Evening star., 1952-05-14

the DECISION yesterday.
zoning Policy Altered
For Office Building
Along Lee Boulevard
Reversing a policy of many
years, the Arlington County Board
last night approved a commercial
zone for about 600 feet along Lee
boulevard.
Asix-story Office building would
be erected on the 10000 square
foot tract opposite Fort Myer and
lying between Courthouse road
and Tenth street. A 100-foot
buffer strip for a fountain and
parking lot next to the boule-
ward would remain unchanged
from its present apartment CLASH
f1cation.
With one member absent, the
board voted 81 for the general
commercial zone in spite of a
warning from the County Plan
ming Commission which reported:
"Since the original concepti6a
and realization of Lee boulevard
it has been an established policy
to prohibit any commercial zon-
ing or activity within $50 feet of
the boulevard right-of- way.
Precedent Feared.
1T is the opinion of the plan
ming commission that if the sub
ject petition were granted it would
be setting a precedent for addi-
tional commercial Zoning in the
future and would be adverse in
effect upon the usefulness of Lee
boulevard"
Board Chairman Robert w. Cox,
who voted against the change,
said, "Lee boulevard is one place
that we have to watch very care
fully bofore we establish CONNER
cial zones"
But another member, Daniel A.
Dugan, said the county was losing
the benefit of some of it's main
roads which are maintained to
benefit outsiders, such as inter-
state truckers.
Plans Sandstone Building.
The owner of the property, Roy
S. Altman, said he plans a six
story sandstone structure measur-
ing 10 by 100 feet on the property.
He said it would be 100 feet back
from the right-of and 200,
feet from the boulevard CENTER
line. Just west of the property,
he said. apartment buildings come
within Is feet of the right-of-way
Q25 feet from the centerline).
Exhibiting an attractive archi-
techs sketch of his proposed Of
flee building, Mr.. Altman said,
AN Office building would not
differ to any great degree from
an apartment building"
o. K. Norman of the Courtland
Citizens Association voiced OBJ
jections of his group.
There are two other CONNER
cial zones close to the boulevard.
One is about 100 square feet of
undeveloped property near Glebe
road intersection. and the other
is shopping center in Arlington
Forest. But, according to Plan.
ming Engineer c. L. Kinnier, the
latter project has 15O-foot set
back from the right of way and
the buildings stand about 300 feet
away.
Other Actions of Board.
In a meeting which ran into
the early morning hours today
the board also took these actions: !:
Denied a request to change
from RS residential to CO gen.
eral commercial property at 1922
Fairfax drive.
Approved, 81 with Mr.. Cox
voting mo-" a change from RA8-
18 apartment dwellings to CO of
property in the 1900 block of
North Courthouse road, requested
by w. S. Hoge. jr.
Changed from R-6 residential
to R2-7 apartments, property in
the 2700 block of South Fern
street, except for a depth of 1875
feet fronting Twenty-eighth
street. The applicant, Elizabeth
IS. Heden. sought an RA8-18
classification.
The board approved a change
from RA8-18 to CO for the back
portion Of the Heden property at
600 North Edgewood street.
Denied request of Lawrence w.
Douglas, representing Whiteford
& Waller, to change property at
634 North Glebe road from RA8-
Is to CO.
Approved request of Thomas w.
Phillips, representing Jesse &
Reinsch. to change property at
4012 Columbia pike from RS
classification. The applicant
sought RA8-15 but the board
approved an RA8-18 apartment
classification.
Denied the request of Arthur
Walters to change property in