Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-23
William
Board Backs
Airport Site
County Heads Vote
Unanimously for
BroyhiII Proposal

The Prince William County
Board of Supervisors is making
a strong bid for the proposed
airport that the governing body
|of neighboring Fairfax County
has repeatedly rejected.
The Prince William board
voted at a special meeting yes
terday in favor of an airport
in or near Occoquan Bay and the
Potomac River at Woodbridge.
Five members present of the
Six-member board were unani-
nous in the action taken otter
a two-hour hearing at Manassas.
Made by BrOyhilI
A proposal for building a Sec
ond airport for the Washington
area in Prince William County
was advanced a week ago by
Representative Broyhill. Repub-
lican. of the 10th District OF
Northern Virginia. Mr.. Broy-
hill recommended a site on the
south bank of the mounth of
Occoquan Creek. The Congress
man said it was unlikely that
Congress would vote funds for
the controversial site in Fairfax
County.
The Civil Aeronautics Admin
istration is studying the FEAST
bility of the site, out a telegram
read at yesterdays meeting said
the survey could not be COM
pleted before March /.
Prince William officials were
as enthusiastic for the airport
as Fairfax County officials have
been against 1t.
Bay Is Shallow
The planning commission rec
commended that the county board
use all influence" to secure the
airport for Prince William.
The Greater Manassas Cham
Der of Commerce and the Deco
quan-Dumfries Chamber were
on record for it.
c. c. Cloe. a businessman
and head Of a newly formed
Prince William County airport
committee, said the best loca-
ton would be the Featherstone-
Occoquan Bay area. He said all
of Occoquan Bay is shallow and
could be filled in for the airport
This location is adjacent. on the
southeast, to the spot suggested
by Mr.. Broyhill.
The county board did not pin
point q location.
The only opposition was reg
istered by the Belmont Civic AS
sociation. Its president. Richard
@. Neal. said the airport would
ruin the properties Of the az
homeowners of the Belmont
community. He said 900 homes
are scheduled to be built in the
community located just south OF
the Occoquan Greek and east OF
Route /.
Douglas Davidson, a resident
Of the Belmont area. asked a de-
lay IN acting on the proposal
until it could be determined what
effect an airport would have on
other residential sections in the
area.
Good for County
DR.. A. j. Ferlazzo. county
board member. said Prince Will
liam is becoming "a cosmopoli-
tanized county" and he didn't
think $50 or 200 people should
stand in the way of something
that would be good for the
county"
A poll of persons present fol-
the hearing showed as in favor
and Is against, according to N. S
Sharp. executive secretary for
county. He said IA of those
against were from the Belmont
community and two others were
from Fairfax County.
f. NJ. Coffey. member of the
county planning commission and
the Prince william representative
on the Northern Virginia Plan
ming and Economic Development
Commission, said the airport
would be boon to county de-
velopment and would increase
tax revenues.
Luis Passalasqua, vice president
Of the county civic federation,
said that II the airport we're at
Burke, Prince William areas still
would suffer the annoyance OF
planes flying over but would not
get the tax benefits of industrial
and commercial development