Evening star., 1948-06-24
Park Planners
And D. {. Agree
On Land Buying
Recreation Bourd
Sees Commission;
Proposals Secret
By WiIIiom A. MiIIen

oy Wllliom n. Mlllen
District recreation officials and
the National Park and Planning
Commission reached an agreement
today on future land purchases for
recreation areas.
Harry s. Wender, chairman OF
the District Recreation Board, said
after his group had conferred with
the planners at the beginning OF
their two-day meeting: I'VE had q
harmonious and constructive meet
ing with the commission and find
ourselves in agreement"
Mr.. Wender and Thomas S. Settle
commission secretary, made it clear
no public announcement can be
made now of the areas under con-
sideration, because the commission
is preparing its budget for the
next fiscal year. This budget will
contain funds for buying land for
recreational areas, as well as parks.
When purchased, they will be turned
over to the District government for
operation by the District Recreation
Board.
Improved Housing Studied.
Accompanying Mr.. Wender were
these board members: Mrs. Andrew
Saul, Irving C. Root, who is super
intendent of the National Capital
Parks, and Mrs. Alice C. Hunter.
secretary, and the boards staff,
headed by Milo Christensen, super
intendent.
Norman C. Brown, the commits
sion's land purchasing officer, re-
ported to the board on negotiations
for buying number OF pieces of
property for parkways and recrea-
ton centers. but no public an
nouncement was made.
This afternoon the District Com
missioners and the District Rede-
velopment Land Agency were to
meet with the commission to dis
cuss how to improve housing in un-
derprivileged areas of the city.
Also before the commission is a
general development plan for Wash
ington and vicinity including zoning,
sewage. highways and other facilities.
District Commissioners, officials
of the Land Redevelopment Agency
and the planners were slated to go
into a closed huddle over plans. But
Mr.. Settle and John Nolen, jr. the
commissions director Of planning,
both made 1t clear that no Joint
action is likely to grow out Of this
meeting.
Consultative Meeting"
They described it rather as "a
consultative meeting to determine
the viewpoint of each of the three
agencies concerned in redeveloping
underprivileged areas.
Mr.. Nolen will report several
decisions recently by the Board of
Zoning Adjustment, particularly its
approval of a parking lot on the
Dean tract at Temple Heights,
Florida and Connecticut avenues
NV.
He will bring to the commissions
attention zoning problems along
Macarthur boulevard, particularly
from the District line to Carderock,
Md, where the Naval Testing Basin
Is located.
Mr.. Nolen pointed out the COM
mission has a special interest in
this, because of the nearness of the
George Washington Memorial Park
way scheduled to be developed along
the Potomac River banks as far as
Great Falls. Zoning pans are being
worked out with the Maryland
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission.
Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session was set
aside for the presentation by Mr.
Settle of legislative review of
action of the recent Congress.
The planners are proposing to re-
view commission studies for rede-
velopment of the Marshall Heights
area, bounded by Central avenue,
Forty Ninth street and Benning
road Sc. Then public hearings will
be held The District Redevelop-
ment Land Agency then will get the
final approved plan. secure funds
from Congress and sell the land to
public or private builders who must
develop it according to plan.
Tomorrow, the planners will con-
slider future Government buildings
in the area, receive report pre-
pared by staff and consultants on
population studies and hear Harland
Bartholomew, of st. Louis, its city
planning consultant, give transit and
thoroughfare studies.