Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-17
Planners Worn
Of Serious Effect
On Development

Piecemeal treatment OF coming
requests in Arlington has had
serious consequences" on the
county's development. according
Ito Arlington planning officials.
This opinion is expressed In q
land use report drawn up
Jas the first major step toward q
master plan.
The 82-page land use inven-
tory, prepared by the Office Of
Planning at the request Of the
Arlington Development Commit
tee, will be presented to the
county board tomorrow.
Board members will also re.
Iceive a memorandum from PLAN
lners on a two-step work pro-
gram" One phase is to be q
I25-year pilot project for Airing
tons development.
The planning ONCE and the
development committee hope to
gradually refine the pilot prof.
ect as the priority problems are
handled. From this overall pro-
gram a master plan is to be
evolved.
Separate Entity" Setup Hit
In the land-use report, it was
pointed out that the coming
ordinance - based on planning
studies-has not been overhauled
for nearly six years. It has been
the practice, the report stated.
to consider each coming applica-
ton las a separate entity,
often without regard to the re-
lationship of the land involved
and the land-uSe problem. The
treatment Of each request sepa-
rately has had serious eonse-
QuenceS."
In another phase, planning Of
ficials said two-thirds of the de-
velopment in Arlington is less
than 20 years old. Structurally,
most Of" the buildings in both
the newer and older areas are in
good condition, the survey re-
vealed.
However. the report went on,
the pattern of some of this
development leaves much to be
desired.
THE absence Of parks and
Fairgrounds. the fragmenting
effect Of arterial roads and the
intrusion of commercial and
apartment developments in small
lspot zones without relation to
community facilities produce
conditions that are worse than
structural 'obsolescence."
| The report also stated that
much Of the commercial is
tobsolete. There are few inte-
grated shopping centers properly
related to the communities they
serve"
Outlying Competition
In addition. business areas To-
Gated on large outlying tracts
ARE providing stiff competition.
To remedy this situation, the
planners report, there must be
concentrated action and CO.
operation by business inter-
ests' in preparing parts of the
proposed master plan.
The county's public works
facilities are generally in good
order" However. according to
the survey. the government CEN
ter and administrative facilities.
libraries and fire stations are
deficient in many respects"
Areas identified in the report
as needing major improve
ments included Rosslyn, with its
mixed uses and heavy traffic:
Fort Myer Heights. with its
"spotty apartment and single
family residential" development.
and Clarendon Ballston. with
mixed commercial and resi-
dental development"
Among the commercial areas
with major development prob
lens, planning officials said. are
East Falls Church, Glebe road
Lee highway, Cherrydale and
Columbia Pike.
The worst examples of heavily
blighted residential areas were
listed as Halls Hill, johnson
Hill and Green Valley.
On the bright side Of the
ledger. planners named Arling-
ton Village, Colonial Village,
Buckingham, Parkfairfax and
Harrington. Arlington Forest
has been recognized as an out
standing one-family housing de-
velopment."