TABLE J.-Relationships between other planning operations in area and metropolitan planning agencies, by jurisdiction

TABLE K.-Relationships between nonplanning regional units in area and metropolitan planning agencies, by jurisdiction

Average number of regional nonplanning units in area.. 2.5 (77) 2.9 (24) 2.2 (29) 2.4 (24)

Regional nonplanning units in area, by function..

(75)

33

(23)

(24)

(28)

13

10

6242115RUE R

0

14

10

1

1

3

6

area.

General advice and consultation.

75

(88) 23

(22)

(29)

(18)

14

3706008432

TABLE L.—Publio relations activities of metropolitan planning agencies, by jurisdiction

TABLE M.-Powers and authority of metropolitan planning agencies, by jurisdiction

TABLE N.-Strengths and weaknesses of metropoltan planning agencies and suggestions for Federal action, by jurisdiction

APPENDIX B

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND STAFF REQUIREMENTS OF A METROPOLITAN PLANNING AGENCY

INTRODUCTION

This section of the report outlines in detail the nature of the duties, data requirements, and staff needs of a model metropolitan planning agency. The proposals herein are illustrative, rather than definitive and are meant to stimulate the framers of appropriate Federal legislation and State enabling acts and to guide the developers of a metropolitan planning agency, with due recognition of varying local conditions and circumstances. Although the bulk of this section is devoted to an "ideal" agency, a more modest one is briefly outlined to provide an alternative perspective.

If metropolitan planning is to be useful, it must be primarily concentrated on issues that are clearly of area wide significance. It should avoid either reviewing or arbitrating disputes between private development interests and a single locality. It should be wary of involvement in disputes between localities, unless they involve issues affecting a larger area. A metropolitan planning board should lend its weight to broad policy decisions and give technical advice only where it is clearly competent; otherwise, it may render itself ineffective on political or technical grounds.

The subsequent list of agency responsibilities should be reviewed and modified in light of area wide conditions before they can be used as practical guides for metropolitan action. The allocation method employed was to subdivide each functional area mentioned in various legislative acts into their component parts. A standard terminology was employed to indicate the action a metropolitan planning agency might take concerning area wide and intergovernmental issues. These actions fall into two broad categories: those necessary to guide overall regional development and those providing service to existing governments or public and private operating agencies at all levels. The first category includes the terms:

Review response required.-Any operating agency proposing a project in a specified functional area would be required to submit the project outline and plans to the metropolitan agency. In turn, the metropolitan agency would be required to review the project and return a critique to the submitting agency. Finally, the submitting agency would be required to formally answer any questions or criticisms put to it. Where applicable, if there are no metropolitan implications at stake, the metropolitan agency may simply review and inform the submitting agency that there are no metropolitan questions to be answered.

742-469-64 -10

Review response requested.-Functional projects of this category must be submitted to the metroplitan agency for review. The metropolitan agency may, but is not required to, make pertinent comments to the submitting agency, or may raise questions for its own information. The submitting agency is not required to formally answer any questions, although informal discussions should be encouraged.

Referral for information and possible comments.-The metropolitan agency may request information from operating agencies. Such action places no obligation of review on the metropolitan agency. There is no requirement for either party to maintain this dialog beyond the transfer of information for the metropolitan agency's use.

The second category includes:

Metropolitan action (specified).-Functional areas designated within the enabling legislation require specific actions by the metropolitan agency.

Suggested metropolitan standards.-This designation obliges, but does not absolutely require the metropolitan agency to suggest functional standards applicable to the entire region. Whether or not the agency will provide standards depends upon the agency's relation with the operating agencies involved and their technical competence to do so.

Provide information.-The metropolitan agency should provide information relating to metropolitan development to operating, or other public or private agencies.

It should be noted that none of these categories connotes operating controls or a quasi-judicial status for a metropolitan planning agency. Professional planners usually do not possess the specific technical knowledge of officials in existing operating agencies. They should supplement, not supplant, the authorized decisionmakers. Their major contribution to the conduct of urban affairs can be in advising responsible agencies as to the implications of their actions in relation to the actions of others. If and when physical planning matures to the point where concerted action in all functional areas can be planned with confidence in the final results, an operating role might be assumed. Until then, an essentially advisory role should be sufficient to eliminate the duplication of planning services, to point out the adverse consequences of uncoordinated action, and to promote coordination of local, State, and Federal programs to achieve development objectives. Within these general limits, the staff of a metropolitan planning agency might undertake seven major duties.

Plan formulation.-The agency should prepare a comprehensive metropolitan plan against which various development policies and plans can be measured. The contents of a comprehensive plan for the metropolitan area will be dictated by the nature and detail of the reviews outlined in the following section. The plan report should include first a description and critique of the study area evaluating its present and future course of functional and physical development 1 and how closely these developments complement each other.

1

1 The area might be specified by a State planning board on the basis of a multiple index covering work trips, telephone calls, delivery areas, existing intertown compacts, the existing limits of regional operating agencies, population density distribution, land values radiating from the central city, etc. In general, however, it should cover both the area already under urban development as well as the area anticipated for development over the next few decades. Thus the area will have to be revised periodically.