1949–2009: PAS ReportsCelebrating 60 Years of Research and the Planning Advisory Service 2009 marks the centennial of planning, but did you also know it's been 60 years since the publication of the first PAS Report? APA's Research Department and Planning Advisory Service are honoring this important milestone by exploring the past six decades of PAS Reports. We've gone through the PAS archives and selected 12 early reports to share online — one per month — through March 2010. These historic reports shed light on the state of the profession and the important planning issues of those earlier times. You may be surprised how much has changed — and how much is still the same!  No. 1: Building Lines, Mapped Streets, Set Backs, Front Yards (1949)The first bulletin of what would become the PAS Report series was created in response to "many inquiries concerning the establishment of building placement lines." The report offers definitions and case law, discusses eminent domain and the police power, and summarizes state legislation. No. 3: Titles and Salaries of Selected Planning Positions (1949)This 1949 report lists salaries for a range of planning positions — from Director of Planning to Associate Planner to "City Plan Effectuator" — from a number of U.S. cities classified by population. No. 5: Conversions of Large Single-Family Dwellings to Multiple-Family Dwellings (1949)This 1949 report surveys zoning regulations devised by many communities to provide for single-family to multifamily conversions and to address the potential impacts of increased density on these formerly single-family districts. No. 6: Architectural Controls (1949)In 1949, PAS surveyed the 40 municipalities reported to have some type of architectural control. This report summarizes the results, providing a historic snapshot of early aesthetic zoning regulations from across the country. No. 15: Self-Service Gasoline Stations (1950)Back when gas cost 5 cents a gallon, self-service gasoline stations were a controversial issue. Fear of fires and explosions caused by inexperienced motorists attempting to fill their own tanks led some cities and states to ban self-service. No. 19: The Planning Commission — Its Composition and Function (1950)In the summer of 1950, PAS surveyed 60 selected city and county planning agencies about their planning commissions. This report provides a detailed snapshot of who was involved in the local planning process more than half a century ago. No 26: The Journey to Work: Relation Between Employment and Residence (1951)This report from the early 1950s reviews journey-to-work studies to determine what "price" people are willing to pay for a job in terms of commuting time and cost. No. 34: The Special District: A New Zoning Development (1952)An exploration of a cutting-edge zoning development of the early 1950s. The special district began to break down the "airtight" tripartite divisions of residential, commercial, and industrial use. | ||
