Shipstead-Luce Act
Open-knowledge reference entry
The Shipstead-Luce Act (Pub. L. 71–231, 46 Stat. 366, enacted May 16, 1930, codified at 40 U.S.C. § 9101), is an American statute which extended the authority of the United States Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) as a statutory independent agency within the United States federal government and allowed it to regulate the height, exterior design, and construction of private and semi-public buildings in parts of the District of Columbia.
Genesis of the act
At the establishment of the District of Columbia, President George Washington granted the government of the District the power to regulate architectural design and urban planning. These powers were suspended by President James Monroe in 1822.
In 1900, the United States Congress created the Senate Park Commission (also known as the "McMillan Commission" for its sponsor, Senator James McMillan (R-MI)) to reconcile competing visions for the development of Washington, D.C. and especially the monumental core, including the National Mall and nearby areas, and the city's parks and parkways. The commission's plan for development of the city, popularly known as the McMillan Plan, proposed the razing of all residences and other buildings on Lafayette Square and building Neoclassical government office buildings around the park to house executive branch offices. It also proposed clearing large spaces north and south of the National Mall, realigning some streets, and constructing large museums and public buildings along the Mall's length. The commission also proposed significant expansion of the district's park system, the creation of a system of parkways, and major renovation and beautification of existing parks. Over the next few years, the President and Congress established several new agencies to supervise the design, approval, and construction of new buildings in the District of Columbia to carry out the McMillan Plan: The Commission of Fine Arts in 1910 to review and advise on the design of new structures, the Public Buildings Commission in 1916 to make recommendations regarding the construction of buildings to house federal agencies and offices, and the National Capital Parks and Planning Commission in 1924 to oversee planning for the District.
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