Evening star., 1952-07-29
Way yIsCIeared
For Setting Up
Planning Board
Informal Group Ends
Existence in Action
Under Recent Law
By Harold B. Rogers

The way was cleared today for
establishment of the new ten
member National Capital Region
al Planning Council for better
planning of the Washington Met
ropolitan Area.
Authorized by legislation re-
Gently enacted by Congress, the
group will succeed the informal
and unofficial Washington Re-
gional Council, which went out of
existence late yesterday.
Old Council Dissolved.
The non-governmental council
OF about 30 members from nearby
Maryland and Virginia was dis
solved by vote of its own execu-
tive committee. This action took
place at a meeting In the head
quarters of the American Institute
of Architects.
Frederick Gutheirn, chairman
Of the informal council, said the
dissolution of this group will be
followed by steps to set up the
official Regional Planning Coun-
Gil of 10 members: It will consist
of representatives of the District
and nearby Maryland and Vir-
ginia.
Under new law. the members
from Maryland and Virginia will
be nominated by groups in their
States for appointment by the
National Capital Planning Com
mission. This is the new name
fixed for the old National Capital
Park and Planning Commission,
which has been reorganized by
the act of Congress.
The planning commission is ex-
pected to send out invitations
soon for nominations to the new
council.
Mr.. Gutheim said the motion to
dissolve the informal group was
made by Blair Lee of the National
Capital Planning Commission. tt
was seconded by John Graham,
architect, who is vice chairman
Of the Northern Virginia Regional
Planning and Economic Commis-
sion.
Mr.. Gutheim, a member of the
Upper Montgomery County Plan
ming Commission said, after the
meeting, he is confident the new
law will result in better co-ordina-
ton, planning and development
Of the Washington region.
The new 10-member council, he
said. offers an opportunity, for
the first time, to Marylanders and
Virginians to take an important
role toward making the whole
region "a single integrated metrop-
oils"
Law Specifies Members.
Members of the new 10-member
council from the District are Speci-
fed in the Law. They will be the
chairman of the National Capital
Planning Commission and the Dis
trict Engineer Commissioner.
The other eight members are to
be nominated by agencies in the
nearby Maryland and Virginia
area-four from each State. Four
alternates also will be nominated
from each State.
In Maryland. the nominees will
!, be selected either by the Mary
laAd-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, or by the
governing bodies of each county.
In Virginia, the law provides
that the Northern Virginia Re-
gional Planning and Economic
Development Commission, after
soliciting recommendations from
the governing bodies of the cities
and counties of Virginia environs,
nominate four persons. Each of
these must be member of a
planning agency in the Virginia
area, but no more than one of
these may be from the same city
or county.
10 flcK OWn CHAIRMAN.
When the council is set up, it
will select it's own chairman from
among its members.
In the beginning, the so-called
National Capital Region" COW
cred by the new law consists of
the District, Montgomery and
Prince Georges Counties in Mary
land and Arlington, Fairfax,
Loudoun and Prince William
Counties in Virginia.
Opportunity is offered, how
ever, for future extension of the
region to include other parts of
the adjacent States. The law
provides that such sections may
be added to the region, if the 10
cal governing body of such county
asks it and if the National Capital