Evening star., 1951-02-22
Fairfax Board Raises
Subdivision Minimum
Lot 10 10000 Feet


subdivisions must average at least
10000 square feet, the Board of
Supervisors ruled yesterday. The
change, adopted by a 80 vote, will
go into effect March IL.
The coming ordinance has per-
mitted lot sizes of 1900 square
feet in urban" subdivisions, but
for several months the supervisors
have refused to grant rezonings
to this classification.
The new schedule provides that
urban" lots must average 10000
square feet. with no lot in the
subdivision containing less than
$500. In suburban lots. where
sanitary and storm sewers are in
stalled and curbs and cutters are
provided, lot sizes must average
at least 1880 square feet. with a
minimum of 10,500.
Subdivisions in suburban. -Zoned
areas provided with a central
water system and black-top roads
must be at least $4,000 square
feet in size.
Rural Lots Increased.
Formerly, lots zoned suburban
= had to include at least 10000
square feet.
The minimum size of rural lots
is increasing by only one square
foot from the present half-acre,
21,730 square feet. The addition
was made to permit gravel roads,
which are not allowed by the State
in subdivisions with lot sizes of
one-half acre or less.
Lot widths under the new ordi-
nance will be: Urban, 10 feet:
suburban with all improvements,
80; suburban with central water
and black top roads. 80; rural and
agricultural, 100. Front footage
of corner lots must be higher.
Supervisors c. B. Runyon. Falls
Church district, and Arthur I.
Shafer. Mount Vernon district.
opposed adoption of the new re-
quirements. G. Wallace Carper,
chairman of the board, was not
present.
A group of builders. including
Byron Gordon. jr., opposed ap-
proval of the plan. saying it was
incomplete" and should be
studied further.
Supervisor Maurice Fox of
Dranesville told Mr.. Gordon that
elimination of the 1900 square
foot, lot would be 1.-The best thing
that ever happened in Fairfax
County"
The board agreed to ask Sena-
tors Byrd and Robertson of Vir-
ginia and Representative Howard
w. Smith to oppose acquisition
of 1900 acres along Shirley high
way for an additional demolition
area for Fort Belvoir.
Fears for Property Values.
William j. Barber of Springfield,
who said he also was speaking for
State Senator Andrew w. Clarke
in urging the board to oppose the
plan. said explosions from the
present demolition field "break
window panes in my home" Mr..
Barber said three petitions are
circulating in the area opposing
the proposal. The tract now is
owned by Fort Belvoir and partly
by Vernon Lynch of Annandale
and other Fairfax County resi-
dents.
Mr.. Barber said extension of the
demolition area would lower the
value of surrounding land for resi-
dental purposes.
. This land is too valuable" he
said, ito be used for demolition"
, In other business, the board
unanimously granted to the Offut
Construction Co. a rezoning to
general business of property on
Leesburg pike between q. Falls
Church and Tyson's Corner. The
tract is adjacent to the Pimmitt
Hills housing development.
More than 20 residents of the
area appeared at the board meet
ing to oppose the company's re-
quest. William L. Covington, pres
ident of the Leesburg Pike Citi-
zens' Association. was spokesman
for the group. eve don't want
stores and filling stations and
neon signs on Leesburg pike" he
said.
The board agreed to meet at 8
am. Wednesday with a represen-
tative Of the State Highway De-
partment to discuss what Mr..
Shaffer called "the serious and de-
plorable condition" of county
roads