Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-17
Stronger Board
For Metro Area
Planning Asked
Mrs. Wilkins Hits
Bid to Boost Duties
Of Virginia Group

"A oVAOAABCA MCbAORO14baAt Al CD
planning agency instead Of ex-
banding functions of the
Northern Virginia Regional
Planning Commission was adj
vocated today by Mrs. Anne
Wilkins, chairman Of the
Fairfax Board Of County SUI
pervisors.
In q memo to fellow board
members. Mrs. wilkins said
she believed Northern Vir-
Iginia's major problems are
Metropolitan Area ones and
can best be solved by planning
and action at the Metropolitan
Area level"
| Her statement was prompted
by q recommendation made by
the Northern Virginia Regional
Planning Commission last week
that it be authorized to pre-
pare a regional master plan
for Northern Virginia.
Specific Jobs Advised
Mrs. wilkins said she be-
lieved the Northern Virginia
Regional Planning Commission
fulfilled a need. "but I would
urge that its efforts be concen-
trated on specific jobs as the
need arises and that it not be
permitted to embark on a
course Of master planning. This
could lead to unknown costs in
the future, possible complica-
tons of conflicting plans and
would unnecessarily use up
valuable time of badly needed
Experienced planners"
She noted that it has been
suggested the National Capital
Regional Planning Council
should be separated from the
National Capital Planning Com
mission and strengthened.
Mrs. wilkins called this "a
wise move" and said unless it
can be separated and made to
stand on its own feet the coun-
Gil should be abolished and q
new Metropolitan Area plan
ming agency set up by the
Jurisdictions themselves"
Advisory Agency
The National Capital Re-
gional Planning Council is
composed of representatives
from all jurisdictions in the
Washington area, and serves
as an advisory planning
agency. Elaboratiig on her
proposal to separate this
agency from the National
Capital Planning Commission
or create new area planning
agency, Mrs. wilkins de-
clared:
Lets work on this APP
proach rather than on build
ing up a Northern Virginia
agency which would be at best
only a partial approach to our
Metropolitan Area planning
needs"
Mrs. wilkins acknowledged
that Fairfax County's major
problems do not necessarily
stop at juriSdictional bound
aries, but neither do these
problems stop at the boundary
of the Commonwealth ofNKir-
ginia as has been assumed by
those backing a full-fledged
planning agency for Northern
Virginia"
Major Problems Listed
These major problems she
listed as water supply; sewer
age and pollution abatement;
transportation, including high
ways, mass transit. bridges and
airports; public health and well
fare, including hospitals, and
INDECENT disqualification.
An intermediate level of
planning on these problems
would be redundant and an
unnecessary expense. she said
Fields in which she said the
Northern Virginia Regional
Planning Commission could
continue to be effective include
activities like the regional de-
tention home, the fiscal survey
and establishment of parks.
Land use and coming. she
contended. are primarily a
function of local government.
She said Fairfax County has
had no difficulties co-ordinat-
ing its land use plan with
neighboring jurisdictions. The
addition of a regional plan for
land use would only tend to
complicate things, she added.