Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-16
Belmont Bay Airport
Plan Meets Snags
Prince William
Agreeable, but
CAA BuIks

PoSoA ViIoV Vic PIOJcCCeO supple
mental airport for the Washing
ton area be placed in Prince Will
liam County appeared favorable
today = in Prince william
County.
But any easy acceptance of the
proposal advanced by Represent
lative Broyhill. Republican of
Virginia, did not appear in the
cards.
The Civil Aeronautics Author
ity said the site recommended
once was studied and rejected.
In the way of any restudy of
the second airport problem was
this blunt statement by James T.
Pyle. Civil Aeronautics Admin
listrator: This project has been
STUDIED to death. We are for
Burke Airport"
The site Mr.. Broyhill suggested
is on the Potomac Rivers Bel
mont Bay. 201a miles south Of
Washington and across Occoquan
Creek. the dividing line between
Fairfax and Prince William
Counties.
Local Acceptance
D. w. CARRIER, a member of
the Prince William County
Board of Supervisors from the
area involved. the Occoquan Dis
trict, said the persons to whom
he had talked believe the pro-
posal is "a good thing.
Mr.. CARRIER said that, when
he read of the Broyhill proposal
in The Star yesterday, he set
out to talk to people Of the area.
II talked to quite few prom
Iinent people" he said, land they
think we can go, along with
this. / don't think that the air.
port and its noise would disturb
us. 1t would be off to the side
between Highway No. / and the
river.
Il doubt that it would take
longer to reach that site than
ito reach Burke. There are the
Shirley Highway and Highway
No. ! to carry traffic"
j He said some of the people
lin his area had favored the.
Burke site because they favored
placing the airport in northern
Virginia rather than north Of
the Potomac.
Manassas Endorsed Burke
] The Greater Manassas Cham
Der of Commerce adopted a reso-
luton about two weeks ago
favoring the Burke site.
Manassas is in Prince William
County.
/ DR.. S. j. Cole, president of the
organization. said he did not be-
lieve the organization would
change its expression of opinion
without new action by the board
of directors.
John Norman of the Manassas
organization advanced the per-.
sonal opinion that if there were
a choice between the Burke site
and one in Prince William Coun-
ty. the chamber probably would
favor its own county.
I in Fairfax County, Henry j.
Rolls. vice president of the Fair
fax County Chamber of Com
merce and chairman of the Citi-
zens Committee for the Burke
Airport, made it clear his or
I ganization is abiding by the
CAA decision.
This is technical problem.
he said. They are technical peo-
pie and they decided it."
! He remarked this is the first
time that Representative Broy-
hill is in favor of placing the
airport in Northern Virginia.
He added, Joe is coming around
at last"
Tax Revenue Seen
/ His committee has cam.
paigned on the basis that the
airport would be an advantage
ito the county and would lead to
development which would create
tax revenue.
I'VE have felt that in view Of
the unanimous decisions of the
Civil Aeronautics Authority, the
Civil Aeronautics Board and the
airlines, the airport inevitably
was coming to Northern Virginia
and to Burke and that we should
get the advantage"
Opposing Mr.. Rolls organiza-
ton is the Homeowners Opposed
to a Jet Airport in Fairfax
County. 1t is headed by Ernest
Nv. Reisner. His statement is
that. the use of jet planes at
Burke would greatly reduce the
value of Fairfax County prop
erty for residential purposes.
Brig. Gen. Richard P. Oven
shine. member of the Fairfax
County Board Of Supervisors,
said. however, that the residents
of the Gunston Neck area north
of the Belmont Bay site would
be no more enthusiastic over the
proximity of an airport than
people elsewhere. There are
many substantial homes in that
area.
Bows to Experts
Gen. Ovenshine represents the
Mount Vernon District in the
Board Of Supervisors. 1t is Just
north of Prince william County.
He said he had gone along with
the Burke site since lit has been
selected by experts and am
not an expert" He also stressed
that ground travel time should
control the decision and that
it would be less to Burke than
to the Belmont Bay site.
Highway No. / and Shirley
highway are about carrying their
capacity traffic. he said.
The CAA said 1t had surveyed
sites i'm Prince William Co,,ntv