Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-05
Planners Delay
Decision on
Site for CIA
Property at Langley
Tentatively Backed
By Agency Officials
BY GEORGE BEVERDGE

town, Mo-, are Stl1 Undecided
about a location for the
Itop-secret Central Intelligence
Agency.
Also Observation-Disclosures ap-
parently not very much so-is
the CHA itself, which will make
its site selection within a few
weeks and submit it to the plan
ners for advice.
In a letter to the National
Capital Planning Commission
made public yesterday, GA
Deputy Director L. K. White said
lit was tentatively" decided that
a site on Federal property at
Langley, Va, would be the most
preferable. But he emphasized
that the matter is still under
study.
Col. White also appeared yes
terday at a joint meeting Of
the commission and the Ma
|tional Capital Regional Planning
Council, called specifically to
give interested Virginians a
chance to sound of on the con-
troversial Langley location.
Voices in Conflict
The Virginians did. with COM
|plete disagreement on % ade-
quacy of public facilities to
serve the site, t2) whether the
residents there want it, and Cd
what its impact on the small
estate character of Langley will
be.
Earlier the planners whipped
Through approval of the site fol
the Aces new $40 million build.
ling in Maryland. In sharp con-
trast to the CHA battle. the Acc
location. in rolling Montgomery
County farmland. aroused vir.
itually no controversy.
| Two property-owners in the
Langley area. Roger Fisher ano
Anthony Lewis, carried the bal
fcf opposition to the CHA To-
eating in their area.
Particularly. Mr.. Fisher tool
strong exception to a statement
by Col. White that, except fol
"a small minority" the county
would welcome the CHA at Lang.
ley. His main point was that II
lis not the Federal installation
so much that is opposed, but
the extensive commercial anc
residential development that HI
said inevitably would follow it
Pointed Questions
He asked the planners specifi.
cally to sort fact from fiction or
four points: The CHA building.
impact on existing and planned
development. adequacy Of public
facilities, evaluation of alternate
sites and whether it would b
possible to take over the Fedora
land in question for park de.
velopment under the Capper.
Cramton Act.
C. C. Massey. Fairfax County
executive officer, reported "of.
flcially" that the County Boarc
docs and always has" liked the
Langley location. He argued that
services would be available. that
the project is in line with estab-
lished development plans and
that it would not have a bad i'm
pact on the community.
Seconding Mr.. Massey's argu-
ments were Robert Geiger. Fair
fax planner; Dick Smith, editor
of a local weekly paper in the
county, and w. c. Wills, presi-
dent of the Fairfax Chamber OF
Commerce.
Mr.. Smith also attacked as
without foundation" objections
raised to the Langley site by Max
Wehrle, city planner and Airing
ton County representative on the
Regional Planning Council. Mr.
Wehrle retorted that he had
heard nothing to change my
conclusions" and that he stood
on his earlier report.
Parkway Funds Cited
Col. Whites letter pointed out
that Congress has provided
money to extend the George
Washington Memorial Parkway
toward the Langley site if thai
location is selected. That road
along with highway improve.
Iments Virginia would carry out
was cited to meet one of the
strong points of criticism-the
adequacy of access.
In other actions. meanwhile
the planning commission:
/. Approved the general loca.
ton of the proposed new Poto-
mac River bridge over the south
tip of Roosevelt Memorial Is
land. The approval did not ex-
tend to controversial approach
road networks on either side oil
the river, however, leaving those
battles to be fought later.
2. Approved the location of q
replacement for the 50-year-olo
trestle-topped Fourteenth street
bridge in the approximate loca-
ton of the existing bridge. This
action was made conditional or
an understanding that it woulo
not jeopardize possible construc-
ton later of another bridge
slightly downriver at Reaches
Run, Va.
3. Decided to distribute to al
affected jurisdictions a plea from
1t. Gen. S. D. Sturgis. jr.. CHIEF
Iof Army Engineers, that nc
sewage be discharged into the
Potomac River from Little Falls
to several miles above Great
Falls, where it could affect the
areas water supply. The letter
urged immediate study Of several
projects, including the new Acc
site.
4. Referred to a committee fol-
more study development plans