The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-02-05
Press Comment
City Planning.

Among the many immediate prob
lens confronting Miami is one in
cluded under the head of city planning,
a subject that is receiving much atten-
ton from many of the cities of this
country.
There was held in Illinois, a few
weeks ago, a conference of some
twenty-six cities of that state on the
city planning movement. Not all the
cities having representatives at that
conference had made a start in city
planning. but many of them had, and
notable results were reported, so
much so that out of that conference
there sprang a movement to extend
the city planning idea not only to all
cities of the state, but to the state,
itself.
It is, perhaps, years too early to be-
gin talking about planning for the
whole state of Florida, a state In
which probably, there is not a city
yet talking seriously about city plan
ming. But in view of the inoompara-
BILE opportunities for identifying, sys-
tematically the roads and streams and
lakes of this highly favored state, the
state planning idea is one that could
be taken up with much profit to Flor
ida, even if it took half century to
work out.
The city planning idea is compre-
hended in a definite plan made by
experts with the idea of bringing out
and enforcing the natural beauties of
a city, the making of sufficiently wide
streets to accommodate traffic, the
establishment of city parks and play
grounds, the creation of boulevards,
the assembling of industrial plants in
one location. the grouping of the city
and civic buildings, the scientific care
of sanitary conditions, the identifying
and adjoining of all public places and
the creation of sentiment among pri-
vate owners of property that will COM
pei individuals to give especial atten-
ton to the identifying of privately
owned buildings and privately owned
lots.
There are more things contained in
the plan than are mentioned, but as
the subject grows, on study, brief
outline is all that can be given in the
narrow space assigned to the editorial
portion of the paper.
These things mentioned are all go
ing to be adopted one way or another
in Miami some day in the future. The
question is. should they be developed
along systematic and scientific lines
or should they be permitted to come
into being, as one might say, sporad-
ically and on the impulse of the mo-
ment as this or that group of men
and women find voice in civic matters?
City planning comprehends the for
nation of definite plans to bring
these things into being as fast as the
public is ready for them, but along
definite, well-thought out lines
There is a quantity of literature
now available on the subject and there
are journals published to enlighten the
people of enlightened cities as to the
full meaning of city planning, how to
the people have adopted it,
Miami is in that stage of her de-
velopment that some definite plans
for her future growth should author
itatively and definitely be adopted
No law is needed to secure a plan
and have it officially adopted. No
money need be spent above a small
amount for investigation and the
printing of reports. 1t only needs the
appointment of a commission of men
and women who will give some time
to investigation and concentration
nto to say conservation, to the maxi
ing of plans.
The plans, themselves, may be put
into effect one by one as the city can
get around to it. But the planning
should be done now.-Niami Herald