Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-29
Delegates Seek
Reorganization
Of Parks Group
BY GENE GOODWIN
Star stan Correspondent


Montgomery and Prince Georges
County Delegations, will jointly
sponsor a compromise bill to
reorganize the Maryland-Na-
tionai Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission.
1t is the measure first pro-
posed by Mr.. Lee two weeks ago,
which he said would retain the
bi-county or regional aspects Of
the present commission and still
increase its responsiveness to
local county governments.
Mr.. Lee said today he has
made amendments in his origi-
nal proposal and Mr.. Wilkin-
son had agreed to join him in
sponsoring it.
The Lee-Wilkinson bill falls
somewhere between the reor-
ganization measure proposed by
the planning agency itself and
one being promoted here by
Delegate Margaret C. Schwein-
haut, Democrat of Montgomery,
spokesman for groups seeking to
create a separate Montgomery
County planning organization.
Mrs. Schweinhaut said her bill
will be ready for introduction to-
morrow. All planning commits
sion legislation probably will be
referred back to the joint Mont
gomery-Prince Georges delega-
ton for committee action and
the rest of the Legislature is
expected to follow the recon-
mendation of the two counties.
IL Member Plan
The planning commission has
proposed a bill to replace the
six member Internationally APP
pointed body with an 11-member
board, three to be appointed by
the Governor and four each by
the governing bodies of Mont
gomery and Prince Georges. The
incumbent commissioners all
would be allowed to serve out
their terms.
The Lee-Wilkinson measure
to be introduced this week
would create a l0-member com.
mission, with the Montgomery
County Council and the Prince
Georges Commissioners appoint
ing five each. The five members
from each county would serve
as county planning boards for
their respective counties and sit
together on regional matters.
To assure local responsiveness,
the measure would provide that
the salaries of the 10 commits
sioners be set and paid by the
two county governments.
Duties Outlined
In his amendment, Mr.. Lee
said he attempts to spell out the
specific duties of the two plan
ming boards and the full 10
member commission.
The planning boards. for ex-
ample, would administer sub
division regulations, make coming
recommendations. assign street
names and house numbers, re-
view annual capital budgets Of
the two counties and perform
such surveys, studies and other
planning duties as the county,
governing body may assign to
them" I;
Another amendment would
change the provision for at least
one minority party representa-
tive on the 10-member commits
sion from each county to mo
more than three" from each
county from the same political
party. All terms of present mem
bers would expire this June, but
this, at least would allow the
local governing bodies to reap
point the four Republican COM
missioners if they desired, Mr..
Lee said.
Mrs. Schweinhaut said the
Lee-Wilkinson bill won't please
anybody" She said she sees
nothing to justify the retention
of the bi-county planning func-
tons of the present commission.
Relocation Bill Proposed
On another matter, Mr.. Lee
came up with what he called a
"Solomonic" bill to settle dis
putes between the Washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission
and Montgomery and Prince
GeoreeS counties on over which
should pay for relocating water
and sewer lines on road projects.
Under his bill, which the rest
of the Montgomery delegation
agreed last night to introduce,
existing relocation disputes be-
tween the two counties and the
sanitary commission would be
settled by each paying half.
In the future, however, the
commission would pay for all
re-locations of its line when they
were caused by construction
projects on existing county roads.
In cases where the counties
cause relocation of water and
sewer lines because of new con-
struction. the county govern
ments would pay the cost.
And the House, on an 88-to-8
vote passed a Montgomery
sponsored bill replacing the
State Tax Commission with a
new State Tax Court and a De-
Ipartment Of Assessments.
The bill now goes to the Sem
ate, where 1t has been buried in