Evening star., 1962-05-18
BroyhiII Seeks
Building Curb
On RiVerfront
PIuns Bill to Let
Interior Condemn
Lond for Park Use
By JOHN BARRON
Star Staff Writer

Representative Broyhill, Re-
publican of Virginia, today
promised to introduce "emer-
gency legislation" to keep
apartments, business and in
dustry off the banks of the
Potomac between Mount Ver-
non and Great Falls.
Congressional adoption of
his proposal probably would
kill the angrily disputed apart
ment project developers are
preparing to build on the
Merrywood Estate near Nc
Lean.
To prevent skyscraper dwell
ings from rising above the
river, the Department of the
Interior would be empowered
by Mr.. Broyhill's legislation to
condemn the 46-acre estate
and convert it into a public
park.
The Government similarly
would be authorized to take
over any other section Of the
Palisades where construction
threatened to spoil the natural
beauty of the Potomac gorge.
"It is now clear that there
must be Federal action imme-
diately to preserve the banks,
the watershed and the stream
of the Potomac Valley in the
vicinity of the Nations Cap
ital," Mr.. Broyhill said.
Resolution Readied
AS explained by Mr.. Broyhill,
the joint resolution he will
sponsor next week would per-
NIT Congress to oppose in
tensive development Of both
the Virginia and Maryland
shores of the Potomac.
1t would not legally prohibit
counties from granting recon-
ings for high-density develop
ment, but it might deter them
from doing so.
And If an owner of Palisade
property made application for
rezoning, the Department Of
Interior could try at once to
buy the property for park or
Irecreational use. If this failed,
it could proceed with condem-
nation.
The resolution would au-
thorize the Interior Department
to maintain a fund of IS mil
lion for acquisition Of land
along the Potomac. Armed
with this authority, the depart
Iment could intervene quickly to
Iforestall q rezoning. However,
Congress ultimately could veto
q purchase or condemnation by
refusing to appropriate the
funds it authorized.
Residences Unaffected
Existing structures. or those
built within present coming or
dinances, which almost exclu-
sively allow only single family
residences, would not be af-
fected.
Mr.. Broyhill emphasized that
the resolution would not estab-
lish Federal sovereignty over
the Palisades, but would ex-
press congressional willingness
to acquire land in the esthetic
interest of the National Capt.
tai area. It also would con-
tain provisions for Federal &C
ceptance of gifts of land from
private owners.
IT have no pride Of author
ship in this resolution nor do
I dogmatically assert that it is
the only solution. I certainly
will welcome from the Depart
ment Of the Interior any recon-
mendation as to how we might
better achieve the objective, +"
Mr.. Broyhill said.
Since the Fairfax Board of
County Supervisors last month
granted rezoning for the first
high-rise apartment in the Pal
Iisades, it has been angrily at
tackled by residents of the Nc
Lean area. A grand jury inves-
tigation, beginning today, has
been ordered. Arlington, adam
antly against action which
would alter the shoreline areas,
has expressed fear that the re-
zoning will set a precedent
causing pressure for tower
apartments along its section of
the river, and other critics have
charged that it is a first step
toward making on the Potomac
a Washington version of New
York's Riverside drive.