Evening star., 1955-11-24
.cIA Site

Because Of my interest in
planning for the growth Of
Metropolitan Washington, I
have been following the pro-
posal to build the headquar-
tiers of the Central intelligence
Agency in Langley. Va. To
locate such a facility as the
CIA proposes at the Langley
site would, in my mind, be
contrary to what almost every
body interested in the proper
development of Metropolitan
Washington has been seeking
to accomplish.
It is now widely agreed by
planning experts that some
parts of metropolitan areas
must be maintained for high
grade. well planned. strictly
residential sections where the
land use is limited to a low
density. This is precisely what
the Langley area is, and. as a
matter Of fact, this is what
apparently makes it so attrac-
tive to CHA officials.
Yet these officials do not
seem to realize that II they
insist on putting an ofilce build
ing employing ten to fifteen
thousand people in the middle
Of this area, they win destroy
the very characteristic which
they so much admire.
The consultapts who have
produced for the CHA afeport
recommending the Langley site
casually state that the area
around the installation need
not deteriorate If the Fairfax
County Zoning Board Of Ap-
peals take their task seriously
and uphold the zoning scheme
as at present planned"
This conclusiors Is contra
dicted by experience In nufner-
Gus situations. One need only
look at what has happened in
the areas surrounding the Cow
ernment agencies located In
Suitland, Md. and on WiscoTl-
sin avenue beyond Bethesda
to demonstrate the formidable
Jobs that the consultar1ts are
assigning to the Fairfax County
Zoning Board. This is espe-
cially true since the master
plan for Fairfax County to
which the consultants refer is
still q long way from being
enacted, and, therefore, the
county actually has at present
no zoning plan at all to
uphold"
The consultants also skip
lightly over the. tremendous
problems Of providing the new
highway facilities. which they
admit will have to be COM
pleted If the Langley site is
used. by stating that Fairfax
County and the Virginia State
highway officials have agreed
to develop the roads as needed.
This conclusion Is a kind OF
wishful thinking that bears
no relation to the realities OF
potential highway development
in the Langley area. The fact
is that the only highway Inn
provement that the Virginia
authorities have actually COM
mitted themselves to in the
Langley area is widening of
Highway No. 1913. at an expend-
iture of 500. 900. so as to make
1t a four-lane highway for q
stretch of approximately one
mile. No other improvements
are In sight.
On the contrary, the Fair
fax County and Virginia State
Highway officials have stated
that, beyond the 500, 900 noted
above. there are no foreseeable
funds for the development Of
roads in the Langley area. It
does not take much irnagina-
ton to envision the chaotic
traffic conditions that will re-
suit If the CIA is permitted to
put its facilities at Langley
under these circumstances.
/ have written at this length
since the publication Of the
recent report has given many
people the impression that
locating the CIA facility at
Langley has the support Of
most planners. ! do not be-
lieve this Is true.
Miles L. CoIean,
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