Evening star., 1953-02-25
S4.5 Million
In Bonds Voted
ForAIexandriia
Councils Action
Starts Program of
Major Projects


Alexandria, much needed
capital Improvements program
for new schools. streets, bridges
and sewers began to gather head
way today. But city officials
agreed it is only a beginning
The City Council last night
adopted a $4.5 million bond or
dinance-$2.3 million of it
for schools-amidst a crop of
new development problems,
growing out of annexation of a
portion of Fairfax County.
Bids on the complete bond is
sue will be opened on March
81. The money is not expected
to be available until three weeks
later.
New city planning headaches,
inherited in the Fairfax County
annexation. came before the
council soon after members
voted unanimously for the bond
issue. The money is also to pro-
vide a new city incinerator, a
library and reconstruction of the
Cameron street swimming pool.
Access Streets a Problem.
The new problem, which came
as a vexing one to the council.
involves access streets to cut off
or "landlocked" areas of the city,
blossoming with new apartment
and residential building. Much
of the new street layout will have
to be paid for by the city, the
council was told.
City Manager Ira Willard was
asked to investigate the cost to
the city of streets leading to a
new 115-acre apartment project
bordering Shirley highway at
Seminary road. Spokesman for
the project estimated this cost
at between $4,000 and $500 900,
depending on the route selected.
The only present access to the
location is through Valley lane,
and heavy trucks would tear up
that roadway in short order, the
council was told.
You can't build a house with
out a plan, and you can't build
a city without one" Mr.. Willard
added. This is the kind of ex-
pense we are going to have to
pay, now or later. to make this
city grow in an orderly, economic
fashion,"
ThOrOughfare Ordinance Passed.
The council last night passed
a major thOroughfare ordinance,
providing for arterial roads
throughout the city in the future.
But no system of priority to de-
termine which project comes
first mas been set up yet.
Also adopted last night were
ordinances changing the street
naming and house numbering
system of the city. scheduled to
go into effect in part of the city
on July l.
One continuing controversy
that of Alexandria's contribution
to the pollution of the Potomac
River-was taken off the coun-
cil's hands. City Attorney Floyd
Williams announced the new
City Sanitation Authority will
now deal with the Virginia
Water Control Board on pollu-
ton questions for the council.
Mayor Marshall j. Beverley
named Councilmen Leroy Bend
helm, Frank E. Mann, jr., and
John Ewald to new Labor Com
mittee, requested by the Central
Labor Union of Alexandria, to
act as liaison between all the
city's trade unions and the coun-
Gil in setting up apprenticeship
requirements and trade exam
nations.
The council agreed to obligate
up to $4,000 in the pending
budget to pay for complete re-
codif1cation and printing of the
city code.
Public Hearing Set.
Scheduled for public hearing
at the councils next meeting on
March 10 will be "modernized"
legislative procedure for the
council, drawn up by the city
attorney. Mr.. Williams said the
present procedure is in conflict
with the city charter.
The change also would "clar-
ify the activities of the legisla-
tive branch" of the city govern
ment as suggested in a recent
report by Mr.. Willard. He had
criticized as disheartening the
relationship of the council and
the city manager.
Confusion over plans for the
proposed auditorium gymnasium
also is to be cleared up on March
10. The difficulty emerged at
the councils last meeting, when
it was learned that a committee
designated to report on the
project did not know who it's
chairman was and had never
met.
A revived committee of citizens
and members of the Chamber
of Commerce is to offer a full
report on recommended cost, To-
cation and operation of the
building. The city appropriated
$250,000 for the project longer
than 10 years ago, but council
men said the structure could not
be built for that little today.