Evening star., 1942-02-09
brookingsD Data
On Montgomery
Hit by Expert
Zone Plan Author
Says Survey Shows
Lack of knowledge

Says Survey Shows
Lack Of knowledge
The Brookings Institution recon-
mendations on planning and zoning
IN Montgomery County, outlined in a
survey last year, would, If adopted,
reduce planning in the Maryland
Washington area to hollow shell,
Alfred Bettman, Cincinnati plan
ming expert, declared today in an
analysis sharply critical of the au-
thors' understanding Of the problem.
He characterized the survey as
permeated with fundamental fall
lacies," frequently showing "hope-
less confusion as to the nature Of
planning and the functions OF a
planning commission"
Mr., Bettman, one of the authors
of the legislation creating the coun-
tvs planning and zoning setup and
establishing the Maryland-National
Park and Planning Commission. sub
mitted his analysis at the request
of a committee named by Mont
gomery County commissioners short
ly after the Brookings survey was
completed.
Addressing his report to ]. Bond
Smith, counsel for the park and
planning commission and chairman
Of the county commissioners COM
mittee, Mr.. Bettman concluded:
But as for the Brookings report,
the authors either do not under
stand county, city, regional or dis
trict planning, or, If they understand
1t, believe in throwing it out and
have not been frank enough to say
10, for just as, under their recon-
mendations. the Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission would become hollow shell,
50, under their recommendations,
the planning of the District or
county would become hollow she'll
Lack of knowledge" Charged.
Mr.. Bettman declared the Brook
lngs recommendations showed such
an utter lack of knowledge about
and understanding of planning, in
cluding Zoning. that the inclusion
of them in a report by such a rep
utable agency as the Brookings In
stitution is incredible"
Statements and recommendations
In the Brookings survey were de-
scr1bed as 'fallacies, misconcep-
tions and confusions" in Mr.. Bett-
mans report.
Turning to specific portions OF
the Brookings survey, Mr.. Bettman
said:
~ For instance, on page 1856 the
statement is made that the plan
ming includes the study OF general
physical developments except parks,
parkways and recreational facili-
ties. - Now. Of course, no
planning Of the Maryland-Wash-
ineton regional district, in the sense
In which planning Is used in the
statute, could fail to include parks,
parkways and recreational facilities,
as they are amongst the important
functional uses Of the land OF the
district.
School Site Opinion Challenged.
Zone wonders whether the authors
OF the portions of the report dealing
with planning have ever read the
planning statute"
Mr.. Bettman stated there was mo
warrant" for the surveys authors to
venture into the field Of constitu-
tional law on page 1888, where they
expressed the opinion that, in sub
division regulation, reservation of
school sites would be illegal"
There are statutes and regulations
which provide for the mandatory
reservation of school sites and small
neighborhood parks in large sub
divisions, he stated, and should the
question ever come to litigation
there is good chance that the
courts would uphold such mandatory
reservations.
The assertion in the survey that
the Park and Planning Commission
has legislative and administrative
functions which in more normal
areas are performed by regularly
selected legislative and administra-
tive officers of county and municipal
governments is mot true" under any
possible sound definition Of the word
Legislative" Mr.. Bettman said.
"NormaP' Powers Discussed.
Existing statutes leave the Board
OF County Commissioners, he said,
final determination of any and
every legislative act" The Park
and Planning Commission has ad-
ministrative functions, he. e.conceded,
and whether or not 1t should exer-
else them is a debatable question.
But the statement that the ad-
nninistrative powers granted in the
statute are not normal" he de-
clared, is "either the result of igno-
rance OF planning legislation in the
United States or deliberate disin-
senuousness."
Powers and procedures specified
in the Maryland statutes, according
to Mr.. Bettman, correspond to the
statutes Of many States and to the
line Of progress IN planning legis-
1ation.
II presume that the Maryland
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission will not fail to
understand that stripping 1t of what
the authors of the report choose
to call legislative and administra-
tive powers would make of the COM
mission a mere skeleton or shell.
IF the planning function, as it is
described in the statute, is to be
taken away from it-and no mere
juggling with the words Legislative,
administrative and planning can
hide the fact that that is what the
Brookings Institution report does
then 1t would be more honest to
obilsh the commission, for no
self-respecing man would take q
position on the commission after
its powers have been made so hol-
low, and It is only through the
exercise Of the powers granted in
the statute and the possession Of
an adequate planning staff that the
commissions work could be soundly
performed"
Federation Meets Tonight.