Master Plan


Does anyone know the politically correct replacement words for Master Plan? Expert Plan? Large Area Plan? Comprehensive Plan?

(an excerpt from Charlottesville City Council June 15, 1959 minutes)

A COMMUNICATION WAS PRESENTED FROM THE ALBEMARLE S. P. C. A. PROPOSING A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY UNDER WHICH THE S. P. C. A. WOULD CARE FOR THE CITY’S STRAY DOGS. ON MOTION BY MR. COLEMAN, SECONDED BY MR. SCRIBNER, THIS MATTER WAS REFERRED TO THE DOG COMMITTEE.

THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATION WAS PRESENTED:

JUNE 12, 1959

THE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE

GENTLEMEN:
THIS LETTER IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENTATION AND RELEASE OF THE CHARLOTTESVILLE MASTER PLAN ON JUNE 9, 1959 BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION. INCLUDED BELOW ARE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING PERTAINING TO THE MASTER PLAN.

THE MASTER PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION BY MR. ROBINSON WHO STATED THAT THE REPORT IS A CONDENSATION OF NINE INDIVIDUAL REPORTS PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED AND THE PLAN AS PRESENTED INCLUDES THE REVISIONS MADE BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE PLAN PROVIDES FOR A CONTROLLED AND BALANCED EXPANSION OF PHYSICAL FACILITIES
TO SERVE THE GROWING CITY AND FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EXISTING FACILITIES LEADING TO ELIMINATION OF SLUMS, TRAFFIC CONGESTION, AND INADEQUATE PARKING.
MR. ROBINSON FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAS ESPECIALLY ENJOYED HIS ASSOCIATION WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS, PUBLIC OFFICIALS, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS,
OFFICIAL BOARDS AND PRIVATE CITIZENS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE MASTER PLAN.
HE COMMENDED THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND RELATED CITY OFFICIALS FOR THEIR UNTIRING EFFORTS AND INTELLIGENT STUDY WHICH ARE REFLECTED IN THE PLAN.

ON MOTION BY MR. GRIGG, SECONDED BY MR. YOUELL, AND UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED, THE COMMISSION ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:

BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION WISHES TO CONGRATULATE THE FIRM OF HARLAND BARTHOLOMEW AND ASSOCIATES,
AND ESPECIALLY THE SERVICES OF ITS TWO FINE REPRESENTATIVES: MR. FREDERIC M. ROBINSON, ASSISTANT MANAGER OF THE SOUTHEASTERN OFFICE, AND MR. JOSEPH M. Ross, FIELD REPRESENTATIVE, WHO CONTRIBUTED SO EXPERTLY TO THE PREPARATION OF OUR MASTER PLAN. WE WISH TO EXPRESS TO THEM THE SINCERE APPRECIATION OF ALL FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

SINCERELY YOURS,

LORIN A. THOMPSON (SIGNED)
LORIN A. THOMPSON
CHAIRMAN

A MOTION BY MR. WEINBERG, SECONDED BY MR. COLEMAN, THAT THE MASTER PLAN BE RECEIVED AND THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION BE COMMENDED AND SINCERELY THANKED FOR THEIR MANY HOURS OF SERVICE AND VALUABLE ASSISTANCE IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS
REPORT WAS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.

THE CITY MANAGER REPORTED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PIGEONS IN THE CITY AND RECOMMENDED THAT AN ANTI PIGEON ORDINANCE BE CONSIDERED.

seasonal migration


Humans have a highly developed brain and are capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection, and problem solving. This mental capability, combined with an erect body carriage that frees the hands for manipulating objects, has allowed humans to make far greater use of tools than any other living species on Earth.–Wikipedia

(UVA’s finals exercises this weekend. Walking erect, smart phones in hand, they leave. We are all so sad.)

gizmos


gizmo  [giz-moh] noun. Definition: gadget
Synonyms: appliance, contraption, contrivance, device, doohickey, instrument, machine, mechanical device, thingamabob, thingamajig, tool, whatchamacallit, widget

sod it


One hears about road devolution, unfunded mandates and reductions in force. Insufficient funds at the state level. Why is there enough money for sod as University of Virginia beautifies for finals exercises this weekend.
Why not grass seed and straw in a time of austerity?

The cost of installing a lawn does vary depending upon how much work a homeowner is willing to do himself. It also depends upon the market. Price of sod can run between $0.50-$1.00 per square foot, with installation running between $150 and $300 per pallet. Grass seed costs about $0.01 per square foot. Installation varies widely depending upon the method used. Seed can be spread with rotary spreaders, or can be blown out of a hose with a material that keeps it in place. The cost of professional seeding is much lower than sodding, as it is less labor-intensive, and requires less energy to transport the materials.–lawncare.net

Alley


al·ley [al-ee] noun, plural al·leys.
1. a passage, as through a continuous row of houses, permitting access from the street to backyards, garages, etc.
2. a narrow back street.–Dictionary.com

Back before fire engines achieved the leadership role in urban design, back when streets were a part of the public commons, there were alleys. In Charlottesville several neighborhoods established before the apotheosis of the Automobile have alleys. The alley above is in Belmont, parallel to and north of Hinton Avenue.

Dear Charlottesville Planning Commission. Please consider the reintroduction of the alley into the urban form.