July 1, 1946

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives in General Court 'Assembled:

The State Planning Board herewith submits its re­ port for the' fiscal year ending June 30, '1946.

One change occurred during the year in the Board membership. Richard H. Edwards, who was appointed to fill the unexpired term occa­ sioned by the death of Frederic H. Fay in 1944, rendered brief bu.t con­ structive service until October 1945 when he was succeeded by Robert C. Nordblom who was appointed for the six-year period ending September 18, 1951.

For purposes of- convonience in carrying fonm,rd its dotailed studies, the Board has divided tho State into sevon planning regions as follows:

1. Berkshire Region including all of BerkshJre County (two cities and thirty towns)

2. Connecticut Valley Region including all of Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden Counties (f:'ve cities and sixtJ-~our tmms)

3. Worcester County Region includi~ all of Worcester County plus eight adjoining towns in Middlesex County (five cities and sj.xty-three towns)

4. Merr:1mac Region (throe cities and twenty-four towns)

5. Massachusetts Bay and Environs (nineteen citiefl and eighty-one towns)

6. Bristol-Plymouth Region (five cities and twenty-seven towns)

7. Cape Region including Martha's Vineyard and Is lands (twenty-three towns),

These seven rogions together comprise the thirty-nlne cities and three hundred and twelve towns totaling threo hund.red and fifty-one muni­ cipaJJ,tios in the Commonwealth. Within these regiono studiea are being carri~ covering all the elements of a comprehonoive plan. A report has been issued on an Airport Program for Region #5 - Massachusetts Bay and Environs. This is discussed in the> Aviation section of the repor't. A comprehensive report was issued on tho Worceotor County Region in 1940.

TRANSPORT

Higlmays , 'Threo staff members have continued to serve with the Engineers' Committee of the Post War Highway Commission in its development of a pro­ gram of traffic reliof for the State [In(i in particular for the Metropolitan District. In this connection further studies of tho prp -2- \ < posed Boston Central Artery and related projects have been carried on. The lif,e of this commission was extended and its scope extended by Chapter 91 of the Resolves of the current year.

The Commission caused to be prepared legislation which was finally enacted as Chapter 562 of the Acts of 1946 providing for the creation of the Mystic River Bridge Authority, authorized and empowered to construct, J maintain, repair and operate a high-level toll bridge over the Mystic Riv­ er and the tracks of the Boston and Maine Railroad between Boston and Chel­ sea. The proposed structure will be the first high-level bridge in Metro­ politan Boston and will be financed fram tolls without cost to the state or to the municipalities involved.

Legislation providing for the construction of a stmilar bridge was ; recommended by the Division of Metropolitan Planning in 1941 • . The bridge has been the subject of cont:J.nu1ng study in the intorvening years. In the present instance the Board collaborated by furniehing plans, esttmates and technical infonnation to the Post War Highway Commission, a.t the same ttme carrying on studies of new highway routes as approaches to the proposed structure.

Legislation was introduced by the Board providing for an addition­ al traffic tunnel to East Boston to supplement the already over-crQwded Sumner Tunnel. This resulted in enactment of Chapter 567 of the acts of the current year which authorizes and directs the Department of Public Works to provide for the preparation of the necessary plans for the additional tube, with the further provision that arrangements should be made to have the Boston Transit CommiSSion, acting under the supervision and in behalf of the Department of Public Works, p-arfonn the work authorized'. It is fur­ ther provided in order to meet the cost of such plan preparation that a sum not exceeding $500,000 may be a.ppropriated in equal amounts during the next two years. This insures the first step toward the completion of this very necessary project.

Studies of the proposed East Boston express highwa.y .recommended by the Board aD a part of its legislative program in 1945 were continued end conferences were arranged with interested agencies looking towa.rd the cor­ relation of this project with the proposed traffic tunnel, the Logan Air­ ~ort development, the rapid transit extension and the proposed recreation­ al areas in the East Boston district.

Legislation authorizing the appropriation of $150,000 for the prep­ aration of plans by the Metropolitan District Commission for the parkway ~ along the Boston side of tho Charles River Basin from Embankment Road to a point west of Ch[~lesgate was enacted in the form of Chapter 572 of the Acts of 1946. This project has been the subject of consideration by State and City agencies for the last twenty years. It was the subject of spe­ cial investigation by the Ch arles Ri·ver Basin Commission in 1928 and laner , by the Division of Metropolitan Planning, by the State Planning Board and by its ongineers working in cooperation with sub-committeos of the Post War Highway Commission. All of tbis material will be made available to the Metropolita.n District COImJ1ission for its information.

Tho'· following log101o.t1vo .'lcto prov1do for'traff10 .rc11of 1n Boo· ton c..nd tho b1+lb on wb10b the;r 'Woro br.acd b~d the' [',pprovn1 and ·cctiv:o GUp­ port of the Bo c~rd: .' , -3-

Chapter 294 - An act autborizing the city of Boston to lease space for an und_erground garage for the park­ ing of motor vehicles under Boston Common, Charles Street and the Public Gardens.

Cbapter 474 - .An act authorizing off-street parking facil­ ities in the city of ~oston.

Neponset Rive.r. Valley

The Legislature) by Chapter 48 of the Resolves of the current year, directed the Board to make an investigation relative to providing for tbe improvement of the Neponset River Valley between Hancock Street in Q.uincy and Green Lodge Street in Canton for re.cr~ational 3IJ.d other pUl1 poses. The study will involve an invest:l.gation as to tbe feasibility of :uuproving tbe Neponset River Valley by tbe constrnction of a parh.--way and related im­ provements.

Cooperation with tbe Metropolitan 'l'ransit Recess Comm:i.iils:i.on bas been continued in connection with its stu.dies of rapid transit develop­ ment in the Boston Metropolitan Dis·trict. rfhe life of this commission wa.s extended and the scope of its in>.~estigatlons and stud:i.es increased by Chapter 54 of the Resolves of' tho current year.

As a result of furtl1er investigation of tbe proposed Ea.st Beston rapid transit extension the Cba:trmnn fUed, on bebalf of tho Boord, a bill provid:i.ng for further extension of the route to Orient Heights. Chapter 692 of the Acts of 191~5 provided for that portion between Maver­ ick Square and Day Square at an ostimated cost of $5,(00)000. The bill for the further extenSion) introcllwed. by the Board, W!:lS enacted as Chap­ ter 494 of the Acts of 191~6. It prov:1.des for the carrying of the work to Orient Heights at a total estimated cost of $8,500,000.

The Board continued its studies of the a1rport needs of the Com­ monwealth, cooperat:tng with the Massachusetts Aerona,utics Cormnission and keeping its contacts .,ith tho CivU Aerona.utics Administration.

Some stat istica.l reports .Iere prepa.red. at the request of munici­ palities and the Massaclmsdtts Aeronautic8 Commission to show .,by cer­ ta.in municipal"jtjes should have airp.ort facilities. stuqJes were made of various 10c3ttons in response to requ.ests by several towns and as the result of conrerenees with returned veteran flyers.

Conferenccs have been att ended at which the Civi.l Aeronautics Ad­ mtnistration program for the State ha.s been discussed. Federal fupds will shortly be available to a.id in the State I s airport development.

A report was prepared {3,nd published) entitled "Airport Program for Massachusetts Bay and Environs") in which a forecast is ma.de indi­ cating the future owner8hip of private planes in the one hundred cities and tmms including and surrounding Bo£ton, and suggesting the need and locations for new airp:)rt sites to care for the growing demand in the next ten years. 'rhJs l'8port contains cleven malls, several charts and about forty paGes of text and is availa.ble to thODe interested in a.via.­ tion. -4- WATER

. FloOd Control

Of the twenty flood control dams and reservoirs recommended by the Army Engineers in 1937 and authorized by Congress in 1938 for the protec­ of the Ba.sin, five are in Massachusetts, as follows:

1 - Knightville Dam and Reservoir on the Westfield River in the town of Huntington. This has ·been completed.

2 - Birch Hill Dam anci Reservoir on the Millers River in the towns of Wtnchendon and Royalston. This has been complete. ed.

3 - Tully Dam and Reservoir on the M:lllors River in the town of Royalston. Fund.s for the construction of this reservoir have been appropriated. by the Fed.oral Govern"nent.

4 - Barre Falls Dam and Reservoir on the in the towns of Barre, Hubbardston and Rutland.

5 - West Brookfield Dam and Reservoir on the Quabog River in tbe town of BrookfJeld.

Of the seven flood-control dams and reservoirs recommended by the Army Engineers ::i.n 1940 and authorized by Congress in 19l~l, for tho protec­ tion of the Tlwmes River Bas:Ln, four are jr1 Massachusetts, as follows:

1 - East Brimfield Dam and. Reservo:tr on the Q,u:1.~ebaug River in the towns of Brimfield and Holland.

2 - Westville Dam and Reservoir on tbe Quinebaug R::i.ver in the town of Sturbrtdge.

3 - Buffumville Dam and Reservo::i.r on the Little R5.ver (a tributary of the French River) in the town of Charlton.

4 - Hodges V:illage Dam and Reservoj.r ··on the Frencll R::i.ver in the town of Oxford.

A project for flood control on the Blackstone River in tlle towns of Upton, Northbridge and Uxbridge known as the 1.Jest Hill Reservoir is under consideration by the Army Engineers.

In accordance with the policy adopted in the amend.ed flood control act and the rivers and harbors act in 1941~ to recoe;nize the rigbts and j.n­ terests of the states in determining t}]e develolJment of the watersheds wUhtn their borders, the Army Engineers, qefore proceeding wit.h any

authorized project i requeat the approval of the Governor, who in turn has designated the Chairman of tbe State Planning Board as the official representative· of the COImnonwealth to handle for him matters in connect:i.on wUh flood control and navigation investlcat:lons.

Conforrdng to the established, polley) the Army Engineers have re­ quested the aPP:NJVal of tbe followi.ne proJects: -5- . . . Tully Dam and .Reservoir, Royalston Buffumville Dam., . and Reservoir, Charlton Westville Dam' and Reservoir, Sturbridge

On each of these projects, the Board has made its own investigat10n and has held a public bearing in the area in which the project is proposed to be located, in order to determine the local sentiment. It has conveyed to the Goverr.19r Hs fC?'rina~ a:p~roval . on the Tully and on the Buffumville Reservoirs. ·A dec~sion has not' 'yet been made on tbe vlestvil1e Dam. Con­ siderable local opposition was indicated at the hearing due to the effect upon the town of Sturbridge. This pro.iect is also closely allied to the East Brimfield Dam and Reservoir in the towns of Brimfield and Holland which has not yet officially corne before the Boa.rd.

At the re<+uest of Governor Bald.win of Connecticut, the Governors of the New England states J officia1s of those states concer'ned with flood con­ trol problems and representativos of the Army Engineers met in H.J.rtford, Connect icut on Octob er 22 and. 23, 1945 to cons i.(le1' ways and means of expe­ diting the flood control program. On October 23 the ]\Tew EnGland Interstate Flood Control Committee was voted into existence. It was a.greed that each of the Governors would appo1nt not more than three representatives to this committee and that its lJurpose would l)e coo~!Ercation among the states, and cooperation in advis ing .1ith the Fuderal autbol'ities, particularly with the Army Engineers in d0vising ways and means of going forward with the flood control program in New England in a manner best serving the public welfare and at tbe same time meeting inconvenience and loss to indiv.iduals and indiv:ld.ual communities. Tbe Governor of t-1assacbusetts' named as his representatives on this committee the Cbairman of the State Planning Board, the Director of the Division of Water~IaYf:! of tl1e Department of Public Works and the Attorney General. Similar committee members bave been appointed in the other NeTII England states, meetings have been held, sub-committees ha.ve been appointed and are functioning, ancl the work generally is going abead on a regional basis.

Prior to the war, at tbe req.H est of the Ne.l England Reg10nal Plan­ ning Commiss ion, eacb of the GOV01"nOrS of tbe New Enr;lanc3 statGs named a State Committee for Cl8.ssHicatton of tb8 State's Waters. Tbe Cbief En­ gineer of this Board was namod by the Governor as a member of the Commit­ tee for tbis State. Classificat10n as to use .las tbe system adoDted by the New England states} as follo.18:

Class A - I-Tators used as sources of dri.nlcing water Class B - \{aters us eo. for bathlng Class C - Waters used for recreational boating and fishing, and indust:cial suppl y after treat~ ment Class D - Waters used pri.YJ1arily. for connnercial nEwi"' gation or transporta.tion of wa stes .dth­ out nuisance Class E - Waters seriously polluted or 'V18.ters in a category below Class D

The war :interrupted this work. Classification ha.s, however, been completed in tho Housatonic ~ the Connecticut. and the Tbames Basins J both in Massachusetts and. Cormecticut. Since V -J Day, classification bas been -6-

nearly completed in the other Massachusetts river basins and it is hoped that Vermont and New Hampshire will soon have completed the classifica­ tion of all of their rivers and 1n particular the interstate systems of the Connecticut and the Merrimac Rivers.

Navigation

The following projects referred to the Governor under the Rivers and Harbors Act were reviewed by this Boa.rd and in' each Cl!'!Se thh Board con­ curred with the recommendations of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors:

Fall River Harbor Essex raVel' Hog Island H:in{sham Ba;)'

Reports on the following projects affecting navigation have been referred to the BOBrd:

Falmoutb Harbor Boston IIar1)or IpS\~icb RJver Mattapoisett Harbor Taunt on River

Conclusions on these have not been reached..

During the past year, as previously, the Board continued its lo­ cal planning advisory program providing consultat1cJl1 (Jervices, encour­ agement and advice to [.,11 connnunit Ies whetber or not they bave an offi­ cia1 planning board or zoning cormn:i.ttee. nequests for :lnformation and data were received from one hundred 8,ncl twenty cit ies and. tOvTnS, or slightly over one-third of the communities in the State. About sJxty per cent of these reg.uests dealt wHb zoning matters and. forty per cent with :9lann:i.ng matters, prj.nc:tpally concerning the preparatj_on of a mas­ ter plan and the regulation of subd.:i.v:i.sion developments.

Assistance has been rendered to several communHies in the prep­ aration or rovision of zoning ordinances, particularly by reviewing the regulations prepared locally and wHbout tecbnical help. In tbis work the staff has been a.ble to help in the rearrangement and re-pbras ing of clauses and wordiI1t"; so tbat contradictions of tbe State Zoning Enabling Act bave been avoid.ed.

Several requests bave been made by communities for information on particular pbases of zoning and as a result of tbese requests, analyr ses of existing zoning l a:v18 were made to obtain this information. ' One sucb analyses, "Excerpts from Massa chusetts Zoning Ordinances Governing Removal of Earth Products", was made :In conaldei,"able detail. Late in the year an snalysis prevJously mad.e by tbe staff, "Minimum Lot Area Regulations",vlB.s revisect extena:i.vely 8.n(l brougbt up to date, tbere being at that time eigbty-nine zoned communitIes regulating the size of lots. Tbis latter analys1s will be publishec. In full in a fortbcoming issue of irA Planning Fonun " .. This periodical publlsbed and distrlbuted by the Board -7- to local plann1ng board members a:qd others interested in the field of plan­ ning, was issued only once during the past year. This issue, devoted to the subject of population in the Sta.te, is further described in the indus­ try section of th1s report. It is now the intention of the Board to re­ sume regular issuance of this publication.

The local planning and zoning section of the Board's library has been further expanded. It contains now a nearly complete file of zoning by-laws 'and ordinances, together with many building codes, subd1vision regulations, capital budgets, planning board reports, and planning stud­ ies. From this material, reports and maps illustrating planning 1nvento­ ries, master plans, ' project plans, and legal controls were carefully se": lected and consolidated into an office display illustrating, by actual Massachusetts examples, the various steps in making a community plan.

During the past year the Board has coopera.ted with the Massachu­ setts Federation of Plannine; Boards in connection with a regional meeting held in Westfield September lL~, and the annual meeting of the Federation held in Greenfield Octo"ber 26 and 27.

Chapter 43 of the Resolves of .the year 1946 autborized and direct­ ed the Board to make a study of the zoning laws in force in towns on the outskirts of cities having a population of mOl'e than 50,000 w.ith a view to determining the amount of area availa"ble for housing development. The cooperation of local planning "board.s will be sought j.n connection with ,. specific data, in adrlition to the general information available from other sources.

At the close of the year there were in Massa.chusetts one hundred and twenty-three cities and towns having zoning by.,.laws or ordinances, or an increase of six over a yea.r ago. These connnunities represent about eighty-five per cent of the tota.l popula.tion of the Commonwealth. Only one city was without zoning [l nd in that case an ordinance "VIas in prepara­ tion. There were in existence one hundred and seventy local planning boards in cities and towns, representing over ninety per cent of the State's population. This is an :incl~e a se of eleven "boards since a year ago.

The following leg islation, enacted to ameliorate ' the houaing s:f.t.ua·' tion, has a clefinite bearing on the functions of the Board, particularly as they affect local planning:

Chapt~r 592 - An act to facilitate and encourage the provid­ ing of homes during the present emergency.

This act esta.blishes the Emergency Housing Commission to serve durO: ' ing the present emergency, which is defined a.s two years from tbe effective date of the act unless changed "by the Legislature. The membership of the commission is as follows: A chairman to be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Council;the Ch a irman of tIle State Board of Housing; the Chairman of tbe State Planning Board; the Commissioner of Labor and Industries; and the Commissioner of Public Safety.

The commiss ion has tvlofold povlers:

(1) Upon appeal by any person aGgrieved by the refusal of a local zontng board of appeals or of a local building board of appeals to reverse any order or decision of any -8,... inspector of buildings or other administrative offi­ cial having similar duties, the Comm1ssion, by an affirmative vote of four of its members, may reverse such order or decision, decide in favor of the appli~ cant or effect such variance.

(2) 1'0 expedite the construction of housing of all types 1n the Commonwealth, with special priority to the needs of veterans, and to insure an equitable flow into the Commonwealth of building materials which are short in supply.

Chapter 372 - An act to provide housing for veterans of World War II.

This act authorizes cities and towns to provide housing for veterans. It also authorizes 'Boards of Appeal from the decisions of the inspector of buildings, in tmir discretion to sllspend the operation of statutes, ordi­ nances, bylaws and regulations relating to tmo/n planning and the subdivi­ sion and use of land. It defines the period of the emergency as five years from the effect:tve date of the act unless cbanged by the Legislature.

Chapter 574 - An act to relate the housing autllority to Fed.eral leg­ islation.

In the section of this act devoted to land assembly and redevelop­ ment projects, it is provided that the State Board of Housing shall not approve the project lmless the local pIanning board slIil have found that the redevelopment plan 1s based upon a local survey and conforms to a comprehensive plan for the locality as a whole.

Chapter 561 - An act relaxing the terms of ordinances or bylaws restrict:i.ng tbe use and occupation of two and- one-:­ half story houses.

This act permits a board of appea.ls establ:lshed under the zoning enabling act to permit a two and one-ha.lf story house to be used by three families for a period of tw9. years from the passa.ge of the act.

INDUSTRY

The abrupt termination of the war in Europe greatly increased the number of inquir1es to our industr:i.al division. IndJ.cations as to the speed of reconversion, prospective volume of employment 1n specHic 10- calit1es and witb regard to specific industries, trends of population movement and local consumer bu;)'1n8 power were the primary source of con­ cern. Fortunately studies previously made provided the necessary ground­ work for this service, foJ:' in general the State's reconversion to peace economy followed very nearly the course that earlier studies, based large­ ly upon tbe experience following World IVaI' I, had indicated.

A s:imilarly abrupt termination of the war with Japan supplied abun­ dant Jt1cs t of t.he studies and plans for reconversion E!S far as the mana.ge­ ment of industry in Massachusetts was concerned. Tbeir preparations were effective, for the decline in factory employment after V-J Day lasted on­ ly about one month. 81.nce then, except for tbe interruption of strikes ea~ly in 1946, the trend has been upward. -9-

Availability of the State census of 1945 afforded a good bench­ mark against which to calculate postwar movements of population, and also to verify the prevailing trends prior to that year. A comparison of the population for each city a.nd town in the Commonwealth between 1935 and 1945 was published in the January 1946 issue of the Board's "Planning Forum" together with interpretative maps and dicussion. This study ha.s been much in demand.

To keep the public informed a.s to the current trend of business in: Maassachusetts specifically, the Board's index of industrial activity is published each month. It includes as component factors the index of industrial employment issued by the Department of Labnr and Industries, the floor area of new building construction, cOnsrunl)tion of electric . current, pairs of shoes m.'3,nufacturerd, and cotton text:i.le mill activity, thus serving in a general way as a roflector of the entire bU.siness of the State.

With the sarno purpose of interesting tho people of the Commonwealth in their own State, the staff also issues each week a. page of miscellaneous facts entitled "Do You Know Maassacbusetts?" whicb js regularly published by a.bout fifty local newspapers. In add.ition to matters of genera.l or historic interest, each release includes a reference to some specific planning or zoning activity. The release is used by some 400 school teachers in the State as a source of information.and. suggestions of topics for class discussion.

In order to provide more adequate b each res ervat ions for tbe us e, enjoyment and betterment of the health and wel+.are of tl1e people of tbe Commonwealth, the Board has for some years past recommended tbat tbe Commiss ioner of Conservation bo authorized to acg,uire over a period of years, and subsequently d.evelop, s:Lx ocean beaches; These were as follows:

Horse Neck Beach, also lmown as ivestport Beach, in the town of Westport

Duxbury Beach, In tbe towns of Duxbury and Marshfield

Scusset Beach, in the town of Sandwich

Poponesset Beach, in the town of Mashpee

Harding's Beach, in the tmm of Chatham

Wingaersbeek Beach, in the city of Gloucester

Legislation to implement this program has been introduced by tbe Board from year to year.

This past year, the Board recommended that one of these beaches, namely Horse Neck Beach in the town of Westport, be acquired. as a fJrst step in tbe ocean beach program and. introduced a bill for its ac~uisition, -10-

House No. 99 of 1946. It was considered tbat tbis beacb, wbicb would serve tbe cities of New Bedford and Fall River togetber "lith surrounding towns, would provide a much needed facility in a region containing no State- owned "18.terfront recreat:lonad. op-pbrtunity.

Follmli.ng a legislative hearing before the (jommittee on Harbors and Public Land s , and at tbe suggestion of the committee, the staff, on tbe basis of field. study, prepared a preliminary development plan for the beacb . Tbis plan included the area of taking, proposals for initial and ult1mate development of roads, parking areas, batpbouses and otber features, a consideration of tbe problems of access and estimates of cost . La.ter a second public bearing was beld by tbe Legisla.tive Committee, -on this occ8,sion in the Town Hall of Westport. Considerable local Ol)Position was expressed to tbe project principally because of the increased traffic ex­ pected througb tho village of \{estport Point . As a result House 99 was given Next Annual Session by the J... ogls1ature.

'}'be second undertaking by the Board in the field of recreation was in connection with the so-callod "Tourway Map" :previously prepared by the Board and distributed by the Massachusetts Development and Ind.ustrial Commission. This map, as originally prepared., showed by distlnctive symbols, supplemented by a descriptive table, outstanding public recrea­ tional areas, facilities and points of interest. It also designated major scenic routes suitable for leisurely touring as opposed to bigh-speed travel. These "Tourway" routes were numbered and correspondingly marked in the field with distinctive route markers erected and maintained by the Department of Public Works . During tbe war these markers were removed and present budgetary limitations prevent their re-erection at this time. The map accordingly was revised this past year omitting the tourway routes a.nd at the same time adding to the data on recreational areas . The revised map was transmitted to the Massachusetts Development and Industrial Com­ mission for publication and distr:i.bution. In ViC"l of the great interest in the tour.laY routes, as evidenced by recent requests for information concerning them, it is hoped that it will be poss1ble to have the route markers re-erected. If tbis is done tbe T6urway Map will be revised accordingly.

As directed by cba.pter 47 of the Resolves of 19!~5, the Board conducted an investigation of recreational fa.cilities in the East Boston district, having pa.rticularly 1n mind the replacement of the cUy-owned play areas to be taken by the State for the Logan Airport development. Two such areas, namely the Am erim!. Playe;round and the World War Memorial Park are to be taken. As a result of the Boa.rd' s study, recommendations were made for tbe construction of a recreation area containing approximately thirteen acres in tbe airport approach intercbange n oar Porter Street to replace the present Amerina Playground. and a. beach and play area containing approximately thirty-four acres near Orient Heights to replace World Wa.r Memorial Park.

These recommendations were accepted and chapter 516 of the acts of the current year directs the Department of Public Works at an expendi­ ture of $1,300,000 to proceed in accordance with the recommendations of the Board. -11-

COOPERA'T]ON

The Chairman served as permanent chairman of a two..;day conference sponsored by the American Society of Planning Officials, held in Chicago in July 194:3. 'rhis was a discussion conference for Sta.te Planning offit" cials and the sub,iects covered included the channelling of Federal funds for aid to local planning boards and fi.J)r airports, flood control and other matters of particular interest to such officials.

The America.n Planning and Civic Association held its annual con­ ference in Dallas, Texas, AIJril 21, 22, 23 and 21~, 19~6. The Chairman at­ tended this conference by delegation of the Governor.

The Chairman serves as a Director of the American Society of Plan­ ning Officials and has participated in D:lrectors' and open meetings as scheduled.

Pursuant to action taken at tha meeting of repl~esentatives of the forty-three cities and towns of tlJe Boston Metropc,litan D:t.strlct on June 1, 191}6, called by this Board. by direction of the Governor for the purpose of considering the winning proposals for metropolitan Jmprovements in a pri­ vately sponsorred coml')etitlon, known as the Boston Contest) a. committee of five was' named by the Governor to work '\oIitb a State groupj consisting of the Chairman of this Board., the Cbairman of tbe Metropolitan District Com­ mission and the C'bief SanHary Engineer of the Department of Pliblic Health. This committee was directed to bring in reconrrnendations for future meetings of the repres entat ives of Metro;)oli ta,n Govel'nments, a plan of organizat ion and means of effectuating It. 'l'he Governor in his inaug.ural message to the Legisla.ture recommended the creation of a Conference of Metrol)olitan Gov­ ernments made up of the heads of the governments of the constituent cities and towns. The recommended purpose of the Conference was the studying of Boston Metropolita.n problems and, tbe making of s.pt)cific recommendations to the Legislature on matters of Metropolita.n interest . The Legislature did not accept this recommenda.tion.

The Chairman was nomed by the Governor to serve as a member of the special legislative committee established to study the laws relative to outdoor advertising. T11is committee reported to the 191~6 -session of tb~ Legisl ature, recommending the creaU.on of an outdoor adverttsing authority and d.efining its povl ers and duties. The recommendation was accepted and ena.cted as Chapter 612 of the Acts of tlJe current year.

The Chajrman continues to servo, as provided by legislative enact­ ment, as a member of tbe Commission on Interstate Cooperation and as a member of the Emergency Public Works Commission.'

'rhe Board Js represented, on the Devel~ment Commit­ tee J the Chairman serving as a member of the Executive Committee.

Service contacts with. individuals hE).ve been of frequent occurrence throughout' the , year.

In the promotion of planning, numerous groups 11ave been address~")d on the work of the Board. 'l'his has included two radio addresses by a staff mamber. -12-

MliPS

Maps published by the Board have been furnished to Federal, state and municipal agencies at the cost of printing, mailing anci handling, ac­ cording to established custom.

T'he demand has continued for the Land Use series of maps of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth. Land Utilization maps from this series have been used during the past year by the Department of Conserva­ tion, Division of vlildlife Research and Management, in determining areo.s of proper cover for the propagation .of wildlife. This division checked the maps on the ground and found them to be substantIally accurate.

['he following maps have r'(;Geived wide distribution:

Cit1es, Towns and. Counties in Massacbusetts Outline map published on three scales

The Boston Metropolitan Districts Outline map published on two scales

The Boston Metropolitan District Detl'J,Ued map publisbed on three scales

Ma.ps have also been prepared showing citles and towns having plan­ ning boards and/or ,zoning; cit.ies and towns having soil removal regulationsj and a map showing drainage bas :Lns of tho rivers of the Connnonwealth. Sever­ al maps have also been prepared and released in the Board's report, "Air­ port Program for Massachusetts Bay and Environs". Maps entitled "Population Change in Massachusetts 1935-194.5" and "Ch a.nge in Population in Boston by Wards 1935-1945" were published in an cclit:i.on of the Planning Forum issued in January 1946.

At the request of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Connnission the Board prepared a map of the Commonwealth entitled ".Alrports and Landing Fields in Massachusetts "" This map was distrilmted by the Commission.

At the request of the lv1assac1lUsetts Development and Industrial Com­ mission the Board again prepared the Tourist Ma.p of Massachusetts. This was the third edition prepared by the Board. It viaS distributed by the De­ velopment and Industrial Commission.

At the reg.uest of the Massaclmsetts Committee for the Un.ited Na­ tions, tho Board prepared maps showing possible sltes for the United Na­ tions' headquarters, assembled compGsite topogra.phic maps of the areas under consideration, and served as a repository for maps and data submit- ted by various cities and towns. .

In connection with House Bill 235 which would have provided for an aerial survey of the Commonwealth, representatives of the Board conferred with representatives of other State departments to determine the aerial mapping needs of the Commonwealth. Agreement vl8.s reached on extent of cov­ erage, altitude and season of flights, characteristics of film, etc. Thi~ bill, however, did not become law. . -13-

The United States Geological Survey has continued the publication of geological plates on the seven and one-half minute series. One hundred forty plates, seventy-five perce.nt of an eventual one hundred. elghty-seven, have been published in final form. These plates have proved to be of great value in the preparation of maps, particularly of the smaller. to'Wns. 'J'be Board publisbed a description of tbe metbod of using these plates in the preparation of municipal maps entitled "Map Making in TlJree Ea.sy Steps". The publication had 'Wide distribution and maps have been made by several to'Wns using tbe method described. 'fbis publication incladed the index map of geo­ logical plates previously publisbed but brought up-to-d.ate . TlJjs map fills the need of a detailed and accurate index of the plates for Massachusetts.

A map Sbovling the judic 181 d.istricts into which the State is divid­ ed 'Was prepared for the Joint Legislative Committee on Judiciary and copies 'Were distributed to the melilbers.

The follo'Wing is a statement of e.pproPi:':i.ations and. expenditures for the fiscal year - July 1, 1945 to Juno 30, 191f6:

Balance

Personal Services $' )+5 ,720.00 $ 45,409.39 $ 310.61 Expenses 10.,000.00 9,901.39 98.61

Departmental Income 277.76

Financial Statement Verified October 28, 1946 By W:i.ll iam Cohen For the Comptroller

Approved for Publishing Fred A. Monce'Wicz Comptroller

Respectfully submitted

State Pla.nnj.ng Board

Elisabeth M. Herl1hy Richard K. Hale • Cha5.rmrm De:p a:('t1l1cnt of 1?u.blic Works Henry I. Harrims.n Vla.do M. Getting, M. D. Frank W. Howard Commissioner of Public Health James A. Britton Arcbibald K. Sloper John L. Robbjns ComnHss ioner of Conservation Robert C. Nordblom Williom T. Morrissey, Commiss ioner Metropolitan District Commission