Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-06
Fairfax Votes
Compromise on
zoning, 4-3

acre lot sizes in the western Sec
ton. was adopted early today by
the Board Of County Supervisors
by 4-3 vote.
The action represents a sharp
upward revision of old coming
regulations. under which a half
acre lot was the largest required
in the county.
The two-acre plan is q COM
promise between recommended
ton of the County Planning
Commission and the Freehill
amendment, which is based on
the McHugh master plan.
The planning commission had
recommended that lot sizes in
the western two-thirds of the
county be a minimum of one
acre. The amendment of Super
visors Chairman Joseph Freehill
proposed three-acre lots. 1t hao
been the subject of six public
hearings since its proposal in
January.
Part Of Plan Carried Out
The boards action brings to
fruition a part of the matser
plan which has been major
issue in the county for nearly
four years. Although the master
planner. Francis Dodd McHugh,
was hired in August, 1852, to
prepare the $150.000 plan, it was
not until this year, when the
new Board of Supervisors took
office. that efforts for adpotion
of the plan gathered speed.
Mr.. McHugh'S original pro-
poSal called for three-acrel and
6ve-acre lot minimums in the
western two-thirds of the county.
1t also proposed highway net
work. well-Spaced sites, a Sys-
TEN of commercial centers and
sanitary facilities throughout
the urban belt.
Nub of Controversy
The controversy has been
largely between suburban dwell
ers who felt they were carrying
a top-heavy share of the tax
burden and wished to restrict
the costly extension of sewer and
water lines into remote sections
of the county and, on the other
hand, rural residents who feared
that large-lot-size restrictions
would injure the value of their
property. since it would not be
attractive to subdivision devel-
opers.
The board voted to set
the two-acre minimum in the
entire agricultural area outlined
20 months ago by the New York
planner, Mr.. McHugh, except for
the villages of Centreville, Chan
tilly, Floris, Dranesville and For
eStville, where they ordered one
acre lots. Supervisors also moved
the eastern boundary line so that
one-acre lots will be allowed east
Of Springfield road. A strip of
one-acre lots was also drawn
around the western boundary of
Vienna.
3 Oppose Plan
Voting for the plan were Chair
man Freehill and Supervisors
Anne wilkins, Richard P. Oven
shine and A. Claiborne Leigh
Voting against it were Super
visors Stuart T. DeBell, James
Keith and William H. Moss.
The board also adopted the
Freehill amendment for the east
ern third of the county. with
minor changes to recognize re-
cent building developments.
Other Changes Voted
Among the changes in the ur-
ban-suburban area we're:
Mount Vernon District-Low-
cred lot sizes along Little Hunt
ing Creek and buffer strip sur
rounding the national park.
Lee District - East of Tele-
graph road, a reduction to one
half-acre lots. where sewerage
is available.
Mason Observation-Disclosures tc
-half-acre lots in the Lee
wood subdivision; 12,500-square-
foot lots east of Back Lick roac
and south of Braddock road,
ne-half-acre lots north Of
Braddock road and east Of Back
Lick road; 17,000-square-foot
lots in North Springfield, anc
IL, 500-Square-foot lots in West
Springfield.
Providence District-The boarc
defeated. 4 to 3, Mr.. Keith's pro-
poSal to reduce from one acre
to one-half acre most land be-
tween Route 1913 and Arlington
boulevard.
Dranesville District-A $1,000.
, foot limit on 500 acres between
Routes sos, 1913 and 1913 and the
Arlington County line.
Except for these changes, the
new ordinance embodies all pro-
visions of the Freehill amend
ment for the eastern third of the
, county. But exact boundaries
will be fixed only when the boarc
has drawn them on its map
Where roads are the dividing
lines between different land uses
the line will be moved to one side
OF the road.
Two Proposals Blocked
Earlier in the four-and- "a half
hour meeting. the board de-
feated moves by Mr.. Keith tc
scrap the entire amendment ano
by Mrs wilkins to set all zonine
policy on the basis of sewage
system capacities. But the board
accepted Mrs. wilkins plea that
no area be zoned for smaller than
one-acre lots where sewerage is
not available.
The three supervisors voting
against the final compromise
argued that the two-acre limit