Evening star., 1953-09-06
Arlington Board
Action Again
Hits Planners
Curbs Commission
Functions With New
Development Unit
By GeroId o. Herndon

SSI0tO " bbStuOVu
The Arlington County Board
yesterday hammered another nail
In the coffin of the County Plan
ming Commission in a move the
opposition labeled "of doubtful
legality"
By appointing a five-man Ar
Hngton Development Committee,
the board stripped the planning
commission, which has been
virtually isolated as a county ad-
viSory group since last May, of
its function of planning long
range capital Improvements.
Last month county heads voted
to strip the planning group of
its function of hearing and max
ing recommendations on zoning
questions.
At that time. Alvin F. Kimel,
Independent Board member,
said that latter analysis of the
work-leads of our committees"
1t was decided the Planning
Commission should have more
time for planning.
Approve New Set-up.
Yesterday, the board also ap-
proved, with one reservation,
establishment of Rezoning and
Land Use Committee. The ap-
proval, the board said, will be
subject to an opinion from the
Commonwealth's Attorneys of
flee on the legality of the outline
Of the new committees duties
and responsibilities
Although the August action
was described as mot doing
away" with the planning COM
mission entirely, yesterdays ap-
pointment of a Development
Committee apparently was de-
signed to do just that.
Board Chairman Robert A.
Peck, Republican, said the
boards policy, as evidenced by
its action, Indicates that no
planning matters will be referred
to the planning commission in
the future" He said that for
several weeks the commission
has been out of the picture.
George M. Rowzee, jr., Repub-
lican board member, objected to
appointment of B. A. Lillywhite,
former chairman of the Plan
ming Commission, to the new
Development Committee.
Mr.. Lillywhite was chairman
last May when the county heads
asked for the resignation of all
Is members of the group. Five
'holdout" members did not
resign. Mr.. Lillywhite did.
Packing" is Charged.
The number of commission
members was increased from
nine to IS last year by the pre-
Vicious county board, on which
q majority of the members were
non-partisans. The present ma
jority has claimed the former
board packed" the commission
to the point where its operations
were inefficient and its size un-
wieldy.
while I believe Mr.. Lillywhite
to be a man of good morals and
ethics" Mr.. RowZee said yes
terday, "I am aware that his po-
litical philosophy is diametrically
opposed to the philosophy of
those who elected the members
of this board to- office"
Mr.. Rowzee was out-voted by
the four other board members.
Named to serve on the new COM
mittee, besides Mr.. Lillywhite,
we're:
Leon R. Johnson, 3218 North
First place, a registered surveyor;
Kingsley Higgins, 727 North Ivy
street, who is in the retail furni-
ture business; Barney B. Hall,
jr., 606 North Edison street. an
engineer with the District High
way Department, and Wilfred
Owen, 4539 North Thirty second
road, who is associated with
Brookings Institution.
Commission Continues to Meet.
Meanwhile, although all its
duties have been assigned to new
bodies, the Planning Commission
has continued to hold sessions
this year-except in July.
One of its members, Joe w.
Ingram, an Arlington attorney,
said THE boards action is du-
bious from the standpoint of
planning as carried on in other
communities. and it is of doubt
full legality"
In other action yesterday, the
county board:
l. Approved a request that the
Washington Golf and Country
Club be authorized to have a
special policeman. Recent COM
plants of nocturnal parties and
vandalism on club grounds
prompted the request. County
Manager Lundberg said the
county has the administrative
machinery to decide whether a
special guard at the country club
will be allowed to carry firearms.
2. Awarded a $3.50 contract
for seeding, top-soiling and
mulching work at the county's
new Sewage Treatment Plant on
South Glebe road near U. S.
Route l. Low bidder for the
contract was the Annandale
.(Va) Service Co.