Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-13

lano should be used for com,
mercial and industrial develop
ment.
River Land Issue
; The major arguments of re,
: cent months have involved
land along the river. Most O.
the vacant acreage in this sec.
ton appears destined to be.
come developed with tail apart.
ment buildings and business Of.
fees. despite objections from
some homeowners.
People came to Arlington
because it was q quiet, COM
Portable place to live," says
William Backus, president o.
the country civic federation
which has long championed the
cause Of the homeowner. "It',
hard for citizens to face the
fact that we are going to build
and build pretty high and
pretty quickly. especially In
the area near downtown WASH
ington."
Mr.. Backus points out that
Arlington sis in the middle"
Iof expanding commercial, gov
Iernmental and residential con-
struction. National Airport and
Potomac Railroad Yards are
one one side Of the county, the
huge Central Intelligence Agen-
cy is building on the other,
and the Chantilly International
Airport Is being constructed to
the west.
Arlington soon viii have the
dubious distinction Of being one
of the few bedrooms with an
8-lane freeway separating the
bed from the dresser. Inter-
state Route So. q limited ac-
cess highway. viii cut through
1.-THE heart Of the county to con-
meet with the new Constitu-
ton avenue bridge.
Master Plan Seen
| BY 1860. Arlington probably
will have master plan to guide
future development. County
planners and consultants have
been hard at work for many
months developing new coming
regulations. setting up plans
for commercial areas, laying
out road improvements, and
planning new public buildings,
parks and recreation areas.
Another group of officials has
been plotting the financial pic
ture for the next 10 years and
has come to the conclusion that
the county will be able to
finance $50 million worth Of
capital improvements in the
next decade.
To finance Improvements
during the past 10 years, Ar
lington has increased its bonded
Indebtedness from SIS million
to SAL million. Assessed prop
erty values the basis for fig
uring tax revenues - jumped
from $143 million In 1919 to
more than $406 million this
year.
Small Tax Jump
The tax rate on real estate
has had a comparatively small
jump in the past 10 years.
from $3.45 to 1884 per 500 Of
property evaluation. The per-
sonal property tax has in
creased from $3.45 to $4.39. For
the first time in many years,
the tax rate was not increased
this year.
County Manager Lundberg
says that when the master plan |
and the capital improvements
study are completed, Arlington
citizens will have a better
picture of where they stand and
what they can count on. Home
owners will be more protected,
businessmen will know where
they can expand, and county
officials will have a better OUT
line Of where the community is
going, Mr.. Lundberg says.
The commercial area studies
being made are expected to re-
suit in combining most business
activities to modern centers. |
and reduce the strip and spot
business zones that have de-
veloped over the years.
Shopping Center
Robert Johnston, manager Of
the Arlington Chamber of Com
merce, sees Arlington becoming
''the shopping center Of
Northern Virginia" He also
foresees a rapid increase in the
development Of wholesale dis
tributing facilities in Arlington.
Were not interested in any
smokestacks," Mr.. Johnston
says.
Some county leaders foresee
Arlington becoming a city with
in a few years. Incorporation
has been talked about a long
time, but has been discarded
because the county would lose
most Of the State road funds to
which it is entitled as a county.
Incorporation would give it the
power to reach out and annex
additional area.
BY 1860. seven-story addi-
ton to the crowded county
courthouse will be completed.
A central library at Fairfax
drive and Quincy street also
will be finished. Several road