"PDCs and local governments across the Commonwealth have benefited from Delegate Ingram's leadership and contributions to the promotion of regional planning," said VAPDC President Robert K. Coiner. "We appreciate his efforts over many years on behalf of Virginia's regions."
Delegate Ingram has provided outstanding leadership and contributions to regionalism and to local governments throughout the state during his career. He served on Hopewell City Council from 1986-1991 and was Hopewell's mayor from 1988-1991, during which time he also served on the Crater P
lanning District Commission and its executive committee. In 1992, he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and has been a member of the House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee his entire legislative career, and since 2000, has been the Committee chairman. He also is a 20-year member of the House Appropriations Committee, having served as chairman of its Commerce, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Technology subcommittee, which deals with PDC funding.
At the regional level, Delegate Ingram introduced legislation authorizing the localities in Planning District 14 to form a regional industrial facilities authority and he introduced the bill establishing the Urban Public-Private Partnership Redevelopment Fund under the Department of Housing and Community Development. He introduced the Aerospace Engine Manufacturing Performance Grant Program to encourage/support the location of Rolls-Royce manufacturing plant in Prince George County and suppliers in Virginia. He also supported budget amendments for the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing and the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Logistics Systems. His legislation expanded the ability of the Virginia Resources Authority to finance economic development-related projects; the growth of the Capital Region Airport Commission; the designation of part of the Appomattox River as a scenic river; the establishment of the Biofuels Production Incentive Grant Program; financing for expansion/renovation of the Crater Youth Care Commission, which operates the regional juvenile detention facility that serves two judicial districts; and Code RVA, a regional high school focused upon computer coding.
VAPDC's leadership created the Legislator of the Year Award to recognize public officials who not only support regional collaboration, but who are actively engaged in public policy efforts that advance economic prosperity in the Commonwealth. The 2019 award was presented to Delegate Ingram during the VAPDC Winter Meeting, January 31-February 1, 2019, in Richmond.
The first planning district commissions (PDCs) were established in 1969 following enactment the prior year of the Virginia Area Development Act by the General Assembly. There are 21 PDCs and regional commissions in Virginia made up of elected officials and citizens appointed by local governments. The purpose of the PDCs is to encourage and facilitate regional solutions to problems of area-wide significance, by promoting the efficient development of the physical, social, and economic policies of all districts by assisting local governments to plan for the future. The PDCs of Virginia have joined together to create the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions to share best practices, and advance regionalism across the commonwealth. For more information about VAPDC, visit the website at www.vapdc.org.
