Biennial Report on Virginia's Planning District Commissions for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024
Summary
Biennial Report to the Governor and General Assembly on Virginia’s Planning District Commissions for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, from the Department of Housing and Community Development, Commonwealth of Virginia. The contents list an overview of Planning District Commissions covering purpose, duties and funding, summary data for FY 2023 & FY 2024, regional strategic planning, and highlights for individual commissions including the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. The report lists Transportation, Workforce Development, Economic Development, Housing, Broadband and Infrastructure as consistent, high-priority issues for PDCs based on a word cloud analysis.
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“Biennial Report on Virginia's Planning District Commissions for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024.”
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Biennial Report to the Governor and General Assembly on
VIRGINIA’S PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSIONS
FOR FISCAL YEARS 2023 AND 2024
Department of Housing and Community Development
Commonwealth of Virginia
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................................3
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................................4
Overview of Planning District Commissions .........................................................................................................4
Purpose .................................................................................................................................................................4
Duties ....................................................................................................................................................................5
Funding .................................................................................................................................................................5
Summary Data FY 2023 & FY 2024 ............................................................................................................................7
Regional Strategic Planning ..................................................................................................................................7
Duties Performed ..................................................................................................................................................9
PDC Highlights for FY 2023 & FY 2024 .....................................................................................................................17
Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (A-NPDC) .....................................................................17
Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) ..............................................................................18
Central Virginia Planning District Commission (CVPDC) .....................................................................................19
Commonwealth Regional Council (CRC) .............................................................................................................19
Crater Planning District Commission (CPDC) ......................................................................................................19
Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission (CPPDC) ..............................................................................20
George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) ...........................................................................................21
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) ....................................................................................21
LENOWISCO Planning District Commission (LPDC) .............................................................................................21
Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission (MPPDC) .................................................................................22
Mount Rogers Planning District Commission (MRPDC) ......................................................................................23
New River Valley Planning District Commission (NRVPDC) ................................................................................23
Northern Neck Planning District Commission (NNPDC) ......................................................................................24
Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC) ............................................................................24
Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC).................................................................................................25
Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission (RRRC) .......................................................................................25
Richmond Regional Planning District Commission (RRPDC) (aka “PlanRVA”) ....................................................26
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARC) .................................................................................27
Southside Planning District Commission (SPDC) .................................................................................................28
Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) ...................................................................................28
West Piedmont Planning District Commission (WPPDC) ....................................................................................29
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................................................29
Appendices ..............................................................................................................................................................30
BIENNIAL REPORT ON VIRGINIA’S PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSIONS
FY 2023 & FY 2024
Executive Summary
For every biennium, the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is
required to prepare a biennial report to the Governor, General Assembly, and other specified state
agencies regarding the activities and other information deemed appropriate by the Director concerning
Planning District Commissions (PDCs) and their compliance with their duties established in the Regional
Cooperation Act (§15.2-4200 et seq). In order to comply with this reporting requirement, DHCD requires
each PDC to submit an annual report by September 1st of each year regarding the activities for each PDC
during the most recent fiscal year. This annual report collection process was revised during the FY 2019-
2020 biennium to refine the data collection process and is utilized again for the FY 2023-2024 biennium.
Planning District Commissions were established to encourage and facilitate local government cooperation
and state-local cooperation in addressing, on a regional basis, problems of greater than local significance.
The Regional Cooperation Act lists 12 specific duties related to this overall purpose. In support of this
effort, the Commonwealth of Virginia funds PDCs, largely based on population size. This funding is
significantly leveraged with additional support at the local, state, federal, and other levels. At the median
level, state funding is leveraged and multiplied more than 20 times over through PDC efforts to access
other funding opportunities from a variety of sources.
Based on the data provided in their annual reports for FY 2023 and FY 2024, the PDCs have demonstrated
compliance with the duties of the Regional Cooperation Act. They have done extensive work in
formulating regional strategic plans, including the identification of significant priority topic areas for their
regions. Furthermore, they have met the obligation of their duties in a variety of functional areas,
particularly Transportation, Environment, and Economic Development. It should be noted that the
Regional Cooperation Act does not require that each PDC conduct activities in every functional
area. Rather, each PDC is challenged to tailor its services to meet the diverse needs of its member
localities. Nevertheless, for each duty listed in the Regional Cooperation Act, all or nearly all PDCs had
some level of activity with respect to that duty during FY 2023 and FY 2024.
The PDCs should be commended for the value that they bring to addressing regional issues. A sampling of
highlights for each PDC that demonstrate this value are included near the conclusion of this report.
3
Introduction
Section 36-139.6 of the Code of Virginia contains numerous provisions regarding the Director of the
Department of Housing and Community Development’s oversight of Planning District Commissions (PDCs)
within Virginia. Among those provisions is the duty of the Director “...to prepare a biennial report to the
Governor and the General Assembly which identifies the activities and other information deemed
appropriate by the Director concerning (PDCs), including findings as to (PDCs) which are not complying
with Chapter 42 (§ 15.2-4200 et seq.) of Title 15.2....” In accord with that responsibility, §15.2-4215 of the
Code of Virginia requires each PDC to submit an annual report - in a format prescribed by the Department
- that “shall contain at a minimum a description of the activities conducted by the (PDC) during the
preceding fiscal year, including how the commission met the provisions of this chapter, and information
showing the sources and amounts of funding provided to the commission.”1 The following report has been
assembled to satisfy that responsibility.
Overview of Planning District Commissions
Purpose
Virginia has 21 PDCs – voluntary associations of local governments intended to foster intergovernmental
cooperation by bringing together local elected and appointed officials and involved citizens to discuss
common needs and determine solutions to regional issues.2 3
The Virginia General Assembly created the statutory framework for the formation of the PDCs in 1968
through the passage of the Virginia Area Development Act. In 1995, the General Assembly modified the
Area Development Act through the adoption of the Regional Cooperation Act (Chapter 42, Title 15.2, Code
of Virginia). The Regional Cooperation Act articulates that PDCs were created to encourage and facilitate
local government cooperation and state-local cooperation in addressing, on a regional basis, problems of
greater than local significance. This cooperation is intended to help local governments solve their
problems by enhancing the ability to recognize and analyze regional opportunities and take account of
regional influences in planning and implementing public policies and services.
Virginia’s PDCs represent a diverse array of regions across the Commonwealth: from the Rural Horseshoe
that runs down the Shenandoah Valley to Southwest and Southside Virginia across to the Eastern Shore
and the Urban Crescent extending from the Washington DC Metro Region down Interstate 95 and
eastward to Hampton Roads. Populations served by PDCs range from a low of 45,336 to a high of
2,556,483.4 Consequently, the issues that they address in light of their duties vary greatly.
1
A copy of the report questionnaire has been included as an Appendix to this report (See Appendix A)
2
In 2017, Chapter 42 of Title 15.2 was amended to also allow for federally recognized Indian tribes within the
boundaries of such PDCs to elect to become part of a PDC at any time (Chapter 377, 2017 Acts of Assembly)
3
A complete listing of the PDCs and their member jurisdictions is provided in Appendix L.
4
Based on Weldon Cooper Center population data requested from each PDC as part of their annual report.
4
Duties
The Regional Cooperation Act establishes numerous responsibilities for PDCs in alignment with their
purpose. This includes the following 12 general duties:
1. To conduct studies on issues and problems of regional significance;
2. To identify and study potential opportunities for state and local cost savings and staffing
efficiencies through coordinated governmental efforts;
3. To identify mechanisms for the coordination of state and local interests on a regional basis;
4. To implement services upon request of member localities;
5. To provide technical assistance to state government and member localities;
6. To serve as a liaison between localities and state agencies as requested;
7. To review local government aid applications as required by § 15.2-4213 and other state or federal
law or regulation;
8. To conduct strategic planning for the region as required by §§ 15.2-4209 through 15.2-4212;
9. To develop regional functional area plans as deemed necessary by the commission or as
requested by member localities;
10. To assist state agencies, as requested, in the development of substate plans;
11. To participate in a statewide geographic information system, the Virginia Geographic Information
Network, as directed by the Department of Planning and Budget; and
12. To collect and maintain demographic, economic and other data concerning the region and
member localities, and act as a state data center affiliate in cooperation with the Virginia
Employment Commission.
In addition to those 12 duties, and in greater elaboration of bullet number eight listed above, §15.2-4209
of the Code of Virginia requires 20 of the 21 PDCs to prepare and adopt a regional strategic plan. 5
Development of the regional strategic plan requires participation from local governing bodies, the
business community, citizen organizations, and other interested parties. The strategic plan is required to
include regional goals and objectives, strategies to meet those goals, and mechanisms for measuring
progress. The intent of the plan is to help promote the orderly and efficient development of the physical,
social, and economic elements of the planning district.
Funding
In support of these duties, for FY 2023 and FY 2024 the General Assembly appropriated $2,079,321 each
year, to the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for distribution to the 21 PDCs.
Additional details within the Appropriations Act specify funding allocations to each PDC. The amounts
appropriated to individual PDCs range from $89,971 to $165,943 in both FY 2023 and FY 2024. Eighteen
PDCs received an appropriation of $89,971 in FY 2023 and again in FY 2024, while the remaining three
most populated PDCs received larger appropriations.6
5
For any PDC in which regional planning also is conducted by multi-state councils of government, this requirement
is optional.
6
The Richmond Regional PDC received $127,957 in both FY2023 and FY2024, while the Hampton Roads PDC and
Northern Virginia Regional Commission each received $165,943 in both FY2023 and FY2024.
5
Historically speaking, Regional Cooperation Act funding for the PDCs has fluctuated over the years from a
high in FY 2004 of $2,499,204, to a low of $1,552,457 in FY 2011. From FY 2012 to FY 2021, PDC funding
remained unchanged at $1,785,321 annually. In FY2022, PDC funding allocation increased to $2,079,321,
representing a 16.5% increase from prior funding levels and the first funding increase in a decade. PDC
funding remained unchanged for FY 2023 and FY 2024.
Additional PDC funding comes from a variety of sources at the federal, state, local, and non-governmental
organization level.7 For fiscal years 2023, 2024, and their proposed 2025 budgets, the largest source of
funding for PDCs on average is from federal sources, followed by state, local, and then other sources as
shown by the following bar chart.
As it relates to the annual Regional Cooperation Act funding provided by the Commonwealth in Fiscal
Years 2023 and 2024, there is strong evidence that this base funding invested by the Commonwealth is
leveraged by PDCs to secure other resources beyond this allocation. Based on the median value of all 21
PDCs, for every dollar in state funding appropriated through the Regional Cooperation Act, PDCs secured
$37 and $46 in additional funding from other sources in FY 2023 and FY 2024, respectively. At its highest
for individual PDCs, this multiple is nearly $500 for some fiscal years, and even at its lowest multiplier the
state funding is still multiplied about five times over. Most importantly this Commonwealth investment
7
Similar to recent biennial reports, this biennial report includes information regarding a summary level breakdown
of the PDCs’ budgets based on the following sources: (1) local, (2) state, (3) federal, and (4) others. For all fiscal
years reported by PDCs, the most recent data provided by the PDC was used. In any case where precise amounts
were provided, they were rounded up to the nearest dollar. In some cases, additional analysis of the provided
budgets was needed in order to produce the proportional breakdown.
6
can be used as match by regions to secure additional federal funding in support of regional priorities and
efforts.
Dollar Value of Multiplier to Regional
Cooperation Act State Funding
Fiscal Median Highest Lowest
Year
FY 2023 $ 37.24 $ 457.40 $ 6.60
FY 2024 $ 45.53 $ 497.69 $ 8.81
FY 2025 $ 38.13 $ 475.65 $ 10.37
On a per capita basis, Regional Cooperation Act funding translates into a median value of $0.48 allocated
to each PDC. Because PDC populations vary significantly, this also yields a per capita high of $1.98 and low
of $0.06.8
Summary Data FY 2023 & FY 2024
The annual report format requires the PDCs to consider four elements of performance. Each PDC is asked
to document progress in developing and implementing strategic planning in the planning district; to
describe all activities accomplished with respect to the duties assigned under the Regional Cooperation
Act; to highlight successes and achievements of special note with regional efforts in cooperation; and to
submit a work program for the coming year that includes a budget and a list of member jurisdictions and
commission members. The responses for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 are summarized on the pages that
follow. Tables depicting the wide range of activities performed by each PDC relative to the individual
elements required by the Regional Cooperation Act appear in Appendices B through K.
Regional Strategic Planning
Section 15.2-4209 of the Code of Virginia establishes the requirement for PDCs to prepare and adopt a
regional strategic plan, which shall “concern those elements which are of importance in more than one of
the localities within the district.” Furthermore, §15.2-4209 includes various elements and processes that
are required in the development of such plans, including:
• Regional goals and objectives;
• Strategies to meet those goals and objectives;
• Mechanisms for measuring progress;
• Various subjects necessary to promote the orderly and efficient development of the physical,
social, and economic elements of the district; and
8
See Appendix M for more details.
7
• Input from a wide range of organizations in the region, including local governing bodies, the
business community, and citizen organizations.
Each PDC was asked to document progress in developing and implementing strategic planning in the
planning district. As for FY 2024, every PDC required to have a regional strategic plan had done so or was
in the process of revisions to existing regional strategic plans.9 Additionally, the PDCs provided extensive
information summarizing the process involved with development of their plans, persons and organizations
involved, priorities contained within the plans, and the status of activities identified in the plans that had
been undertaken or were planned to be undertaken. Overall, Virginia’s PDCs are successfully meeting the
obligations of this duty.
Based on the information gathered on regional strategic planning activities, the following word cloud
summarizes some of the most important issues for PDCs based on their FY 2023 and FY 2024 responses.10
The following five topics appear to be the most consistent, high-priority issues for PDCs based on the word
cloud analysis:
1. Transportation 4. Housing
2. Workforce Development 5. Broadband
3. Economic Development 6. Infrastructure
9
In some cases, PDCs used the assemblage of several reports and plans, such as the Comprehensive Economic
Development Strategy (CEDS) to satisfy the requirements of having a strategic plan.
10
Some modification to PDC responses was warranted in order to produce the word cloud analysis. These revisions
included: (1) removal of “stop” words, (2) stemming, (3) indicating when certain words go together as phrases, and
(4) grouping synonyms into one word.
8
Duties Performed
The PDCs were asked a series of standard questions related to activities accomplished over the biennium
pursuant to the duties assigned under the Regional Cooperation Act (“the Act”).11 These activities were
broken down into the following functional areas:12
Administration Infrastructure
Criminal Justice Planning, Zoning, & Community Development
Disaster Planning Recreation
Economic Development Telecommunications/Technology
Environment Transportation
Health & Human Services Workforce
Housing Other
Each PDC was required to provide at least one example for every activity they had within the individual
functional areas by duty. These examples were recorded and a summary table was produced for each of
the individual responsibilities.13 The following series of charts summarizes those responses by duty and
functional area. Additional explanation regarding each chart is included, as needed.
11
DHCD staff provided additional elaboration and interpretation for some of the duties, because no such definition
existed within State Code. For example, a definition was provided for “regional functional area plan.” For more
details on this additional elaboration, please see the annual report questionnaire in Appendix A.
12
DHDC staff also provided additional definitions for each of these functional area categories. Please see the
annual report questionnaire in Appendix A for more details.
13
The summary tables can be seen in greater detail in Appendix B through Appendix K.
9
Overall, PDCs provided numerous examples that demonstrated their fulfillment of their duties and within
numerous functional areas. The top three most frequent functional areas for PDC activity for all duties
occurred within Transportation, Environment, and Economic Development. Conversely, the categories of
Criminal Justice and Workforce appeared to have very little activity over the course of the biennium. These
trends are similar to those reported by the PDCs in FY 2021 and FY 2022.
Furthermore, nearly every PDC provided at least one example of an activity within one of their assigned
duties, as demonstrated by the following table. The Regional Cooperation Act does not require that PDCs
have an activity for every category annually, so this would be expected, especially for some of the
categories that would require the preliminary action of another party, such as review of a local
government aid application.
Number of PDCs
Duty
w/ Activity
Conduct studies on issues and problems of regional significance 21
Identify and study potential opportunities for state and local cost savings and 20
staffing efficiencies through coordinated governmental efforts
Identify mechanisms for the coordination of state and local interests on a regional 21
basis
Implement services upon request of member localities 21
Provide technical assistance to state government and member localities 21
Serve as a liaison between localities and state agencies as requested 21
Review local government aid applications as required by § 15.2-4213 and other 20
state or federal law or regulation
Develop regional functional area plans as deemed necessary by the commission 21
or as requested by member localities
Assist state agencies, as requested, in the development of substate plans 20
To conduct studies on issues and problems of regional significance
As previously reported, all 21 PDCs reported examples of activities regarding this duty. 14 Economic
Development was the functional area for which the greatest number of PDCs had an activity, followed
closely by Transportation, Disaster Planning, Environment and Housing. Six functional areas had activity
by five or fewer PDCs.
14
For purposes of this question, additional context was provided so that only studies involving two or more
localities would be considered as having regional significance.
10
To identify and study potential opportunities for local cost savings and staffing efficiencies through
coordinated local government efforts.
During FY 2023 and FY 2024, 20 PDCs reported having at least one activity in this duty by functional area.
Transportation and Administration, followed by Environment and Economic Development were the most
common functional areas where PDCs fulfilled this duty.
11
As a component of the annual report, PDCs were asked to estimate the local and state level costs savings
that were attributable to the activities they reported as examples within this duty. Accordingly, PDCs
estimated a significant volume of cost savings as a result of this duty at the state and local level. For
example, 35 examples were provided by PDCs with estimated local savings in the $100,000 - $250,000
range while those examples also estimated an additional 20 counts of savings at the state level.15
To identify mechanisms for the coordination of state and local interests on a regional basis.
During the biennium, all PDCs reported examples of activity in mechanisms for coordinating state and
local interests on a regional basis.16 Transportation was the highest functional area reported by 15 PDCs
followed by Administration. No examples of activity in Criminal Justice were provided, and Workforce was
only reported by two PDCs.
15
It should be noted that these estimates were optional and additional information requesting cost savings
methodology was not required. Additional, more thorough evaluation of the activities listed by the PDCs would be
needed in order to determine their true cost savings. For additional details, please see Appendix C.
16
For this question, mechanisms were defined as “procedures, committees, subcommittees, websites, and other
structural processes and resources.”
12
To implement services and to provide technical assistance upon request of member localities.
All 21 PDCs reported examples of activity with this duty. Economic Development and
Planning/Zoning/Community Development were reported as the most common functional areas. This was
followed by Transportation, Environment, and Infrastructure. Conversely, Criminal Justice was reported
with the lowest level of functional area activity followed by Workforce.
13
To provide technical assistance to state government and member localities
Again, all 21 PDCs reported having activity related to this duty over the last biennium. Environment and
Transportation scored highest.
To serve as liaison between localities and state agencies as requested.
Every PDC reported having activity meeting the requirements of this duty. All except four PDCs reported
having an activity in the Transportation and Economic Development functional area of this responsibility.
This was followed closely by Environment, which had 16 PDCs reporting. On the opposite end, again, no
activity was reported in the Criminal Justice functional area, which was also, again, followed by Workforce
with only four PDCs reporting an activity.
14
To review local government aid applications as required by §15.2-4213, Code of Virginia and other state
or federal law or regulation.
Twenty PDCs reported activity in a functional area of this duty. Economic Development and Environment
were the most common functional areas among 13 PDCs. Criminal Justice, Administration, Recreation,
Workforce, and Housing all were less common functional areas.
To develop regional functional area plans as deemed necessary by the commission or as requested by
member localities.
During FY 2023 and FY 2024, all of the 21 PDCs reported having activity related to this duty. 17
Transportation, Economic Development, and Disaster Planning were the most common functional areas
reported by PDCs. Criminal Justice and Workforce were not reported by any PDC while Administration
and Telecommunications/Technology were reported by fewer than four PDCs.
17 For purposes of this question, the annual report questionnaire included the definition of regional functional-area plan: “a
plan to address, service, need, or opportunity in a functional area (including, but not limited to, the available (categories) that
encompasses or involves two or more localities.”
15
To assist state agencies, as requested, in the development of substate plans.
Nearly all PDCs reported assisting state agencies in the development of substate plans during FY 2023 and
FY 2024. Environment and Transportation were the most common functional areas, followed by Disaster
Planning and Economic Development. There was no reported activity by any PDC in the Criminal Justice,
Administration, and Telecommunication/Technology categories, while many other remaining categories
were also reported less commonly.
16
To participate in a statewide geographic information system, the Virginia Geographic Network, as
directed by the Department of Planning and Budget.
Nineteen of the 21 PDCs reported having activity meeting this duty during the biennium.
To collect and maintain demographic, economic and other data concerning the region and member
localities and act as a state data center affiliate in cooperation with the Virginia Employment
Commission.
All 21 PDCs reported activity relating to collecting and maintaining demographic, economic, and other
data in addition to serving as an affiliate state data center with the Virginia Employment Commission.
PDC Highlights for FY 2023 & FY 2024
In addition to providing data responsive to each of the requirements contained in the Act and reported
on above, DHCD requests that each PDC highlight its successes and achievements with respect to regional
cooperative efforts in each year’s annual report to the agency. The following sections feature selected
highlights that were submitted from each PDC.
Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (A-NPDC)
Medical Drone Delivery
Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital and Old Dominion University’s Virginia Institute for Spaceflight and
Autonomy created a project design to deliver medication by drones to Virginia’s Eastern Shore. They
teamed up with A-NPDC to seek funding for the testing of the concept and DroneUp, LLC, headquartered
in Virginia Beach, to provide the autonomous system. A-NPDC was awarded the only nationally
competitive Virginia SMART grant. Fifty-nine projects representing thirty-three states were awarded from
392 applications. The initial phase will deliver medication around the hospital then expand out to two and
three miles away with the final phase of testing reaching Tangier Island with medicine. Unfilled
medications due to lack of transportation is an issue in our disadvantaged communities. High blood
pressure medicine will be the initial delivery type. Patient outcomes will be tracked to determine if this
delivery method can improve patient outcomes, lower costs, and most important improve access.
Virginia Rail Trail
A-NPDC has preserved the 49.1-mile railroad right-of-way in its entirety. The development of a multi-use
rail-to-trail spans the counties of Northampton and Accomack and is planned to pass through 14 of the
Eastern Shore’s independent towns. A-NPDC has written a successful RAISE grant application for
$23,250,000 to build 16 miles of the trail. This segment of the trail will span both Accomack and
Northampton Counties from the Towns of Onley to Nassawadox. The trail will run through six
incorporated towns. The Town of Melfa is already making plans to connect the trail to their town park and
Northampton County and the Town of Nassawadox have hired a consultant to prepare a reuse and market
study for property located in proximity to the trail that will explore how the trail may complement
redevelopment in the area.
17
Septic and Sewer
A-NPDC, with a grant from DHCD, has successfully installed twenty-five individual alternative septic
systems and four residential deep wells greatly improving the disastrous sanitary situation in Makemie
Park, Virginia. A-NPDC also assisted in the original regional partnership and arranged funding for the
Preliminary Engineering Report that was used to bring the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) and
its sewage transmission project to the Eastern Shore. HRSD is nearing completion of the sewage
transmission line that runs from the Town of Nassawadox in Northampton County to the treatment plant
in the Town of Onancock in Accomack County, along the way it traverses eight towns. This opened new
opportunities for the existing towns within easy reach to join HRSD and build modern sewage facilities.
Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC)
Emergency Communications
CSPDC provided planning and technical support to Bath and Highland Counties’ efforts in submitting a
grant application for the Department of Homeland Security’s Rural Emergency Medical Communications
Demonstration Project program. Bath County was one of two grant awardees across the nation selected
with the goal of improving statewide medical communication systems and the delivery of rural medical
care. In September 2023, Bath County was notified of its selection to receive $2,000,000 to modernize
operability and interoperability systems in the northern Alleghany Highland region. The CSPDC is providing
grant administration services on the project funding through the 2-year grant timeline.
Affordable Housing Program and Regional Housing Study
In FY2023 and FY2024, the CSPDC continued to administer a $2 million PDC Housing Development Grant
received from Virginia Housing. The purpose of the grant is to develop regional housing initiatives,
strengthen partnerships, and develop affordable housing units. The CSPDC awarded $1.66 million in direct
grant funds to seven development partners toward the creation of 58 units of affordable housing.
Additionally, in July 2023, the CSPDC received $1.7 million through Virginia Housing’s Sponsoring
Partnerships & Revitalizing Communities (SPARC) Program, which complements the CSPDC’s existing First
Time Homebuyer Program. Finally, to guide the region’s housing efforts moving forward, the CSPDC
continued progress on a Regional Housing Study, funded through Virginia Housing’s Community Impact
Grant Program. The Virginia Center for Housing Research (VCHR) and HousingForward Virginia are the
selected consultants for the study. The study is anticipated to be published in Fall of 2024.
Shenandoah Valley Aviation Technology Park
In FY 2023, CSPDC continued providing technical assistance to the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport
(SHD) for its Aviation Technology Park project. The CSPDC completed the grant management for EDA
Public Works Program funds the airport received for the construction of two corporate hangers and office
spaces. In addition, the CSPDC is currently assisting SHD to administer a GO Virginia Site Development
Implementation Grant to construct the water and sewer utility improvements designed and engineered
through a $100,000 GO Virginia Enhanced Capacity Building (ECB) Grant the CSPDC previously helped SHD
secure and manage.
18
Central Virginia Planning District Commission (CVPDC)
Land Revitalization
CVPDC is implementing its first-ever brownfields program with a $500,000 grant from US EPA. Site
assessments or corridor studies are underway in all four counties.
Workforce Development
CVPDC applied to GO Virginia on behalf of Appomattox County and the towns of Appomattox and Pamplin
to fund equipment for a welding program at Central Virginia Community College’s Appomattox Center.
The Region 2 Council approved the application, the first from either CVPDC or Appomattox localities.
Commonwealth Regional Council (CRC)
Support of Poultry Industry
CRC has assisted the Central Virginia Poultry growers since May of 2024 to find solutions for farmers who
were affected by the Tyson closure in Glen Allen, VA. The growers came up with a solution – the creation
of the Central Virginia Poultry Cooperative (CVPC). The CVPC was created and has entered into an
agreement with Dutch Country Organics, LLC of Middlebury, Indiana. CCVPC will raise and sell wholesale
cage-free and other premium table eggs to Dutch Country, LLC. To assist with the start up costs for the
CVPS, CRC served as the applicant and fiscal agent obtaining the following grants: VA Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development
Fund (AFID) Planning Grant for $35,000; VDACS, AFID Infrastructure Grant for $50,000; and the Virginia
Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) Southern Virginia Program Grant for $1,400,000.
Workforce Housing
CRC has received $2,000,000 from Virginia Housing to establish 25 Affordable Workforce Housing units in
the CRC region over a 60-month period. The CRC region is currently lacking inventory in affordable housing
units. This project is working to fulfill this need by building and renovating housing units for purchase or
rent. CRC has selected three housing partners: Piedmont Habitat for Humanity, the Town of Blackstone,
and Broad Street Lofts. As of the end of June 2024, Piedmont Habitat has completed six housing units in
the towns of Crewe and Farmville and are in the process of completing five additional housing units in the
Town of Keysville. The Town of Blackstone has completed three of six homes. Broad Street Lofts has
completed renovating two buildings that created seven housing units. Broad Street is in the process of
finding renters for at least two of the seven apartments.
Crater Planning District Commission (CPDC)
Procurement Assistance
The Crater APEX Accelerator participated in 31 different events in FY 2023 and 12 different outreach
events. It helped to obtain 559 Federal awards totaling over $15 million, 474 of those awards going to
small businesses just at $14 million, as well as 3425 State awards totaling over $22 million, with 3424 of
those going to small businesses.
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Transportation
TriCities Area Metropolitan Planning Organization adopted Plan2045 Long-Range Metropolitan
Transportation Plan (MTP) and the FFY 2024-2027 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program
(MTIP). The MTP presents a long-range (20 year) strategy to guide the investment of funds for multi-modal
transportation infrastructure throughout the Tri-Cities region.
Flood Control/Preparedness
CPDC received a Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Community Flood
Preparedness Fund Grant to create a Regional Resilience Plan and a Certified Floodplain Manager position.
Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission (CPPDC)
Broadband Expansion
Following CPPDC’s receipt of a combined $49.4 million in Virginia Telecommunications Initiative awards
in FY22 and FY2023, the universal broadband expansion project is entering its home stretch. The project
will wrap up in calendar year 2025. This VATI universal broadband project will realize more than 90
percent total high-speed internet coverage within the district by the end of next calendar year.
Additionally, by utilizing program revenues generated by the broadband system to reach the hardest-to-
serve households in our four counties, CPPDC anticipates achieving 100 percent coverage in the following
years. As of this report, more than 11,600 new broadband passings have been built in our four member
counties, or approximately 78 percent of the project’s nearly 15,000 total anticipated new passings. By
project’s end, the total investment in new broadband infrastructure through these efforts – including both
public and private funding – will tally approximately $68.3 million.
Project Jonah Water/Sewer Upgrade
CPPDC continued to work with Tazewell County during FY24 on vital infrastructure upgrades to support
the development of Project Jonah and its projected 218 new full-time jobs and $297 million in private
capital investment. These efforts resulted in the securing of $4.3 million in funding from US EDA as well
as an additional $1 million from ARC to extend new water and sewer infrastructure to the site, where Pure
Salmon is currently constructing the world’s largest vertically-integrated indoor aquaculture facility at the
Tazewell-Russell county line. CPPDC helped Tazewell County prepare grant applications for these funds
and is now actively administering both grants on the county’s behalf as the project moves toward
construction. CPPDC is also administering a grant from Virginia Department of Health to support the
project through its ARPA funding. Pure Salmon will raise and process up to 20,000 tons of product
annually. To help secure the new jobs, the CPPDC member counties of Buchanan, Russell and Tazewell
jointly created the Cumberland Industrial Facilities Authority and entered into a revenue-sharing incentive
agreement to support the project, with each county pledging $1 million toward the effort.
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George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC)
Septic Repair/Replacement
GWRC established a full-time environmental staff position and was awarded funds from three funding
resources for septic system repairs and replacement across the entire district. This is a new program area
for GWRC. It was identified as greatly needed for social, health, and environmental reasons.
Transportation
GWRC coordinated with the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) to
produce both the 2050 FAMPO Long Range Transportation Plan and the Rural Regional Transportation
Plan, the first 25-year MPO plan in the Commonwealth. GWRC and FAMPO worked on several other
transportation efforts, including assisting localities applying for state funds with Smart Scale scoring. 21
projects were awarded funding during the biennium.
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC)
Broadband Expansion
HRPDC is managing a rural broadband expansion project in the southwest portion of the planning district.
Suffolk, Isle of Wight, Southampton County, and Charter Communications are working together to provide
high-speed internet to rural areas that would otherwise not receive service. The project is moving rapidly
and much of the planned fiber optic cable is installed and functional. The project is providing multiple
benefits to both citizens and businesses in the participating localities.
Roadway Flooding Sensors
The Hampton Roads region frequently experiences roadway flooding from the tide, wind, or rain. HRPDC
developed a pilot project that installed a regional network of water level sensors to monitor roadway
flooding. The primary objective of this project is to use real-time data to make informed decisions and
build a smart network of available driving conditions. The secondary objective is to make this data
available to stakeholders of the Hampton Roads area to better understand and predict future flooding
events. Installation of twenty of the sensors has been completed across seven municipal jurisdictions.
Utility Bill Payment Assistance
HRPDC continues to administer the regional Help to Others (H2O) program. This 501(c)(3) program
provides utility bill payment assistance to eligible families in danger of losing residential water and
wastewater service due to financial hardship or emergency. Since 2011, the program has provided over
$780,000 in assistance to more than 3,200 public utility customers in Hampton Roads. Assistance funding
is generated by donations collected online and via the mail.
LENOWISCO Planning District Commission (LPDC)
Data Centers
LPDC in partnership with VEDP and others have embarked on intensive data center recruitment for data
center prospects to locate within the LENOWISCO footprint. LPDC has secured $3.8 million to construct
a data center facility to be located at the Project Intersection Regional Industrial Park.
21
Wastewater Infrastructure
LPDC continued a multi-year effort to provide wastewater service to the western portion of Lee County.
LPDC secured nearly $7 million that will be utilized as match for over $20 million to be awarded by the
U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. This project will allow for the development of the entire western portion of
Lee County while also providing the wastewater infrastructure needed to develop the Lincoln Memorial
University Veterinarian School which is in the project area. The LMU Veterinarian School is now the largest
veterinarian school in the United States.
Broadband Expansion
In FY23, LPDC secured substantial funding for broadband deployment within the PDC footprint: $30
million in VATI funding, $25 million in RUS funding and 20 million in NTIA funding. These funds will allow
the PDC to complete broadband buildout to provide 98 percent coverage.
Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission (MPPDC)
Fight the Flood Coastal Resilience Implementation Program
The Middle Peninsula Fight the Flood program (www.FightTheFloodVA.com) was launched in 2020 as the
nation’s first municipal resilience implementation program, and it has continued to be a major success for
systematically advancing resilience solutions and concurrently organizing and leveraging economic
development opportunities. To date the program has resulted in over $44.5 million in direct loan and
grant investments with over $17 million of that occurring during FY2024 alone. MPPDC submitted 58
different grant applications during FY2024 requesting over $104.3 million in funding to support the
MPPDC resilience program via construction and planning projects targeting both privately and publicly
owned property. MPPDC continues to administer the Commonwealth’s only municipally available loan
funds for living shorelines and septic system repairs and in FY2024, a combined loan fund for the two
types of projects was capitalized at $3 million with funding from the Virginia Resource Authority (VRA).
Workforce Housing
MPPDC supported affordable public housing projects with a $1 million grant from VA Housing. MPPDC
partnered with the Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority (MPCBPAA) to construct or
rehabilitate up to 10 units for low-moderate income (LMI) citizens using MPCBPAA-owned properties. The
MPCBPAA properties are located along the waterfront of the Middle Peninsula and the project aims to
provide affordable workforce housing for local LMI citizens engaged in the marine and seafood industries.
Being that portions of the MPCBPAA properties are in flood prone areas, the unit designs incorporated
resilient designs to the greatest extent possible such that the structures will be safe for the residents with
regards to flooding and storm surge and such that the structures may be built in a manner where they can
be relocated and moved in the future once the property has experienced substantial changes resulting
from sea-level rise and is no longer safe or a viable place to live. The project advanced to construction
during FY24.
22
Mount Rogers Planning District Commission (MRPDC)
Broadband Expansion
The Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) project continues to be one of the largest in the MRPDC
region and its importance is unrivaled. The MRPDC secured a $65.88 million regional broadband project
to create 27,450 passings. The project will expand the broadband network in Washington, Smyth, and
Wythe Counties by providing service to currently unserved and underserved areas. The project had a great
audit and construction is nearing completion.
Southwest Virginia Water/Wastewater Construction Fund
In FY2024, the Southwest Virginia Water/Wastewater Construction Fund provided $666,010 to localities,
which was matched with $26,818,766 in local and other state funds and improved water service to 6,728
residences, 483 business, and new service to 235 residential connections and 8 businesses and other
connections. This improved service level helped retain 700 existing jobs and helped create 4 jobs. In
FY2023, the fund provided $549,110 to localities, which was matched with $2,003,097 in local and other
state funds and improved water service to 8,149 residences, 411 businesses and other connections, and
improved wastewater service to 8,401 residences, 1,034 businesses, and 119 other (community facilities)
connections. This improved service level helped retain 8,020 existing jobs.
New River Valley Planning District Commission (NRVPDC)
Broadband Expansion
The Tri-County Broadband Initiative’s objective is to bring broadband internet connectivity to unserved
and underserved households in Montgomery, Bland, and Pulaski Counties. This work has been ongoing
and has significantly progressed in the past year.
A few highlights from the year:
• Montgomery County, partnering with GigaBeam Networks, received a $919,569 Virginia
Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and
Community Development (DHCD). The County and GigaBeam together are providing an
additional $488,068 in matching funds. The goal of this project is to provide broadband
services to 1,248 households and 44 businesses in the communities of Allegheny Springs,
Elliston, Lafayette, and Shawsville. This project is scheduled to be built-out by December
2023.
• The Regional Commission, partnering with Montgomery County, Bland County and GigaBeam
Networks, received a $39,233,355 VATI grant from DHCD. The County and GigaBeam
together are providing an additional $38,247,340 in matching funds. The goal of this project
is to install approximately 619 miles of fiber to provide access to broadband services to
11,587 households and 507 businesses throughout the remaining unserved and underserved
areas of Montgomery County and Bland County.
• The Regional Commission, partnering with Pulaski County and All Points Broadband (APB),
received a $29,122,000 VATI grant from DHCD. The County and APB together are providing an
additional $26,103,057 in matching funds. The goal of this project is to install approximately
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419 miles of fiber to provide access to broadband services to 7,073 households and 799
businesses throughout the remaining unserved and underserved areas of Pulaski County.
Addiction Recovery
NRVPDC provides oversight and integration of the New River Valley Recovery Ecosystem five-year
program. The Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority funded program coordinates programming in
prevention, treatment, education and harm reduction to develop structural changes that address
underlying impacts of addiction and support wellbeing in the region. The Regional Commission provides
staff assistance to the technical teams, delivers fiscal and performance tracking, supports the
communication and educational outreach, and troubleshoots issues to ensure the work is adaptive and
innovative to address opioid impacts on the region.
Northern Neck Planning District Commission (NNPDC)
Broadband Project Planning and Development
The Northern Neck PDC planned and developed a $60 million broadband project that covers five counties
(four member counties, and King George County) and will provide wired broadband internet service to
every home in the Northern Neck that currently has no wired service. The PDC is overseeing
implementation of the project with completion in FY2024.
National Heritage Area Designation
With the support from NNPDC, legislation to designate the Northern Neck and King George County as a
National Heritage Area (NHA) was passed by Congress and was signed into law. The region has been
working together for over 20 years in pursuit of NHA designation, and legislation was introduced in
Congress in 2023 following the completion of the Northern Neck National Heritage Area Feasibility Study.
This designation will deliver critical federal dollars, encourage public-private partnerships, and assign a
specific entity to help protect the Northern Neck’s natural, cultural, scenic, and recreational resources.
Workforce Development
NNPDC provided technical assistance to Rappahannock Community College (RCC) which resulted in a $5.1
million grant award from the U. S. Department of Commerce - Economic Development Administration for
a healthcare training facility located in Warsaw to serve the RCC service area.
Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission (NSVRC)
Recycling Infrastructure
NSVRC was awarded the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Solid Waste Infrastructure
for Recycling (SWIFR) for Communities Grant, resulting in a total of $4 Million for upgraded recycling
infrastructure across the region. The grant award will fund three projects: upgrades to the region’s tire-
grinding program, the establishment of curbside recycling services in the region’s Towns, and the purchase
of new 30- and 40-yard recycling containers for landfilling and convenience sites.
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Commuter Bus Service
NSVRC completed and submitted a grant to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
(DRPT), the Transit Ridership Incentive Program (TRIP). This funding helps support the commuter bus that
RideSmart helped operate before COVID-19 that traveled the I-66 Corridor. The commuter bus was a
success for the commuters of our region. The grant was awarded in FY24, and RideSmart staff immediately
began work on bringing the commuter bus service back. Service began in May of 2024 from the Waterloo
Park & Ride lot to locations in Northern Virginia and DC.
Affordable Housing
NSVRC partnered with People Inc. and the Town of Luray to develop the first new affordable housing
project in Page County in decades. The Luray Meadows apartments are now the home to 52 households
and are fully leased up. The project is comprised of 41 two-bedroom apartments and 11 three-bedroom
apartments, ranging from $465-$750 a month depending on the unit. Last year, Luray Meadows won the
Governor’s Outstanding Rural Development Award at the Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference.
Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC)
Affordable Housing
NVRC was awarded a $3 million grant by Virginia Housing to create new affordable housing in the region.
337 new affordable housing units will be created as a result of the project. 140 units are complete and
occupied. More than $40 million in private sector funding was leveraged with the grant. 44% of funds are
dedicated to home ownership efforts.
Military Installation Resilience
NVRC conducted the Military Installation Resilience Review (MIRR) to assess the impacts that current and
future climate hazards could have on four counties and three military installations in Northern Virginia,
one of the fastest growing areas of the country with significant economic impact. The project identified
more than $200 million in community/military facility related projects.
Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission (RRRC)
Affordable Housing
RRRC has spent significant resources in developing and implementing the PDC Housing Development
Program over the past three years. During FY 2024, funding through the program supported an innovative
adaptive reuse project in Fauquier County through partner agency Foothills Housing Corporation.
The Fletcherville Estates project resulted in the creation of four new affordable housing units in a building
that previously served as a restaurant along Route 17 in Fauquier County, but that had been unused and
vacant for more than a decade. The Regional Commission awarded Foothills Housing Corporation a total
of $200,000 to support the renovation and upgrade of the building that now has a mix of 1-bedroom and
2-bedroom units. The building is adjacent to the Fletcherville area of Fauquier County where Foothills
Housing Corporation owns more than 20 other rental homes and provided a positive reuse of the former
Ben & Mary’s Steakhouse landmark in Fauquier County.
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Storm Water Management/Water Quality
In 2022, the Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission was awarded a $300,000 grant from the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to support several priority planning and implementation
activities.
The grant has supported construction of two Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the Town
of Warrenton to treat stormwater runoff—a bioswale near the Fifth Street dog park and a constructed
wetland on Garret Street. Two additional stormwater BMPs are currently being designed for the Carver
Center in Culpeper County. Furthermore, this project is assisting John Marshall Soil and Water
Conservation District in expanding its Virginia Conservation Assistance Program, which provides cost-
share funding for voluntary urban BMP implementation in Fauquier County. The program addresses issues
such as erosion and minor flooding, while improving water quality.
Phase two of the Upper Rappahannock Watershed Plan project was also funded under the NFWF grant,
along with support from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. RRRC worked with the
Chesapeake Conservancy to develop a customized Best Management Practice (BMP) prioritization tool
for the region. This GIS-based online tool is intended to assist local governments and other conservation
partners in planning implementation of urban and agriculture BMPs to improve the water quality of local
streams. The tool is based upon new land cover and stream data the Chesapeake Conservancy developed
for the Chesapeake Bay Program, as well as local stakeholder input and field verification by the Friends of
the Rappahannock.
Richmond Regional Planning District Commission (RRPDC) (aka “PlanRVA”)
Transportation
PlanRVA wrapped up its fourth year of staff support to the Central Virginia Transportation Authority
(CVTA) which was enacted by the General Assembly in 2020. In four short years, CVTA made three major
commitments of regional transportation funds. As of April 2024, the CVTA achieved the following
milestones: distributed $340.4 million back to the nine member jurisdictions for local transportation
needs; distributed $102.1 million to Greater Richmond Transit Company to fund regional public
transportation; and retained $238.3 million for competitive applications serving priority regional
transportation projects. Through the three rounds of funding, CVTA has been able to support 64 regionally
significant projects, including the completion of the I-64 Gap in New Kent County. The CVTA has been
instrumental in funding and supporting the collaboration necessary for Fall Line Trail implementation.
Regional Planning
The Pathways to the Future Scenario Planning is a holistic scenario planning process that assesses impacts
of multiple future scenarios on the Richmond Region and is used in developing the Long-Range
Transportation Plan, Green Infrastructure planning, and the regional strategic plan. This process assumes
that we cannot fully predict what the future holds, so looking at more than one possible future can help
us create plans and projects that are more resilient. Pathways to the Future also considers real-world
implications across project areas, looking at how transportation, land use, economics, community health,
water consumption, and mobile emissions relate and impact future outcomes of regional development.
This process included robust community engagement in FY24. PlanRVA organized two charrettes during
the Pathways to the Future Process. The first charrette invited local and regional subject matter experts
and community leaders to provide input on the existing strengths and weaknesses of the Richmond region
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and identified future opportunities and threats. In the second charette, participants provided feedback
on the policy and investment pathways that they believe will most improve the Richmond region. In
addition, the public was invited to participate in an online interactive scenario matchmaking activity which
asked participants to answer a series of questions regarding the outcomes and implications of regional
population and job growth levels, growth patterns, environmental and health outcomes, and other
considerations and directed them to one of the four alternative future 2050 scenarios for the Richmond
region that resonated the most with their own values and predictions. Almost 600 people participated in
this activity, and it was widely appreciated. The project will wrap up in 2024 and will be used to inform
the upcoming 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan (underway in FY25) and subsequent planning efforts
like the Green Infrastructure Plan.
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARC)
Recreation and Tourism
RVARC assisted with the efforts to support and diversify the rural economy by taking advantage of
opportunities for recreation and tourism. These projects included a wide range of technical assistance,
mapping, grant writing and planning. Projects included: Clifton Forge All Abilities Park Planning and Design
through a Virginia Outdoor Foundation Get Outside grant, regional mountain bike trail development with
grant applications to The Alleghany Foundation and the International Mountain Biking Association, trail
maintenance and related improvements at Douthat state Park with a Virginia DCR Recreational Trails
Program application, working with Alleghany County, the US Forest Service and National Park Service to
plan for a new campground, trail user counts to support requests for funding, and development of a
regional Alleghany Highlands Recreation
Addiction Recovery
The Roanoke Valley Collective Response - a program of the Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional
Commission - received $500,000 from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority to continue its work of
building and expanding a regional recovery ecosystem. This funding represents the first year of a proposed
five-year project. The Cooperative Partnership grant with the City of Roanoke and Roanoke County
addresses barriers which include housing, transportation, and stigma reduction as part of a successful
recovery ecosystem. The proposal will be achieved by supporting the individualized and collective needs
of the localities as well as raise the visibility of the Collective Response to foster increased participation
and collaboration across organizations. The project will also aim to improve visibility and compatibility
among data systems across the medical, planning, and emergency response sectors to enable more
effective data sharing and reporting.
Grant Writing
The Commission applied to and received $100,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Ready
LDD program. RVARC is using those funds to support an on-call bench of professional grant writers that
can help our ARC localities access Federal and other grants. In the spring of 2024, RVARC put out an RFP
and was able to secure a bench of five professional grant writers with experience across a range of Federal
programs. Initial projects have largely been focused on funding research, with the bench team assisting
Craig County in identifying public and private funding opportunities for a significant radio tower project,
and Alleghany County identifying funding sources for a range of water infrastructure needs.
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Southside Planning District Commission (SPDC)
Affordable Housing
Southside PDC received a grant award in the amount of $1,000,000 from the Virginia Housing PDC
Affordable Housing Development Program on June 30, 2021. The PDC will partner with Southside
Outreach Group on two housing development initiatives to be completed by June 2024. The first initiative
utilized $250,000 of the grant to provide gap funding for necessary construction costs for the Town of
South Boston Poplar Creek Homes Project. The Poplar Creek Homes community includes sixteen (16) new
affordable duplexes totaling thirty-two (32) one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. All units will be sold or
rented to low-to-moderate income individuals and families whose income is 40%, 50%, and 60% of the
area’s median income. An open house for Poplar Creek Homes was held on June 13, 2023, and units are
being filled.
The second initiative, currently under development, will provide three (3) new affordable homes for first-
time homebuyers that are at or below 80% of the area median income and will have a listed sales price at
or below the Virginia Housing sales and income limits. Participating first-time homebuyers will be enrolled
in housing counseling through the Southside Outreach Group. Following the successful sale of the home,
the income obtained from the sale will be placed in the Southside PDC Housing Assistance Fund and
administered by Lake Country Development Corporation. The Housing Assistance Fund will provide
sliding-scale assistance for home improvements to low-income homeowners throughout the Region.
SOVA Innovation Hub
The SOVA Innovation Hub construction project will: 1) Redevelop a 13,000 square foot building at 801
Wilborn Ave., South Boston, adjacent to the existing SOVA Innovation Hub building at 715 Wilborn Ave.,
South Boston, VA, and 2) Complete site infrastructure to support environmentally sustainable practices
and agriculture and technology demonstration areas. The new building will include four (4) key
components: digital makerspace, community spaces, coworking offices, and outdoor spaces. The region
served is Charlotte, Halifax, Mecklenburg, and Pittsylvania Counties and the City of Danville. Southside
PDC staff assisted the SOVA Innovation Hub Corporation in the preparation and submission of the EDA
ARPA application totaling $2,948,738 which was submitted on 03/31/22. A companion application was
submitted to the Tobacco Commission on 10/20/22 totaling $400,000 that was approved on 01/06/23.
The EDA ARPA application was denied; however, a follow-up application was submitted on 12/15/22
totaling $1,255,556 to the EDA EAA Public Works Program which was approved 09/12/23. A grant
agreement with EDA was executed on 9/14/23. The design is complete, and a current cost estimate has
been received. The scope of work is being reviewed and bid alternates are being considered.
Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC)
Broadband
TJPDC continues to serve as administrator of a $79 million broadband expansion grant received through
the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI), handling administrative and financial functions of the
grant on behalf of 13 partner localities. The project aims to offer universal access to gigabit speed
broadband service for 36,000 unserved homes and businesses across five planning district regions. At the
close of FY24, the project had achieved 1,005 miles of aerial fiber placement; 396 miles of underground
fiber placement; 933 miles of splicing, and 12,287 passings. Finally, in support of the goal to ensure that
universal broadband service is available to all unserved locations in the project area, TJPDC again
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partnered with Firefly to apply for VATI 2024 funding to expand the project to include additional eligible
locations (awarded in July 2024).
Regional Planning
The TJPDC continued to utilize an $80,000 U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Economic
Adjustment Assistance grant toward development of regional Comprehensive Economic Development
Strategy (CEDS) to benefit all TJPDC localities. Our partner consultant, Camoin Associates, conducted a
site visit to the region early in FY24 to engage stakeholders on specific strategies for the CEDS plan and
also conducted in-person and virtual interviews with stakeholders. A “Resilience and Vulnerability” report
was compiled and a survey about the local business environment was conducted. TJPDC released the CEDS
plan for public review and comment in March and the final plan was adopted by the TJPD Commission in
early May. Information about the CEDS has been presented to local government boards and economic
development authorities at their request and the GO Virginia Region 9 Council has considered alignment
of the TJPDC CEDS plan and super regional strategies with its growth plan.
West Piedmont Planning District Commission (WPPDC)
Broadband
In FY24, WPPDC continued its partnership with RiverStreet Networks on two Virginia Telecommunications
Initiative (VATI) projects. The WPPDC West project included Franklin, Henry, and Patrick counties as well
as a partnership with Appalachian Power (APCo). WPPDC West will construct 1,117 miles of fiber and pass
10,056 potential customers. Total project cost is $92,996,158 which includes $33,571,073 in VATI grant
funding. The second project, WPPDC East, includes Amelia, Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Nottoway, and
Pittsylvania counties. This project will construct 2,296 miles of fiber and pass 24, 641 potential customers.
Total project cost is $152,425,235 which includes $87,003,888 in VATI grant funding. WPPDC also
partnered with Charter Communications/Spectrum on a successful VATI application in Patrick County. The
total project cost is $3,007,530 which includes $1,557,385 in VATI grant funds. The WPPDC Patrick County
project will construct 74 miles of fiber and pass 690 potential customers. WPPDC was also successful with
three VATI 2023 applications that add an additional $19,717,714 in VATI grant funds and $12,448,286 in
match funds to build out 543 miles of fiber to the home and pass approximately 10,000 additional homes,
businesses, and community institutions.
Agriculture and Agrotourism
WPPDC completed a Regional Agribusiness and Agritourism Initiative to develop a regional approach to
developing, supporting, and marketing the region’s agricultural assets. The Initiative included a new
Grown in SOVA brand that ties into the existing Life in SOVA brand, an economic impact study, website
and regional agribusiness database, and prioritized next steps.
Conclusion
It is important to note that, while the Regional Cooperation Act articulates specific duties of the PDCs, it
does not require that each PDC conduct activities in every functional area. Rather, each PDC is challenged
to tailor its services to meet the diverse needs of its member localities. Based on their 2023 and 2024
annual reports, Virginia’s planning district commissions are meeting the goals as well as the overall intent
and specific requirements of the Regional Cooperation Act. Virginia’s PDCs are providing critical leadership
to advance regional cooperation in the Commonwealth.
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Appendices
30
Appendix A
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
31
Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
Please answer the following questions using the text boxes and tables provided.
For any of the questions involving a table, if additional rows are needed, please click your
mouse in one of the fillable cells of the table. You will then see a blue plus sign appear on the
right side of the row in which you clicked. Please click on that blue plus sign to add another row.
Please see the following screenshot as an example.
Figure 1: In the above image, clicking the mouse in one of the table cells results in a blue plus sign appearing on the right side of
the table to the right of the cell row that was clicked. Clicking on the blue plus sign will create another row for this table.
Many of the questions containing tables will ask you to provide a category of a project, activity,
plan, etc. using a drop-down menu of predefined categories (i.e.
. Please select the category that best represents the project, activity, plan,
etc. listed.
Figure 2: In the above image, a drop-down menu of categories appears after clicking on the downward facing arrow next to the
"Choose and item" field.
32
Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
For clarity, definitions for each category are provided below; however, these categories are not
Category Definition Category Definition
Administration General organizational and Infrastructure Activities or projects related
operational matters related to to public facilities designed for
the management and delivery the delivery, collection,
of public services. treatment, or storage of
various local public services,
including but not limited to
water, sewer, electricity,
natural gas, etc.
Criminal Justice Law enforcement, judicial Planning, Zoning, and Growth management,
proceedings, detainment, Community development, preservation,
rehabilitation, and prevention Development and redevelopment tools that
of criminal activity. regulate and shape the built
environment and the uses
contained therein.
Disaster Planning Efforts to plan for, prevent, Recreation Activities to promote rest,
and effectively respond to leisure, or physical activity in a
natural and manmade variety of public venues
disasters or emergencies. including parks, trails, historic
resources, and natural areas.
Economic Efforts to study, promote, and Telecommunications / Infrastructure specifically
Development enhance local or regional Technology dedicated to information
economies. technology and the
processing, delivery, or
storage of such information.
Environment Efforts to study, protect, or Transportation Infrastructure and services
preserve natural amenities designed for the movement of
including forest, timberland, people, goods, and services
bodies of water, and sources through a variety of modes
of other important or strategic (e.g. pedestrians, bicycles,
natural resources. automobiles, transit, etc.)
Health & Humans Efforts to improve, sustain, or Workforce Efforts to study and/or engage
Services protect physical and/or local labor forces to address
mental health, social welfare, employment needs and other
and public health of the matters to sustain or enhance
community. commerce
Housing Efforts to study, promote, Other Please specify in the adjacent
sustain, or develop temporary cell.
or permanent shelter and
living accommodations for
individuals or groups.
33
Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
1) Please upload a one-
summarizing the annual report responses and identifying any other matters the PDC
would like to highlight that may not be captured by the annual report questions.
2) Please use the following table to identify the PDC's member jurisdictions and the name
of their representative. Alternatively, if you have your list of member jurisdictions and
associated representatives in a separate table, you may paste it beneath this table or
include it at the end of this document.
Name of Locality/Entity Name of Representative Title of Representative
for Locality/Entity
Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text.
Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text.
Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text.
Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text.
a. Have any member jurisdictions withdrawn or no longer formally participate with
the PDC during the past fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024)? Please identify these
jurisdictions and indicate when such change occurred.
Click here to enter text.
b. Have any Native American tribes joined the PDC (pursuant to § 15.24203 of the
Code of Virginia) during the past fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024)? Please identify
these tribes and indicate when they joined.
Click here to enter text.
3) What is the latest Weldon Cooper population estimate for the PDC?
Click here to enter text.
4) most recent (ending 6/30/2024) and
current fiscal (ending 6/30/2025) years in CAMS and complete the following information
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Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
Fiscal Total Total Total Total Total Notes
Year Budget Budget Budget Budget Budget
Amount Amount Amount Amount Amount
from Local from from from other
Sources State Federal Sources
Sources Sources
FY 24 Click here Click here Click here Click here Click here
to enter to enter to enter to enter to enter
text. text. text. text. text.
FY 25 Click here Click here Click here Click here Click here
to enter to enter to enter to enter to enter
text. text. text. text. text.
5) Has the Charter or Bylaws been amended in the past fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024)? If
yes, please email updated document to DHCD Staff.
Click here to enter text.
6) Please upload a copy of the PDC's Work Plan/Program in CAMS.
Element #1: Successes and achievements
7) Please list and describe 3-5 successes and achievements of special note with regional
efforts in cooperation over the last fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024). List these highlights
in order of their importance to your PDC/region. Keep in mind that one or two highlights
from each PDC will be selected for inclusion in the biennial report on PDCs that is
submitted to the Governor and General Assembly. Answers that are too succinct or
similar to answers from recent past reports will likely lead to follow-up questions by
DHCD staff.
Click here to enter text.
Element #2: Strategic Planning
8) Pursuant to § 15.2-4209 of the Code of Virginia
regional planning also is conducted by multi-state councils of government, each
planning district commission shall prepare a regional strategic plan for the guidance of
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Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
your answer.)
a. ( ) Yes
b. ( ) Yes- Revision, amendment, or rewrite in progress
c. ( ) No- However adoption is in progress
i. Please explain why adoption has not occurred.
Click here to enter text.
d. ( ) No- Exempted from requirement by law
i. Pursuant to § 15.2-4209 (B) of the Code of Virginia, preparation of such a
regional strategic plan is optional. Please explain why the PDC has not
considered this option.
Click here to enter text.
9)
answering the following questions.
a. What was the adoption/revision date for the PDC's existing strategic plan?
Click here to enter text.
i. If the adoption date is greater than 5 years old, § 15.2-4212 of the Code
of Virginia requires revision and formal approval of such plan. Please
describe the efforts the PDC has made to comply with this requirement.
Click here to enter text.
b. How was the strategic plan developed?
Click here to enter text.
c. Who (persons and organizations) was involved?
Click here to enter text.
d. What are the highest priority recommendations and activities that are identified
in the plan?
36
Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
Click here to enter text.
i. How were these priorities established?
Click here to enter text.
10) During the past fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024), what projects and activities listed in the
regional strategic plan have been implemented or are underway? Please list at least
three projects or activities.
Click here to enter text.
11) What projects and activities from the regional strategic plan does the PDC intend to
undertake this upcoming fiscal year (FY2025)? Please list at least three projects or
activities.
Click here to enter text.
12) Please list the most important issues for the region. Please keep your answers brief by
listing topics or subject matter areas instead of long sentences or long phrases.
Click here to enter text.
Element #3: Duties Performed
The following questions seek to address § 15.2-4208 of the Code of Virginia,
which establishes the general duties of PDCs. For each of the following questions
(13 21), please provide at least one example for each category (listed on Page
2 of the General Instructions) for which the PDC had an activity. There is no
requirement to have an activity for every category listed. Answers should
correspond to the tally of activities in the Performance Spreadsheet; however,
not every activity in the Performance Spreadsheet needs to be identified in the
corresponding tables in Questions 13 through 21.
13) List studies with regional significance that the PDC has conducted (either initiated or
completed) over the last fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024). For purposes of regional
significance, please identify only those studies that involve two or more localities. Please
use the following table to answer this question and choose the category that best
describes the study. (Corresponds to Row 3 of the Performance Spreadsheet)
37
Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
Name of Study Category of Study Status of Study Notes
(Initiated/Completed)
Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to enter Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to enter Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to enter Click here to
text. text. enter text.
14) Address how the PDC has identified and studied opportunities for local cost savings
and staff efficiencies through coordinated governmental efforts over the last fiscal year
(ending 6/30/2024). If possible, please estimate the state and local savings over the last
fiscal year as a result of these efforts. Please use the following table to answer this
question and choose the category that best describes the study. (Corresponds to Row 4
of the Performance Spreadsheet)
Name of Study Category of Study Estimated Local Estimated Notes
Savings (Pre- State Savings
defined (Pre-defined
Ranges) Ranges)
Click here to Choose an item. Choose an item. Choose an Click here
enter text. item. to enter
text.
Click here to Choose an item. Choose an item. Choose an Click here
enter text. item. to enter
text.
Click here to Choose an item. Choose an item. Choose an Click here
enter text. item. to enter
text.
15) List the PDC's mechanisms for coordinating state and local interests on a regional basis
over the last fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024). For purposes of this question, mechanisms
are considered procedures, committees, subcommittees, websites, and other structured
processes and resources. Please use the following table to answer this question and
choose the category that best describes the mechanism. (Corresponds to Row 5 of the
Performance Spreadsheet)
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Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
Name of Mechanism Category of Mechanism Notes
Click here to enter text. Choose an item. Click here to enter text.
Click here to enter text. Choose an item. Click here to enter text.
Click here to enter text. Choose an item. Click here to enter text.
16) List activities where the PDC has implemented services at the request of member
localities over the last fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024). Please use the following table to
answer this question and choose the category that best describes the request.
(Corresponds to Row 6 of the Performance Spreadsheet)
Name of Activity Locality/Localities Category of Request Notes
requesting
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
17) Describe the technical assistance the PDC has provided to state government and
member localities over the last fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024). Please use the following
table to answer this question and choose the category that best describes the request.
(Corresponds to Row 7 of the Performance Spreadsheet)
Name/Description State Agency/Agencies Category of Notes
of Technical and/or Local Request
Assistance Government(s)
Involved
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
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Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
18) Explain how the PDC has served as a liaison between local governments and state and
federal agencies as requested over the last fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024). For purposes
of the liaison activities addressed by this question, please identify the state and federal
agencies the PDC has interacted with over the last fiscal year. In circumstances where
state and federal agencies are both involved (e.g. federal programs administered at the
state level), please list both entities for the activity. Please use the following table to
answer this question and choose the category that best describes the request.
(Corresponds to Row 8 of the Performance Spreadsheet)
Name of Liaison State/Federal Agency Category of Notes
Activity or Agencies and Local Request
Government(s)
Involved
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
19) Explain how the PDC has reviewed local government aid applications over the last fiscal
year (ending 6/30/2024). For purposes of this question, please include applications to
agencies of the state or federal government for loans, grants-in-aid for local projects,
and as required by other state or federal law or regulation. Please use the following
table to answer this question and choose the category that best describes the
application. (Corresponds to Row 9 of the Performance Spreadsheet)
Name of Locality or State and/or Category of Notes
Application Localities Federal Application
Requesting Agency or
40
Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
Agencies
Involved
Click here to Click here to Click here to Choose an item. Click here to
enter text. enter text. enter text. enter text.
Click here to Click here to Click here to Choose an item. Click here to
enter text. enter text. enter text. enter text.
Click here to Click here to Click here to Choose an item. Click here to
enter text. enter text. enter text. enter text.
20) Address how the PDC has developed regional functional-area plans as deemed
necessary by the commission or upon request by member localities over the last fiscal
year (ending 6/30/2024). For purposes of this question, a regional functional-area plan
is a plan to address service, need, or opportunity in a functional area (including but not
limited to the available categories in the table below) that encompasses or involves two
or more localities. Please use the following table to answer this question and choose the
category that best describes the plan. (Corresponds to Row 10 of the Performance
Spreadsheet)
Name of Plan Localities Involved Category of Plan Notes
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
21) Address how the PDC has assisted state agencies, upon request, in developing substate
plans over the last fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024). Please use the following table to
answer this question and choose the category that best describes the plan.
(Corresponds to Row 11 of the Performance Spreadsheet)
Name of Plan Name of State Category of Substate Notes
Agency Plan
41
Commonwealth of Virginia
PDC Annual Report Questionnaire
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
Click here to enter Click here to enter Choose an item. Click here to
text. text. enter text.
22) Has the PDC participated in the VGIN statewide geographic information system in the
past fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024)? If no, why not?
Click here to enter text.
23) Has the PDC served as a data center affiliate for the region and member governments
in the past fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024)? If no, why not?
Click here to enter text.
24) Notwithstanding the duties mandated in the Regional Cooperation Act that have been
answered in questions 8 through 11 and 13 through 23, what other noteworthy services
has the PDC provided to member localities, the Commonwealth, or other entity over the
past fiscal year (ending 6/30/2024)?
Click here to enter text.
42
Appendix B
Strategic Planning and Studies of Regional Significance
43
44
Appendix C
Study Opportunities for Local Cost Savings and Regional
Efficiencies
45
46
Appendix D
Mechanisms for Coordination of Local Interests
47
48
Appendix E
Services Implemented at Request of Member Localities
49
50
Appendix F
Technical Assistance Provided to State and Localities
51
52
Appendix G
Liaison between Localities and State Agencies
53
54
Appendix H
Review of Local Government Aid Applications
55
56
Appendix I
Regional Functional Area Plans Developed
57
58
Appendix J
Assist State Agencies with Substate Plans
59
60
Appendix K
Other Activities
61
62
Appendix L
PDCs and their Member Jurisdictions
63
64
Appendix M
FY 2023 and FY 2024 State Funding and Population Served
65
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