Evening star., 1951-12-07
Annexation Power for Counties?

Novel and interesting is the proposal of the
Arlington County legislative delegation that
annexation powers be extended to urbanized
counties as well as to cities and towns. The
suggestion is distantly related to recommended
tlon by State advisory committee that a county
be given the right to request annexation of parts
OF it by an adjoining city. Under existing laws,
only cities and towns may initiate annexation
proceedings. The Arlington extension of the
committees proposal would give county not
only the power to initiate an annexation suit for
the purpose of Kidding itself of certain territory
but also for the purpose of acquiring land from
an adjacent county The whole idea is a pro-
vocative one-but so is the whole subject of
annexation legislation.
BY its very nature the proposed county-
annexation amendment would have limited ap-
plication in Virginia at the present time The
only cltylike counties in the State TODAY are
Arlington Elizabeth City and Warwick, the latter
Two IN Southeastern Virginia 1t is not known
whether the delegations from Elizabeth City and
Warwick Counties would Join the Arlington leg
islators in supporting the county annexation
plan. In the case of Arlington, there is no
immediate need for extending it's borders, but
II present rate of growth continues the need
may develop within few more years. The pro-
posed bill would not affect Falls Church or
AlCAduu1ld, Tile OIlly areas OCNer Llan Fairfax
County on ArlingtonS boundaries The legsla-
ton would not authorize annexation by county
OF any part of city. 1t would, however. permit
Arlington at some time in the future to institute
proceedings looking toward acquisition of a por-
ton OF Fairfax County-a move which Fairfax
undoubtedly would oppose in the courts with all
It's Vlgor-1ust as 1t opposed annexation moves
by Alexandria and Falls Church With Fair
lax County developing an urban appearance
at rapid rate it is even conceivable that
Fairfax eventually might make use of such
law to annex part of Arlington or Loudoun or
Prince William Counties, all of which touch
her borders.
natural question which the proposal
prompts Is whether it would not be simpler for
an urban county to become city in name as
well as in appearance, rather than amend the
annexation laws as proposed AS city, Airing
ton would have power under State statutes to
start annexation proceedings against Fairfax
County. There is a reason, however, for Ar
hngton's reluctance to call itself a city, IT, it
were to incorporate as city, it would lose the
substantial benefits which, as a county it now
receives from the State. Since 1885, for example.
Arlington has been allotted a total of about
$4.6 million in State primary road funds in ad-
dition to maintenance of State roads within
the county's border. 1t is to Arlington's ad-
vantage, therefore, to retain its county status.
This is matter of self-interest that NAV not
appeal to the General Assembly when it weighs
the Arlington annexation proposal For the
plan arises from Arlingtons understandable
desire to act like a county when State road funds
are being apportioned, but like city when the
time for annexation comes. 1t will be the tough
task of the Arlington delegation to convince the
Assembly that these conflicting attitudes should
be supported by new legislation