Evening star., 1941-04-09
Middle Atlantic
Region Lack Of
Planning Hit
Resources Board
Report Coils for
Action in CopitoI

NO part OF the country has suf-
fered more from lack of planned
development or is in greater need
of planning for the future than the
District of Columbia, Baltimore and
New York sections of the Middle
Atlantic region, according to pre-
liminary report released by the
National Resources Planning Board
today.
The report, printed by Congress,
points to the 432 per cent popula-
tion growth in Washington and the
five adjoining Virginia and Mary
land counties as the most rapid in
the region.
1t expresses doubt that there is a
city in the region, regardless of size,
that is not infected by urban blight.
Attention is called particularly to a
malignant type of land exploita-
ton evident in the subdivision Of
land in the suburban fringes sur
rounding metropolitan areas. which,
it is added. is far beyond any pres
ent or even future need.
Such excess plating" the report
states, mot only leaves in its wake
much tax delinquency. defaulted
benefit assessments. and private
financial liabilities. but. even when
such areas become built up. the
heterogeneous design of scores Of
adjacent subdivisions results in no
uniform road plan or provision for
an economic system of utilities"
Remedies Suggested.
Four remedies are recommended:
l. Reclamation of existing SUBJ
standard subdivisions either by re-
plating in accordance with an over
all plan or BY restoration to rural
or other suitable uses.
2. Prevention of surplus and un-
economical land subdivision through
municipalities taking full advantage
of plating control powers provided
by law by refusing to finance sub
division development and requiring
reasonable improvement of subdivi-
slons by the owners before supplying
public services to subdivided areas:
| also by augmenting legislation
wherever necessary to accomplish
this.
3. Revision of tax laws. whers
| necessary, to insure prompt tax sale,
and provision for simplified and in
expensive foreclosure procedure.
4. Improved methods of municipal
real estate management and sale,
| including the permanent public
ownership of lands suitable for
parks. Fairgrounds, schools, street
extension and widenings. municipal
housing projects and other public
| purposes.
Area Densely Populated.
The report warns that many mu-
inequalities facing bankruptcy can
trace their financial difficulties to
land booms and excess subdivision
of the postwar decade.
The Middle Atlantic region in
cludes. in addition to the District of
Columbia New York. New jersey,
Pennsylvania Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia and North Carolina 1t is
described as the most denSely popu-
lated area of comparable size in the
| United States and also the most
highly industrialized.
The importance of the Washing
ton Baltimore and New York areas
i'll regional development is indicated
by the fact that 1000 900 of the re-
gions 100000 population increase
in the last decade occurred in these
sections.
Perhaps in no place is planning
so difficult" the report adds, since
in this region improvement in
wolves to a greater degree costly
processes of reshsping severely eX-
plotted land and facilities"
Recreational facilities have been
seriously overcrowded by the pop
ulation growth. according to the re-
port, and now are deficient to va
riable degree in all classes. Their
Importance is shown by the fact that
expenditures of recreation travellers
in the Middle Atlantic States dur
ing 1899. amounting to one and a
half billion dollars, represented 81
per cent of the total for the Nation.
hS htCOInIntnueu.
To take care of this deficiency it
is recommended, among other
things. that large outlying parks
and reservations be developed in
the neighborhood of Washington
and other large cities. AS another
move. it is advised that the George
Washington Memorial Parkway be
extended from its present proposed
terminus at Great Falls to connect
with the proposed Blue Ridge Park
way extension in the vicinity of Har-
pers Ferry and from Mount Ver-
non to the George Washington
Birthplace National Monument.
AS common to all heavily devel-
oped sections in spite of the great
amount of money spent upon them.
it is explained, the highways of the
region have undergone and still are
experiencing an unprecedented rate
of obsoleScence.
A major project which appears
to the board especially deserving
of commendation, at least in prin-
ciple," is coastal highway between
Washington and New York. with
extensions north into New England
and south into the Southeastern
and Southwestern States.
Because of the area to be served"
said the report, this proposed high
way is likely to be the most impor-
tant ever to be built in this coun-
try. 1t is eminently fitted for both
peacetime and defense purposes.
Properly designed and properly To-
Gated, it will become the backbone
of the highway system of the East
Coast. AS facility for efficient
mobilization of military forces and
for the rapid movement of troops
and munitions 1t would be indispen-
sable
OFF Lefty Route Favored.
"Of the alternative proposed To-
cations for this road-one generally
heading directly to and through the
principal cities en- route, the other
placed near but inland from the
nrincinal citieS-the latter aDDearS