Evening star., 1954-05-16
Ar|ingtonGr
Blocks Parkinq
Area Permit
County Board Hears
Protests Against
More CommercioIism

MORE N0mmeFCI0IISm
More than 100 residents of the
Minor Hill area of North Arling-
ton. hurting charges of creep
ing commercialiSm" and spot
zoning, successfully opposed a
requested parking area in the~
midst before the Arlington
County Board yesterday.
Albert j. Ciaffene, president
Of the Williamsburg Civic AS
sociation. and James r. Sharp,
an attorney of the area, led the
citizens attack against the re-
quest.
The County Board denied the
permit requested by Mrs. Mary
E. Duffln for parking lot on
residential property in the $500
block of North Sycamore street,
adjacent to a commercial tract.
Two board members, Robert A.
Peck and George M. Rowzee. jr.,
predicted the opponents might
desire the parking facility in the
future.
Traffic Hazard Cited.
Attorney Oren r. Lewis, rep
resenting the applicant, said
parking is an approved type Of
use for property adjoining COM
mercial.
A three-store shopping facil-
ity, he said, is to be built on the
tract which already had been
Zoned commercial. He urged
the board to permit the parking
area "for the protection of the
citizens and to alleviate traffic
hazards"
The parking request, Mr..
Ciaffone said. is equivalent to an
extension of the commercial
area. 1--WE don't want any more
commercial property there under
any guise or subterfuge." he said.
Mr.. Sharp labeled the present
commercial section as spot zon-
ing in a nice little residential
community" He said there was
no need for a parking or shop
ping facility.
Another resident, Thomas e,
Casberg, of 1923 North Rocking
ham street, opposed the parking
request for the residential strip
on the grounds it would be
creeping commercialiSm."
RezOning Hearing Asked.
After the board vote, a new
controversy flared when Mr..
Sharp presented a petition to the
board that it re-advertise for, a
hearing, on its own motion, on
rezoning the land already COM
mercial.
Mr.. Lewis denounced further
efforts to change the coming as
unfair to Mrs. Duff1n's develop
ment plans. He called on board
members to dispose of the petit
ton promptly. saying that,
otherwise, you are sounding the
death kneu Of every piece OF
property in Arlington"
Board members scheduled a
special meeting at 8 pm. Thurs
day to consider the petition.
In other business, the County
Board:
Awarded a $74,0OO contract
for improvements on Wilson
boulevard to the County Paving
& Construction Co. The boule-
ward is to be reconstructed from
North Liberty street to the
county line and along a two
block stretch between North
Kentucky street and North Lex
ington street. A $4,000 contract
fer improvements in a half block
section of Quaker lane in South
Arlington was awarded to the
same firm.
To Fight Rate Raise.
Approved spending up to $1,756
to join other Virginia municipal,
tiles in opposition to rate in
creaSes requested by the Chesa-
peake & Potomac Telephone Co.
Charles E. Hammond, executive
assistant of the Arlington Pub
lie Utilities Commission, said
the increases would mean a
county government bill higher
by $4,000. The annual increases,
he said, would range from So
for some customers to $45 for
business firms in the county.
Awarded a contract to Roy
Halquist of Arlington for the
1953-54 county audit.
Three use permits were
granted by the board. They were
for:
An addition to Anderson Or
thopedic Hospital at PASS Army
Navy drive, requested by the hos
pitfalls board of trustees.
A pre-school for IA children
from four to five years old at
1888 North Twenty-fif road,
requested by Mrs. Lucille ]. Kuy-
kendall.
An addition st. Charles Church
buildings to be used as a paro-
chial school at 1914 Washington
boulevard, requested by the Rev.