The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-31

The bill (6.17o0) which provides for a complete revision of existing laws on civilian aviation is of major significance to cities particularly those two sections covering federal aid for a!rports and airport zon- iEg.
 As Waterbury is considered on the main routes for proposed air. ways of the postwar era this new bill gives substantial hope that the city will ultimately see the estab- hshment here of such a construc- tion.
 The Authority under the proposed bill is authorized to make grants of funds to cities to enable them to carry out the program as for mulated. In addition local respon- sibility for and exercise of zoning authority is specifically recognized. The bill is intended also to estab- fish the formulation for keeping up- to-date nationwide program for the protection of serial approaches to airports.
 Section 213 of the biIl calls for a national plan for the development
 of airports necessary to promote and protect civilian aeronautics, national defense and the Postal Service, this plan to be prepared af- ter consultation witht he cities. and states. The Authority is author ized to make grants of funds to cities for airport development in accordance with the requirements and construction needs of airports includued in the national plan and system.
 Tn introducing the bill, Senator McCarran made a statement con- sidered to be of encouraging inter- est to opponents of federal injec- tion into municipal matters. The senator said, "Zoning is Q peculiarly local function and the federal gov- ernment should not seek to usurp such a local function. This Bill provides for the use of federal plan ming experience and funds, with the actual zoning to be carried out
 under state and local police pow CTS, to meet local problems
 Incorporated in the bill are the principles expressed in the two reso- lutions on aid for airports and zon- ing enacted at the recent Chicago annual conference Gf the United States Conference of Mayors which was attended by Mayor John s. Monagan.
 The Mayor today cited these reso- lutions stating that, in essence, they were, that the conference disap- proved the original recommendation of the administrator concerning the distribution of federal funds on the grounds that the cities, to date, have not received an equitable share of the funds in the final distribution, the latter having been performed through the state agencies, whereas, such arports, as have already been developed, have been done so by the cities themselves and are not l owned by the states. The confer ence likewise went on record dis the original Lea bill | concerning airports which called | for federal administration in estab- fishing safety areas about these air. ports while at the same time requir- ing cities to remove and readjust any "obstancles" to the proposed safety measures.
 The principal difficulty facing To- 'al authorities is one of terrain. With its hilly landscape the city is aced with problems concerning the establishment of an area suitable Or the landing and taking off of he giant airships to be used on the proposed routes. The city plan ling engineer and his staff have ong been engaged in overcoming his problem.