Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-25
Citizen Groups
Oppose Move
For Rezoning

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port in Fairfax County have
caused more stir than the time
the Germans talked about land
ling the Graf Zeppelin there.
Even the frequent visits Of
Arthur Godfrey, who has a way
of touching off airport contro-
versies. can't compete with the
'Itrailer park tempest.
/ At issue is an application for
commercial rezoning Of 81 acres
lat the back corner of the airport
to establish a modern trailer park
for TOO to $50 homes on wheels.
| More than two dozen civic
groups have Joined forces to de-
feat the rezoning. or at least get
lit postponed until the county
adopts an ordinance regulating
trailer courts.
i The decision rests in the hands
|of the Fairfax Board of County
Supervisors. The supervisors are
scheduled to decide the applica-
Ition next Wednesday.
/ Airport Since 1924
i Hybla Valley has been an air.
port since 1924. 1t is one of the
country's oldest private fields,
land flyers consider it one Of the
best. Isl
It is located along No. | high
way about three miles south Of
Alexandria, in a low, fiat basin
that the Germans found par
ticularly attractive when they
were looking around for a
zeppelin terminal some 20 years
lago.
In 1914, Bob Ashburn bought
THE airport and started the Ash
burn Flying Service. with some
help from his old friend, Arthur
Godfrey.
In 1851 Mr.. Ashburn sold the
airport property to a develop
ment syndicate. He has contin-
ued to run his flying service,
leasing the field while the new
owners made plans for devel-
opment.
The 81 acres involved in the
Irezoning application are at the
back corner of the airport. about
1900 feet west of No. highway.
The property currently is zoned
urban residential. The applica-
Ition asks that it be rezoned COM
lmercial, since the county permits
trailer parks only on commercial
Ior industrial land. If the re-
lzoning application is granted. it
still viii be necessary to OBJ
tain a special use permit from
the Board Of Zoning Appeals be-
fore trailer park can be estab-
Ilished.
Separating the property from
No. ] highway is a 54-acre tract
ALREADY zoned commercial for a
regional shopping center.
| OLtf4.mOuern ran
The trailer park rezoning sp-
Iplication is fled in the name Of
William Orr. a longtime county
resident and developer Of Mount
Comfort Cemetery.
| Glenn U. Richard, attorney for
MIR. Orr. describes the proposed
park as an ultra-modern devel-
opment for mobile homes. It
would have paved streets, a
swimming pool. recreation area,
sanitary facilities at each trailer
lot and 1000 to 5000 square feet
of space for each trailer.
| State regulations require only
1000 square feet per trailer, in
addition to the space the trailer
Occupies.
This is an ideal location for a
trailer park" said Mr.. Richard.
lit is far removed from any
built-up area. Most of the oppo-
sition comes from people who
don't live anywhere near the air.
port"
Not too many years ago we
used to look down on motels,"
commented Mr.. Richard. you
see the fine ones we have in Fair
fax County now. No one is
ASHAMED of them. Trailer courts
are going through that same
transitional stage. This court
would be model" S8e
He expects two groups to
Ipatronize the court If it is
approved: /. People travelling
around the country to see Amer
lea. 2. People who come to live in
an area for a limited time be-
cause of service connections or
temporary positions. sA
Opposed by Civic Groups
Civic groups in the Groveton
area rallied to oppose the Orr
rezoning application as soon as
they heard about it, together
with another trailer park appli-
cation in the same area. The
other application has been de-
MED.
! The White Oaks Citizens As
ISOLATION, led by its president.
Comdr. w. E. Berg. has organ
lied the opposition into the most
formidable block of rezoning foes
ever to fight an application in
the county. So far, 26 civic
groups from various parts of
the county have gone on record
against the rezoning. Col. James
Cowan Of the Bucknell Manor
Citizens Association has been
chosen spokesman.
How the trailer park might
affect schools worries the civic
groups most. They know that
one trailer park in the area with
1856 trailers sends 1875 children
to county schools. Figuring only
3 of child to each trailer
in the new park, they calcu-
late more than 200 additional
children the county would have
to educate. Besides, under exist
ing State regulations, some 5000
trailers could locate on the