XN000022-1978-03-29 — Page 8

7.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1978

HE PROPOSED THAT HAVING DEVOTED OUR EFFORTS TO PRODUCING LAND, WE SHOULD NOW FOCUS ATTENTION ON MAXIMISING ITS USE.

HE HAS TWO SUGGESTIONS, TOUCHING ON PRESENT LAND USE LIMITATIONS AND ON PLANNING STANDARDS.

HE THOUGHT THAT IT IS NECESSARY NOW TO STUDY THE POSSIBILITY OF EASING PRESENT RESTRICTIONS ON PLOT RATIOS AND HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS IN THE URBAN AREA, OTHER THAN HEIGHTS IN THE FLIGHT PATH TO KAI TAK, AND IN THE NEW TOWNS.

TOGETHER WITH THIS STUDY, THE GOVERNMENT'S DENSITY ZONING POLICY COULD ALSO BE REVIEWED, WITH CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO RE-DESIGNATING SOME ZONE 3 AREAS AS ZONE 2 AND SOME ZONE 2· AREAS AS ZONE 1.

IF THESE PROPOSALS ARE FEASIBLE, AND MR. LEE ASKED THAT THEY BE STUDIED URGENTLY BECAUSE OF THE IMMEDIATE POTENTIAL EFFECT, THE PREMIUM FOR THE INCREASED BENEFIT WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID BY THE LANDOWNERS.

AS TO PLANNING STANDARDS, HE ASKED WHETHER THOSE. USED. TO RESERVE LAND FOR GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTIONAL AND COMMUNITY USES

IN DEVELOPING AREAS COULD NOT BE REVISED.

ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PRESENT STANDARDS ARE, HE NOTED THAT THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON LAND PRODUCTION SHOWS LAND RESERVED FOR SUCH USES AMOUNTING TO AS

· MUCH AS 40 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL QUANTITY OF LAND TO BE PRODUCED IN AREAS COVERED BY DEFINITE WORKS PROJECTS.

HE REALISED THAT HIS SUGGESTIONS HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL, POPULATION DENSITY AND ENGINEERING SERVICES IMPLICATIONS BUT POINTED OUT THAT EVEN IN 1961, A PWD WORKING PARTY, WHICH RECOMMENDED THE PRESENT BUILDING RESTRICTIONS, HAD RECOGNISED THAT HIGH DENSITIES FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS MUST BE ACCEPTED. THESE RESTRICTIONS, MR. LEE POINTED OUT, WERE CONSIDERED UNDER ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES 17 YEARS AGO AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE RE-CONSIDERED UNDER PRESENT DAY CIRCUMSTANCES.

HE HOPED THE LAND DEVELOPMENT POLICY COMMITTEE, THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED WOULD RE-EXAMINE THE SITUATION, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT NOT CHLY ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION AND PLANNING STANDARDS, BUT ALSO THEIR COST TO THE ECONOMY AS AGAINST THE BENEFITS IN PELAXING THEM.

MR. LEE WELCOMED THE ALMOST 15 PER CENT INCREASE IN SPENDING ON EDUCATION AND FULLY SUPPORTED THE INTRODUCTION OF FREE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION. HE NOTED THAT THIS MEASURE HAS GENERATED A FAIR AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ARGUMENT. HE THOUGHT HOWEVER THAT THE COMMUNITY SHOULD REGARD BASIC EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL RIGHT FOR ALL.

PROVIDED THAT THE COST CAN EE AFFORDED, HE WOULD PERSONALLY WELCOME MORE OF THIS EASIC SERVICE TO BE INTRODUCED IN AN ORDERLY SEQUENCE, FIRST BY MAKING PLACES AVAILABLE TO ALL, THEN MAKING THEM FREE, AND FIALLY COMPULSOFY.

/COMMENTING