Evening star., 1949-09-22
Planners Report
Asks Staff Of 40,
$'156,000 Fund
FuII-Time Director,
Best City Planning
In U. S. Proposed

US ~ ~ sSf0SSo
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission has under
study report on proposed rene
dial measures designed to give
Washington "the best city plan
ming service in the country"
Referred to as music to our
ears" by John Nolen, jr., the COM
missions director of planning
highlishts in the report prepared
by John T. Howard, who holds a
similar position in Cleveland, in
cluded such proposals as:
Doubling the commissions staff
to 40 members under a sufficiently
paid. full-time director or chair
man.
A budget of about $156 900, COM
pared to the 1850 figure of $85, 900
or 18 cents per capita to bring
expenditures on a par with plan
ming In other cities of comparable
size. The existing ratio of plan
ming expenditure is about 10 cents
per capita here. compared with
Is cents in San Francisco, 18 cents
In Los Angeles, II cents in Phil
adelphia and Cleveland, IA cents
In Detroit and 81 cents in Mil
waukee.
Area Authority Urged.
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III, for
mer commission chairman. pro-
posed an overall regional COM
mission similar to the Port of
New York Authority, to rule on
construction projects for the
washington area.
Suggested at various times from
various sources for 20 years, the
idea was advanced by Gen. Grant
to keep planning and construction
separated. but at the same time
closely r-ordinated. He had in
mind. he said, the planning and
construction of Potomac bridges
sewers. future water supplies and
the like involving Federal, State
and county jurisdiction.
The Howard report, made at
the direction of Chairman Will
liam w. Wurster, who wanted an
expert appraisal of the commits
sion's procedures, was heard at a
special two-hour session. For the
first time in many years news
paper reporters were admitted.
Aside from the planning staff
those attending the session were
members Of the Joint Committee
on the National Capital and the
special Joint Advisory Committee
appointed about two years ago.
In the discussion that followed,
Horace w. Peaselee, who designed
Meridian Hill Park. urged the in
cluston of a landscape architect on
the commission, which, he said,
now is overweighted with archi-
tects. He also urged appointment
Of . municipal landscape achitect.
Money Held Prime Need.
washington ought to be getting
the best planning service in the
country" Mr.. Howard told the
commission. If it isn't, he de-
clared. the fault lies in the made
quacy of appropriations.
Money is needed more than
status and authority" he said.
The commission here has q
double responsibility on behalf OF
the people Of this city and on
behalf of the whole country
Mr.. Howard stressed. Washington
community is obscured and COM
plicated by the non-existence o1
local government and the cumber-
some complexity of District and
Federal agencies which in toto
determine the city's future"
Mr.. Howard stressed that his
personnel recommendations should
be regarded as minimum" fig
ures. At present the planning
commission numbers a staff OF
18. The three additional plan
ming employees recommended in
pending appropriations should be
"the first step" to meet the COM
missions minimum needs, he sug-
gested. The planning division was
characterized in the report as
"the weakest Of the present staff
sections and the most important. u
Would Reorganize Body.
Criticizing the present "jumbled
administrative setup" of the COM
mission, Mr.. Howard said that, If
the size of the staff is to be in
creased to 40, it Is "vitally impor-
tant" that the commission be re-
organized before the increase takes
place.
The present chairman, as well
as appointed members of the COM
mission, devote part-time service
and receive no salaries. Instead,
they are paid the official per diem
stipend only when they attend the
monthly meetings.
Mr.. Howard recommended that,
in addition to a full-time paid
director. there should be an as
sistant director and legal adviser.
The commission should open at
least one Of the periods of its
monthly meetings to the press and
public, he recommended, and
should adopt a policy Of public
hearings from time to time or
specific projects before action Ii
taken.
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