PURPOSE.

The Town Planning Division was so named, not because it was supposed that all the functions of town. planning were to be confined to this division, but because it was obvious that, in the speed with which everything must be done, it was essential that in some one place there should be lodged the responsibility of coordinating the various points of view necessary to any town plan, of providing for difficulties, overlaps, and omissions, and for generally filling in gaps and polishing off corners, that the resulting "town plan” should be as complete and efficient as possible.

It seemed best that this general responsibility should be lodged with those who were, on the special and technical side, concerned with the layout plans of towns, the broad functional relation of blocks and lots, streets, parks, playgrounds, etc., but who had in their work for the Housing Corporation less responsibility in actual construction and its supervision than the architects or the engineers.

FUNCTION.

The responsibility of the Town Planning Division in relation to the Engineering Division, the Architectural Division, and the bureau as a whole were very similar to the responsibilities of the "town planner," as the bureau called him for convenience, in relation to the other two members of the committee of design and to the project as a whole. The Town Planning Division was responsible for the complete recording by plans and specifications of the decisions of the three designing divisions as to the general layout of the project-its road system; its division into districts for residential, recreational, or commercial purposes, etc.; its size and shape of blocks and lots; its type of treatment of streets, lots, and public grounds; its arrangement of buildings as units in the whole scheme of the community. In all these matters where there was anything in the special work of the architects or of the engineers which should affect these general decisions it was the duty of the Town Planning Division to see that these factors were considered.

The work of the town planner began at the very moment of his inspection of a proposed site by the

exercise of his knowledge and his power to visualize Whatever the existing condition of the area under consideration might be, he must see what it offered as a developed site; how its exposure would suit its occupancy; whether the topography was such as to afford a convenient and economical dispositon of communication and subdivisions; must see what natural features, if any, were to be retained or improved to serve as recreational and breathing spaces, more especially if they were not fit for development as house lots. These were the things that his trained eye must perceive at once; the confirmation of his judgment comes when, with a close topographical survey before him, he makes his plan of roads, lots, parks, and other communal features, works out his grades, and establishes the balance between cut and fill which is essential to the economy he must never lose sight of. Furthermore, the town plan has largely controlled the necessary cost per house for sewage and other utilities, for foundations and cellars, and the general grading and improvement of lots, all of the work of the town planner being done in close cooperation both with the architect and the engineer. As in the design of a building, the practical, the sensible, the convenient are the best possible foundation. for the good appearance, so in the town planner's layout, grading, and planting those same elements are necessary. The curving street that minimizes cost of grading and gives picturesque interest to the buildings along it must be a convenient means of circulation and make for the most advantageous subdivision of the lots on which those buildings are set. This work has been controlled by cold questions, such as the cost of moving cubic yards of earth, the percentage of rentable area to be got out of a given site, the convenience of access generally and individually, the share of the total cost to be borne by each housing unit, and its relation to the paying power of the lessee or buyer.

ORGANIZATION.

The beginning of the Town Planning Division was with the beginning of the bureau, Messrs. Olmsted, Hubbard, Comey, and Child having been volunteer workers before the bureau was organized, though its functions were more clearly defined in relation to the

bureau and personal responsibilities more definitely allotted as its work increased. The Town Planning Division did not change its form of organization. Its organization was as follows:

A manager and assistant manager appointed town planners for local projects, subject to the approval of the bureau, issued instructions for town-planning work, reviewed and finally approved plans and specifications submitted by the project town planners.

An assistant to the manager was responsible for the office management, for the records, and for the receipt, distribution, and issue of all correspondence and instructions.

District town planners, members of the Town Planning Division in the bureau, were assigned each to a certain number of projects. The district town planner kept himself completely informed of the progress of the design of his project from the townplanning point of view, and made sure that all necessary instructions and assistance were given by the Town Planning Division to the committee of designers. He represented the Town Planning Division with or without the presence of the manager or assistant manager at every staff conference on the projects. assigned to him. He checked in detail plans submitted by the project town planners and reported them to the manager for final approval. The district town planner often served upon the second investigation team for a project to which he was later to be assigned. On certain projects the manager and the assistant manager performed the functions of district town planners without delegation.

A small force of draftsmen worked on general standardized information, and especially on the plans of those projects which were designed by the Town Planning Division in the office of the bureau instead of through project town planners employed on contract. A considerable number of projects have been so designed; others were carried through some preliminary stages in this way and then were abandoned at the time of the armistice.

Project town planners were appointed by the bureau on recommendation of the Town Planning Division. Their functions and responsibilities are set forth in Suggestions to town planners" and "Instructions to committee of designers"; their form of contract was almost identical with that of the engineers.

1

COOPERATION IN COMMUNITY PLANNING.

The most important accomplishment of the Town Planning Division-if that division can receive credit for what would have been impossible without broad views and mutual consideration and appreciation on

1 See Vol. II, pp. 444-6 to 497–504.

the part of all the cooperators in the design-was the outlining of a policy of general coordination of the "committee of designers," a policy which in the great majority of cases worked with a notable degree of

success.

It can not be said that in every case the three designers, chosen each for his technical ability in his own line and in some cases never having seen one another before, worked in perfect harmony without any misconceptions or friction or apparent trenching on one another's prerogatives; but it is the fact that even under the strain of the desperate speed demanded by the bureau there were very few cases, indeed, in which the designers were not able to produce plans to which all agreed and which contained the best that each had to give. This we believe to be a very valuable lesson for future town planning. We have been convinced, not only theoretically but by practical experience, that the cooperation of all those who have special knowledge in the arrangement, construction, and running of towns is essential to any real "town planning" and that it is perfectly possible to bring about this cooperation and to apply it efficiently in actual work.

METHOD OF PREPARING PLANS.

In the matter of the preparation of plans for layout and their coordination with the utilities plans, we believe that we have a method of presentation which shows all that is needed simply, without duplication or omissions. The landscape architect or town planner and the municipal engineer might in some cases save public money by a study of these plans. (See plans for Quincy, Mass., and text, in Vol. II.)

The described methods of making planting plans and lists are well adapted to the wholesale cheap lotplanting work done by the United States Housing Corporation. We believe that plans so prepared will give a studied design having enough variety from lot to lot, but without confusion and without great duplication of plan making or undue rigidity of direction to the planter in carrying out the job.

DATA FOR FUTURE WORK.

The preparation in intelligible form of the plans and estimates of the important projects has been attempted in Volume II, but on account of the short time allowed almost all efforts were concentrated on preserving and codifying the data. Many valuable conclusions may be reached by further and more leisurely study and comparison.

Some study of these data and the setting forth of some of the more obvious and practical conclusions to be drawn we believe to be of general service to

those engaged in town-planning design. We have had an unique opportunity in having before us so considerable a number of plans meeting many different situations made by many different men, but all drawn to serve a similar purpose, and all to be arranged and further studied by those who had supervised and carefully followed their preparation.

It is true that in many cases these plans never were executed, but they were stopped in process of execution or when about to be contracted for, and would have been constructed very nearly as planned if the sudden coming of the armistice had not made it improper for this bureau to carry them out as a war

measure.

SITE PLANS AND RECORDS.

In the acquisition of land for the projects of the United States Housing Corporation it was the procedure for the Town Planning Division to prepare or acquire plans showing what land had been decided on by the investigating committee, including the representatives of the Real Estate Division. These plans were usually preliminary only at first, and were intended merely to enable the negotiators to begin proceedings for acquisition. These plans and accompanying short descriptions of the property were checked and signed by the Town Planning Division, the Engineering Division, the Architectural Division, and the Real Estate Division, and copies kept by the Real Estate Division and Town Planning Division so as to minimize the chance of misunderstanding or error as to what property was to be acquired. Later on in the progress of each job more definite plans were prepared and filed. (See Instructions to surveyors, Instructions to town planners, and Instructions to engineers, Vol. II, pp. 447-492 and 497-504.) When, after the armistice, the land for a project was given up again the Town Planning Division prepared plans showing what land was to be given up and what kept or temporarily handled in some particular way. These plans were filed with the Real Estate Division and with the Town Planning Division as before, with short descriptions and explanations, and represented in each case the decision of the committee of the bureau on each project (the socalled "unscrambling committee"), containing normally a representative of each division familiar with the project, as to what disposition was most advisable under the special circumstances.

ACTIVITIES SINCE THE ARMISTICE. Coincident with the signing of the armistice the activities of the Town Planning Division were lessened and have since been along somewhat different lines.

Whereas, prior to this time, this division had been primarily concerned in determining the proportion of the land under consideration which was available for development as house lots; the necessary density of occupation in view of the probable cost of land and of development; the existing available facilities and possible necessity for increased facilities in respect to schools, playgrounds, public open spaces, recreational facilities, stores and other neighborhood services of a public or quasi-public sort, and the approving of all general plans prepared by the town planner members of the committee on design; the changed conditions brought about by the signing of the armistice made unnecessary any further general investigation or design work, and the division has confined its activities to the preparation of details necessary to complete the projects under construction. Such work has included the approval of contracts and specifications for town planning work, approval of detailed construction and planting plans prepared by the project town planners, the purchase of all nursery stock used on the various projects, and a general supervision of the carrying out of this work in the field. In many instances a representative of the project town planner has been placed on the staff of the works superintendent and been given direct charge of all grading and planting work on the project.

The actual execution of the town planners' plans follows naturally the completion of the actual building and utility operations, and upon the proper completion of the grading and planting work is dependent the general attractiveness and rental and sales value. of the entire project from the viewpoint of the prospective tenant or purchaser. For this reason it was quite important that this division should keep closely in touch with the projects during the final stages of their development.

The organization of the division has been continually reduced since December. The district town planners have been relieved from time to time until none remain.

On June 30 the Town Planning Division was disbanded and its manager was transferred to the Operating Division, and two months later to the Engineering-Construction Division, as landscape architect to take charge of the completion of planting, grading, etc., and the upkeep of the grounds of the completed projects.

FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED, Manager, April 16, 1918, to April 1, 1919.

CARL RUST PARKER,

Manager, April 1, 1919, to July 1, 1919.