Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-18
County Urged
To Prepare for
u. 5. Dispersal
Upper Montgomery
Planning Member
Cites Problems

Planning Member
Cites Problems
An accelerated planning pro-
gram to meet problems posed by
the proposed dispersal of Fed
eral offices was recommended
yesterday to the Montgomery
County Council.
The proposal came from Fred
erick Gutheim, member Of the
Upper Montgomery County Plan
ming Commission and the coun-
ellis representative on the Ma
tional Capital Regional Planning
Council.
Mr.. Gutheim referred repeat
edly in his annual report to
plans to move the Atomic Energy
Commission Office out Of Wash
ington.
ut (dispersaD is not a within
Of the moment" Mr.. Gutheim
said, as he pointed to the coun-
tvs past experiences with Fed
eral agency relocations.
"All have brought their char
acteristic problems of location,
access. traffic, housing. schools
and community development"
he said.
Sees Greater Problems.
These problems. he added. will
not compare with those that
would face the county If the
Atomic Energy Commission,
with 1000 employees now and
more to come in the future, is
located in what is now open
agricultural land in the northern
part Of the county"
Mr.. Gutheim also made public
. letter written on Aug. IL by
Thomas c. Kelley, to Rear ADJ
lniral Lewis L. Straus, chairman
Of the Atomic Energy Commits
sion.
Mr.. Kelley. chairman Of the
rural planning commission, asked
the Acc chairman for a state
nent Of general intentions" on
the method of site selection and
cooperation with local planning
bodies.
"Our principal concern in the
event of a development of the
sort contemplated is to insure
that the impact upon our county
Is beneficial one and is sup
ported by proper measures Of
community development under
appropriate CONTROL" Mr.. Kelley
said.
a Sound planning and co-or-
dination are necessary to use
such installations as nuclei for
development Of private BUSH
nesses specializing Tin activities
related to the Federal depart
ments. Mr.. Gutheim said.
Passage Of Public Law 519-t
the Federal Lease Purchase
Act-poses a serious coming
question for the county, Mr..
Gutheim warned. The Acc
building will be among the first
built under it. he explained.
The law permits the Govern
nlent to enter into long-term
leases that allow private build
ers to erect structures for Fed
eral occupancy. The leases.
which run up to IS years. pro-
vide that the Government as
sumes title to the buildings at
the end Of the ''installment-
buying" period.
Question on Zoning.
The Federal Government is
exempt from local coming laws.
Whether, as a private enterprise
undertaking, the location of
buildings built under the law
would be subject to local coming
control is not known, Mr.. Gut
helm said.
Preliminary study, however,
leads to the conclusion that the
county will have the power and
responsibility to decide this, he
added.
Mr.. Gutheim used his report to
support the rural commissions
proposed temporary coming or
dinance.
He also asserted that relocation
into the rural county area of
Federal Offices makes more neces-
sary the development of the
county's last remaining water
supply, Seneca Greek.
Indignation Of planning for de-
velopment of the supply and san
itary sewers with the work Of
the Washington Suburban SAM
tary Commission ais obviously
desirable" he added.
He described this as zone fur.
ther step toward the reduction
OF the independent and autony-
nous character of this county
government"
Mr.. Gutheim feels the county
and the rural planning commits
sion at present is unable to
meet the demands for acceler-
ated planning required by pass
age Of the lease-purchase law
and its anticipated speed-up the
dispersal program.
Other Proposals.
Besides recommending coun-
Gil support of Federal bills CALI
ing for q Metropolitan Transit
Commission and funds for a
Metropolitan Area traffic study.
he proposed that:
/. The council name the rural
planning commission as its liai-
son agent with Federal bodies
such as the Once Of Defense
Mobilization. the General Serv-
ices Administration, the Atomic
Energy Commission and the Ma
tional Capital Planning Com
mission.
2. The county institute a study
OF the legal aspects of the lease
purchase law to determine the
extent Of county control over
such development.