Evening star., 1951-01-19
Progress Made
AT Meeting on
Planning Setup
Maryland, Virginia
And District Groups
Confer on Changes

Confer on Changes
Progress was reported today In
seeking a revamped National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commits
sion after a meeting last night OF
Maryland, Virginia and District
planning groups.
Bertram Gross. vice chairman
of the Arlington Planning Com
mission and chairman of a spe-
cial committee of five represent
ing the Northern Virginia Re-
gional Planning Commission, said
several proposals are being con-
sidered by his group.
Frederick Gutheim, who heads
the Washington Regional Plan
ming Council. 1741 New York ave-
nue. NV, announced last night
meeting indorsed the proposal fol
an advisory council on the
NCPPC.
Mr.. Gross said, however. "We
have not made up our minds yet
When we do, our views will be
oficially presented to the proper
authorities by John w. Brookfield
of Fairfax. chairman of the
Northern Virginia Regional Plan-
ming Commission. {
Step Toward Agreement. 4,
'We made an important step
toward developing an agreement
but by no means have we come
to, the end of the road. :. We
really need unanimity on any
plan"
Sponsors of the legislation tic
give adjoining areas a part af,
the Capital region planning said
that Representative Smith, Demo
crat. OF Virginia, has promised to
introduce and support a measure
in Congress. which has unanimous
support of local bodies. But Mr.
Smith has pointed to the futility
Of putting controversial measure
on crowded Congress calendar
Mr.. Gross said:
'The new dispersal program
makes it 10 times more important
than it was before that we have
an adequate NCPPC that can re-
view the building plans of every
Federal agency in the area. Un-
less that is done the dispersal
program will be a mess.
"The General Services Admin
tstration can't plan it by them
selves. for they do not know what
the Army and Navy are doing
and the NCPPC under this lei VIA
ton would have the power to
review all the building plans for
all Federal agencies in the entire
Metropolitan Area before the sites
are purchased. They do not now
have that power, except in the
District.
Public Participation Urged.
"We believe a central review of
the building plans of the many
Government agencies that will be
constructing buildings in the en-
virons of the National Capital is
necessary. That is why the Ad-
ministration has been asking for
this legislation. That is why we
are trying to get the concensus, SO
that the governing bodies in the
environs participate actively in
the work of the NCPPC for the
entire area.
"The people must participate in
the entire planning picture, other
wise the plan does not mean much
The people will neither under
stand it nor support it. We must
be in on the planning from the
beginning and carry through with
it-not be handed a set of plans
to approve or disapprove.
"The dispersal program has a
tremendous impact on our needs
for schools. where you get your
water to drink, where to build
roads, where to dispose of sewage.
Some peoples land will be con-
demned by the Government and
they will have to move elsewhere.
We must have an orderly and bal
anced plan, so that when the
Army is building in one place. the
Navy in another, and the GSA
is erecting a new Federal Bureau
of Investigation building some
other place, the agencies will not
be stepping on one another's
toes"
MIR. Gross said the reason the
NCPPC legislation failed in the
last Congress was that it did
not have provisions adequately
worked out for proper representa-
tion for the people in the area
outside the District.
Six Governing Bodies Cited.
He pointed out that in Virginia
approval of six governing bodies
must be obtained. They are: Ar
lington County. Alexandria, Fair
fax County. Falls Church, LOU
doun County and Prince William
County, which operate jointly
through the Northern Virginia
Regional Planning Commission.
Mr.. Gross pointed out that the
dispersal program will mean an
increase of some $4,000 people in
the area of the new Government
buildings on each side of the
Potomac River - Maryland and
Virginia.
He declared. "Some people in
Virginia still think that rather
than a strong advisory council,
every county and city concerned
should have a representative on
the NCPPC, rather than on the
proposed advisory council.
Mr.. Gross said if the Virginia
counties and cities had represen-
tation directly on the NCPPC, the