From the President
As we enter the new year and reflect upon the tumultuous events of the last year and a half, we would like to believe that the storm is behind us, and that we can look forward to the return of a more normal economic climate in the year ahead. Unfortunately the news out of Washington and Richmond does not suggest such improvement.
This climate presents some formidable challenges to all of us individually, to our local governments, and to our Regional Planning District Commissions. However, Albert Einstein once said, "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity," and I believe that such a period lies ahead for our regional commissions.
Coleman Speece
President, VAPDC |
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Upcoming Meetings
Annual Winter Conference,
February 17, 2010,
Jefferson Hotel,
Annual Summer Conference,
July 28-31, 2010
The Cavalier Hotel,
Virginia Beach Oceanfront |
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2010 Sponsors
Gold:
Brown and Caldwell
GHD Inc.
Virginia Housing Development Authority
Silver:
Draper Aden
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative
Woolpert
Bronze:
Thompson & Litton |
 VAPDC Connections
is published
quarterly
by
the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions.
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Newsletter Deadline!
The deadline for the next issue of "VAPDC Connections" is April 10, 2010.
Please submit your articles to
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"Celebrating 40 Years of Regional Innovation"
VAPDC Winter Conference
February 17, 2010 - Richmond, VA
Join us for our Annual Winter Conference as we celebrate 40 years of regional innovation! Speakers and workshops will promote best practices in regional collaboration, while teaching new techniques for solving problems that are broader than one county, city or town.The conference will be at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond on February 17.
The Honorable Jim Cheng, Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Commonwealth of Virginia, is tentatively scheduled to deliver the keynote address.
Bill Shelton, Director, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, will present a legislative update and strategy session.
The Honorable Sean Connaughton, Secretary of Transportation, Commonwealth of Virginia, will present during the transportation session.
The Honorable Doug Domenech, Secretary of Natural Resources, Commonwealth of Virginia, is tentatively scheduled to speak during the environmental session of the conference.
Bob Crum & the board of the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission will present a session on Capitol Regional Collaborative.
The conference will conclude with a reception in the Empire Room of the Jefferson Hotel.
Make plans now to attend this valuable educational and networking event! For more details, go to the VAPDC Web site.
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Rolls-Royce Breaks Ground for Plant in Crater District
On October 19, 2009, Governor Tim Kaine and James Guyette, President and CEO of Rolls-Royce North America led the groundbreaking ceremony in Prince George County for a new manufacturing plant that will produce discs and associated parts for commercial aircraft engines.This plant is the first of three manufacturing plants that will be on the Prince George County campus and Rolls-Royce's first U.S. factory that it will build from the ground up. This first plant will encompass 140,000 square feet and will employ 130 people. Production is expected to commence in mid 2011. Design work is underway for the second plant, with construction expected to begin in late spring.
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RRPDC Hosts First Legislative Reception to Announce Agenda to State Delegation
On January 6, 2010, the Richmond Regional Planning District  Commission hosted its first Legislative Reception for members of the Richmond Region's state delegation at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Guests at the breakfast reception included state senators and delegates, locally-elected officials, VML and VACo representatives, jurisdictional administrative officers, planning commission representatives, business leaders from the Greater Richmond Chamber, and community leaders representing the region's non-profit organizations.
The program featured nine members of RRPDC's Board, one from each jurisdiction, outlining the RRPDC 2010 Legislative Agenda, which was unanimously adopted at the Board's December meeting. The agenda contains 27 declarations of support or opposition on issues impacting the Richmond Region. The policy statements are divided into five topic areas - Governing Locally, Environment, Growth, Public Safety Funding, and Transportation.
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RVARC Seeks Designation as Economic Development District
The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission's first Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) was approved by the Philadelphia Regional Office on June 8, 2009. Commission staff is working with its regional CEDS Committee on completing its first annual update by refreshing the current project listing and revisiting priorities. With an approved CEDS in place for the region, the Regional Commission staff also submitted all information required by the Economic Development Administration to officially begin the process of becoming an Economic Development District. Staff anticipates designation within 12 to 18 months.
The staff contact is John Hull, Regional Economic Development Manager (540.343.4417). Draft materials will be posted on the Web site as they are developed. |
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Mt. Rogers PDC Serious About Job Creation
The Mount Rogers Planning District Commission is serious about creating jobs. Through its Loan Funds Program, Mount Rogers has helped to create and retain over 1,800 jobs in our region by providing lower interest loans to our region's business and industry. Loans of up to $150,000 are provided to qualified applicants for use in starting or expanding a business. For more information on this program, you may contact the Mount Rogers staff or visit its Web site at . One of its most recent success stories is Innovative Technologies, LLC.
Innovative Technologies, LLC is a small pharmaceutical development company located in Washington County, Virginia. Since its founding in 1996, the company has developed 35 new drugs, all of which have been sold to other companies...taking jobs, tax base, and opportunity away from Virginia. However, things are about to change.
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RVARC Seeks Citizen Input on Corridor Study
In March of 2008, the Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (RVAMPO), which is staffed by the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, was awarded an $80,000 planning grant from the Virginia Multi-Modal Transportation Planning Office to work on a plan to develop recommendations in the areas of traffic capacity & signal timing, public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, freight mobility, and park-n-ride lots along the Route 419/Electric Road corridor. The plan will evaluate the various aspects of the corridor over a 25-year planning horizon. The Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is partnering with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to complete the multimodal transportation plan of Route 419.
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What is a TMDL?
TMDL stands for Total Maximum Daily Load and is a term used to describe the amount of pollution a stream can receive and still meet State and Federal water quality standards. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) monitors the state's rivers, lakes, and tidal waters for pollutants every year to determine if the public can use them for swimming, fishing, and drinking. If pollution amounts are too high, the waters cannot support their designated use and fail to meet Virginia water quality standards. These waters are considered impaired. DEQ develops TMDL studies, with public input, to restore and maintain the water quality of the impaired waters and develops implementation plans, working with partners to reduce pollution to satisfactory levels.
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