Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-30
Planners Take Steps
Tokquire Maryland
Tracts for Parks
By Nelson M. Shepard

Initial steps for the acquisition
of four more small stream valleys
in nearby Maryland suitable for
park development were disclosed
today by Maj Gen. U. s. Grant III,
chairamn of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
Located within the Metropolitan
Area, these attractively wooded
valleys would be saved from COM
mercial exploitation by including
them within the program mapped
out for acquisition under terms of
the Capper- Cramton Act of 1890.
Gen. Grant identified the streams
as follows: Oxon Run and Paint
Branch, an extension of the Ana
costa River, both in Prince Georges
County, and Little Falls Branch and
Willett Run. in the general neigh
borhood of Cabin John, Montgomery
County. l
The Federal group discussed
ways of amending the basic agree
ment under which Capper-Cram-
ton Act lands have been acquired
since 1880. Meeting with them
yesterday afternoon were j. Bond
Smith and Warren Buckler, legal
representatives of the Maryland
NCPPC.
Working on Loan Plan.
Only Federal funds made avail
able out of the $1,5O0,000 requested
for the stream valley park program
was a mere $4,000, included in
the current Independent Offices
Appropriations Act. The -four
streams in question will be added
to the planning map of the Merto-
politan Area for future purchase
The new agreement under which
the Maryland Commission can bcr-
row Federal funds and the amounts
required for each of the park de-
velopments, are being worked out
Gen. Grant also revealed the
commission wasvsauthogizedss ,pay
! the undisclosed appraised price
for a playground abutting Mitchell
Park on S street west Of Twenty.
third street NV. Held by the
Alien Property Custodian, the play.
ground is part of plot formerly
owned by the German Embassy.
The 1876 square feet to be pur'
chased is little more than an acre
The District Recreation Board ha'
been operating it under permit
from the Alien Property Custodian
Proceeds of the sale will go to.
wards the payment of claims o.
American citizens against Ger.
many.
The planning commission also ap'
proved a request Of the Recreation
Board to change the Park View
Playground and the Blow Schoo
Playground from white to Negr'
use. The former is located nea
Soldiers Home; the latter, on Ben
ming road extended.
Parkway Extension, Discussed.
Earlier in the day, the Fedora
planners were guests of the Airing
ton County Planning Board at
luncheon meeting held at tn
Washington Golf and Country Club
Discussed at the meeting wer
plans to extend the George Wash
ington Memorial Parkway beyon'
Lorcum lane to the Arlington-Fair
fax boundary.
Enroute to the meeting, the plan
ners inspected the new dual unit o
the parkway, which extends from
point above Key Bridge, opposit
the Three Sisters Islands, up Sprou
Run to Lorcum lane and Lee high
way. 1t is costing $500,000 to grad
the Sprout Run project. 1t shout
be completed before winter.
:. The Virginia Legislature appropri
. ated $125, 900 at its last session t
r pay Virginia's share of the cost Q
: extending the George Washingto
/ Parkway to the Arlington-Fairfa
line. This problem also was dis
, cussed at the session with Airing
!, ton planners.
Gen. Grant said the meeting de
| veloped accord" in discussing tn
new coming regulations proposed 70
Arlington County. He favored SINH
lar adoptions in the District o
a regulation providing for "densit
, restrictions" in the use of land. b
that the number of families occupy
ing a lot can be limited.
J The planning commission was t
,, close its monthly session this after
noon.