Evening star., 1925-06-14
GREAT METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
ABOUT CAPITAL IS VISUALIZED
Development of Outlying Virginia and Maryland
With Parks, Roads and All Needed Utilities Being
Worked Out by City and Community Bodies.
hARaLs -EWtNe "a

members also plan to have their State
legislature enact law containing the
necessary authority for the Virginia
participation. In turn they will try
to have the Maryland people have
the legislature of that State take
similar action.
The whole program is being pushed
steadily to a conclusion so that the CO.
operative plan for development of the
metropolitan area may be pushed
while the two adjacent territories are
in the development stage. Messrs.
Byars. Orr and Plymale were in con-
ference during the week with Mr.. De-
lano and Lieut.. Col. Sheriff. regard
ing plans for the meeting, and 1t is
tentatively planned to have Secre-
tary Hoover of the Department of
Commerce, present and outline plans
for mobilizing these interlocking de-
velopment forces. Secretary Hoover
now is in the West, and, If he is to
return in a short time the meeting will
be deferred until then.
Regional Body Proposed.
Out of the whole plan of the Sher-
rill planning committee and represen-
tatives of the communities of the two
States. is proposed a regional COM
mittee which will work to coordinate
the development. When a plan for
development Is prepared. all Will be
called upon to present their ideas, and
when finally approved, each commun-
ity will strive to have its particular
forces carry it out. OF course, 1t
was pointed out by Mr.. Delano to the
committee at the meeting several
days ago, no plan can absolutely be
carried out to the letter. but if the
spirit of any plan is adhered to 1t can
be carried out to a large extent. In
other words. each community will
have a voice in the development of
the whole plan.
1t is a gigantic problem. but with
all the forces working together in the
spirit in which they have instituted
the plan there is little doubt that the
metropolitan area of the District will
be developed on a very large scale, and
the number of experts on the regional
committee will bring to it the ex-
perience of development of other
metropolitan areas.
Any plan for regional development,
according to Col. Sheriff., carries
many problems to be considered, and
these must be settled in advance Of the
progress or expansion of the popula-
ton and must be thoroughly studied.
There is first the proper control and
handling of all subdivisions, highway
development to and from them and
the lateral highways through them;
then comes the Zoning to keep busi-
ness and residences separated in ac-
cordance with planned scheme: then
the development of water, sewerage
and transportation facilities; establish
ment of parks, schools and play
grounds.
Must See Development.
Those with the visions for regional
development must see these things
in advance of the settlement Of any
particular area, and seize upon them
when the area is in the development
stage, and not after the people have
been located. So far as the District Of
Columbia is concerned, that part Is
we'll in hand now, and Col. Sherrill's
new planning committee. working as
an advisory body Of the National Capt.
tai Park Commission, can handle this
in conjunction with the District gov
ernment officials who will be members
of it. In addition Col. Sheriff. is han
ding that great connecting link be-
tween the District Of Columbia and
Virginia-the Arlington Memorial
Bridge. He also is a member of the
Public Buildings Commission, which
has charge of the location OF the varf-
Gus Government activities here.
The development of the project on
this side of the river and approaches
oil tIe virginia SlQe nave Deen Planned
to a large extent, and it is where the
bridge project ends on the Virginia
side where the Virginia communities
will take 1t up and begin the devel-
opment. Already they have planned
to make the approach to the bridge
great gateway of entrance from the
South, and the whole regional develop
ment there has this in mind, according
to the civic leaders who are working
on the project.
The planning committee of the Ma
tional Capital Park Commission will be
the nucleus Of the proposed regional
board, which, as soon as the necessary
legislation of the Federal Congress
and the two State Legislatures is con-
cerned, will be developed. and then
the whole project can be pushed for
ward in conformity with the demand
Of the population.
There is no idea in the scheme to ex-
pand the geographic divisions between
this city and the two States. While
the regional body will work out the
plans in accordance with a general
scheme as though it was one city.
nevertheless each community will be
expected to do it's own development at
its own expense, but in conformity
with the plan to be laid down by the
regional planners. -.-------