in this issue
message from the president
vapdc 2022 summer conference photos
get to know PDCs
in the news
upcoming events/calendar
about vapdc
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message from the president
Wow! It was soooo wonderful to have held the VAPDC Summer Conference in person again after a three-year pause. The Hotel 24 South in Staunton was a great host and the weather cooperated (it was very hot, but no rain)! We had enlightening sessions focused on innovation and technology in our regions. Thanks go out to our wonderful presenters, moderators, and everyone else who made the two days a hit. Of course, we could not do any of this without our wonderful Virginia Partner and Summer Conference sponsors.
While at the conference, we were honored to recognize the following award winners: the George Washington Regional Commission’s Continuum of Care Consortium and the New River Valley Business Continuity Team with the Best Practices Award; Mike Hawkins (retired from Virginia Housing) with the Robert W. Baker Award; and Jim Baldwin, CEO of the Cumberland Plateau PDC, who is retiring after 50 years with the PDC, with the Gordon N. Dixon Award. Outgoing President Kim Callis also presented the President’s Award to Bob Coiner (Rappahannock-Rapidan RC), who is leaving the Board after 10 years of service.
We also held the VAPDC’s annual business meeting. The membership elected three new members to serve on the Board of Directors: Josepha Bolling-Thompson (Mount Rogers PDC), Bob Crum (Hampton Roads PDC) and Brandon Davis (Northern Shenandoah Valley RC). We also appreciate the service of outgoing Board members Martha Heeter (PlanRVa), Bob Lazaro (Northern Virginia RC) and long-time Board member and former President Bob Coiner. The Board of Directors also met following the conference and is looking ahead to its annual Leadership Retreat in the Fall.
I am excited about the opportunity to serve this coming year as VAPDC President. Best wishes for a safe and happy rest of the summer.
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Lou Ann Wallace
VAPDC President
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The Central Virginia Planning District Commission (CVPDC) serves the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell; the City of Lynchburg; and the towns of Altavista, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Brookneal. The Central Virginia Planning District is located in the Lynchburg region with a thriving downtown “Hill City” alongside the beautiful and historic James River surrounded by bucolic small towns, bustling communities, and the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. The region is home to a portion of the Appalachian Trail, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the site where the nation reunited in Appomattox, and vast acres of National Forest. Not only is there the astounding beauty of nature, but also, the region is proud to be the home of several important manufacturing companies, including BWXT, Areva, Glad, and others.
The Central Virginia PDC (Planning District 11) coordinates studies and formulates plans to strengthen the region with input from citizens, business owners, elected officials and many other stakeholders. These efforts assist local governments in their own future planning, create economic opportunities for the region and its citizens, and provide cost savings to local governments in program implementation. CVPDC houses the Central Virginia Metropolitan Planning Organization and thereby provides both urban and rural transportation planning throughout the planning district. CVPDC further leads and partners to implement local and regional solutions for housing rehabilitation and construction, infrastructure upgrades, interjurisdictional radio communications, solid waste management and workforce development.
The CVPDC region is composed of about 2,110 square miles and is home to 263,298 people (Weldon Cooper Center estimate, July 1, 2021). The Chair of the Central Virginia Planning District Commission is Dwayne Tuggle (Mayor, Town of Amherst) and its Executive Director is Alec Brebner.
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The West Piedmont Planning District Commission (WPPDC) is composed of seven local governments (the counties of Franklin, Henry, Patrick and Pittsylvania; the cities of Danville and Martinsville; and the town of Rocky Mount) in area of nearly 2,600 square miles. Formed in 1970, the WPPDC (Planning District 12) works to develop collaborative regional approaches by facilitating critical thinking and dialogue among the district’s local governments, K-12 and higher education institutions, economic development organizations, workforce development and other key stakeholders.
Since its establishment, WPPDC has been a strong partner for its member jurisdictions with work focusing on hazard mitigation, transportation and economic development. WPPDC administers the Danville-Pittsylvania Metropolitan Planning Organization and has had great success with Smart Scale and other transportation grant programs, having secured over $3.4 million for the access road to Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill (Pittsylvania County) and $4.7 million for road infrastructure in Franklin County’s Summit View Business Park. In recent years, WPPDC has expanded its services to include project development, grant writing, and grant administration. In 2021, WPPDC was awarded three VATI grants totaling over $122 million for a six-county region. A new initiative to develop and promote the region’s agricultural economy is kicking off next month. WPPDC also administers the Ride Solutions program, a multi-pronged regional housing program, and a regional health initiative.
The WPPDC area has a population of 237,917 (Weldon Cooper Center estimate, July 1, 2021). The Chair of the WPPDC Board of Commissioners is Jim Adams (Henry County) and the Executive Director is Michael Armbrister.
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As more than half of our PDCs wrap up pre-contract activities for the FY22 Virginia Telecommunication Initiative grants awarded last December, along comes VATI 2023! In early July, public entities had to submit “Notices of Application” expressing intent to apply for VATI 2023 funding. Four PDCs were among the nearly 60 entities that submitted such notices. The application deadline for VATI 2023 is fast approaching on
August 25.
The VAPDC has been working with Jennifer Clyburn-Reed, who is the federal co-chair for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC), which is an economic development partnership agency of the federal government and seven state governments, whose purpose is to build sustainable communities and strengthen economic growth across the country’s southeast region. The SCRC is in the process of tabulating survey responses to help assess the needs and assets of SCRC region. Among Virginia’s 95 counties, seven have been identified as “distressed,” part of a group of just over 400 counties so identified across the SCRC region. The distressed counties are going to be the target of services to spark economic development and eliminate poverty.
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- September 7—VAPDC Board of Directors meeting
- September 30—Executive Directors Committee meeting
- November 1/2—VAPDC Leadership Retreat
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about vapdc
The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) is an organization comprised of the 21 Planning District Commissions/Regional Councils in Virginia. The PDCs joined together to create the VAPDC to share best practices and further regionalism across the State. VAPDC works to bring diverse resources together at the regional level in partnership with local, state, and federal entities to strengthen regions and the Commonwealth.
The purpose of the Association is to promote coordination and cooperation among the Commonwealth's Planning District Commissions/Regional Councils to heighten their effectiveness and efficiency; provide mutual assistance and the exchange of ideas; and otherwise promote understanding for how PDCs/RCs can help save their regions and the Commonwealth time and money.
association contacts
David Blount, VAPDC Executive Director
434-422-4820
Connie Long, VAPDC Administrator
757-412-2664
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thank you to our Virginia Partners for 2022 - 2023 |
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Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions | Website
869 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 113 #244
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452
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