx
mately 1875 major storm sewer
projects. including all of those
most urgently needed because of
hazards to life and property.
For recreation. the commission
estimated $l.950,000 would be
needed to buy 2l1 acres for parks
Fairgrounds and other recreation
al purposes; establish a mode
recreation center for the use CT
all age groups and expand present
play facilities.
! Expenditures total:ng S412. SOC
for a new fire station in Rosslyn
sites for flrehouses IN WeStovel
and Clarendon. and additional
equipment and training facilities
are proposed for the county's Divi-
sion of Fire Prevention and Pro-
lection.
More Police Held Needed.
/ More personnel is seen by the
commission as the chief need o1
the Police Department. The group
recommended an annual increase
in the size of the force 10 about
179 men by 1857. The department
now has approximately 100 men.
/ Program for Welfare.
Under welfare. the program calls
for $4,000 to be spent principally
for an Office building to house
welfare workers.
To expand Arlipgton's water
supply and make it less dcpender1
on the District, FROM which the
county now gets It's water, the
commission recommended that ST
million be spent
+ The money would be used tt
build two reservoirs, each of which
would have a capacity of s millior
gallons. The commission alst
recommended that a study be made
of the possibility of obtaining fol-
the county some independent
source of water to meet possible
civil defense emergencies.
! For sewage disposal. the com.
mission recommended an alloca-
ton of $4,000, 1000. The group pro-
posed TO enlarge the existing sew
age treatment plant, build trunk
sewer connections, extend the Po-
tomac interceptor line to Windy
Run. modernize pumping equip
ment and buy land for future en-
largment for treatment facilities.
To provide the courts and the
county government with more
adequate operating space. the
planning body proposed $818,00C
to build a new court building
erect storage sheds for county
purchases, provide a railroad sid
ing at the county property yard
and add 27 acres for parking
outside the new courthouse.