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RRRC Announces Release of New Mobile Regional Tourism Site
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The members of the RRRC Regional Tourism Committee
are pleased to announce the release of a new mobile regional
tourism site for The Virginia Piedmont, which can be accessed
at: http://m.thevirginiapiedmont.org/.
The new mobile software site, for use with smartphones and tablets
was funded in part by a Virginia Tourism Corporation Sesquicentennial
Marketing grant, which enabled the Commission to develop the
new means of marketing the region. "Visitors will find
the site to be not-only user-friendly, but full of timely and
helpful information about area events and points of interest
across the five-county region," reports Jeffrey Walker,
RRRC Executive Director. "Moreover, for those interested
in the Civil War it will enable those with iOS- and android-based
devices to access importantinformation on upcoming Sesquicentennial
programming and area Civil War destinations.
The Regional Tourism Committee has also updated the Virginia
Piedmont brochure and will shortly issue an insert with reference
to the site. In addition, the site will be promoted through
advertisements locally and across the Commonwealth, and once
the Sesquicentennial has ended, will be utilized to showcase
other draws to the region, such as farm tours, festivals, andoutdoor
recreational offerings.
The mobile site is yet another tool to help market and promote
the many wonderful activities and points of interest across
the Virginia Piedmont and Rappahannock-Rapidan Region.
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Working with Jurisdictions on Stormwater Management Program Development
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Revisions to the Virginia Stormwater Management (SWM)
Regulations will require most Virginia localities to implement local
SWM programs beginning on July 1, 2014. In the Rappahannock-Rapidan
Region, only county governments currently fall under this requirement,
while towns have the choice to adopt a program or fall under the county
program. While several localities in the region currently have SWM
programs, they will need to be revised to meet new state standards.
Localities must adopt a SWM program by June 13, 2013 or request an
extension from the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board. In
order to receive a one-year extension, localities must submit a draft
local SWM ordinance, draft staffing and funding plan, and local program
contact information for approval by April 1, 2013.
In December 2012,
RRRC received a grant from the Virginia Department of Conservation
and Recreation (DCR) to assist local governments in the development
of SWM programs that meet revised state regulations. Six area local
governments, the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD),
and the Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) have joined in this collaborative
effort, which makes use of existing expertise in the region to enhance
existing local SWM programs and develop programs in localities where
one does not currently exist.
RRRC and its project partners are providing
technical assistance to localities according to their needs as they
develop or revise their local ordinances and policies. Capacity building
to prepare for program implementation will also be addressed, through
such activities as workload analyses, staff training, and purchase
of needed equipment. RRRC staff is also facilitating communication
and coordination between the participating jurisdictions to share
new techniques and creative solutions to common problems.
A kick-off
meeting for the regional effort was held on January 11, 2013 between
all grant partners and DCR regional staff. And RRRC, CSWCD and FOR
personnel are presently in the process of meeting with each locality
to individually assess each programs' needs, and how best to provide
technical assistance.
For further information on the Regional Commission's
SWM efforts please contact Michelle Edwards at medwards@rrregion.org.
State-level information on the revised SWM regulations can be found
at http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/stormwater_management/swmrollout.shtml.
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Area Homeless Prevention Update
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Two important services of the Foothills Housing Network
(FHN), for which the Regional Commission provides staff direction
and serves as fiscal agent, have been underway since mid-last year:
The Homeless Solutions Grant (HSG) and Homeless Prevention Program
(HPP), both made possible through funding from the Virginia Department
of Housing and Community Development. The programs are coordinated
by FHN on a region-wide basis through a common intake and assessment
process that involves all shelters and county Departments of Social
Services.
HPP provides rental assistance and case management to individuals
and families in imminent danger of becoming homeless. Since the end
of August, 32 households in the Rappahannock-Rapidan Region have avoided
homelessness because of this program. HSG serves individuals and households
that are already homeless - e.g., in a shelter or living on the street
or in their car - by providing deposit, rental and utility assistance,
and related case management. Since the end of August, 15 area homeless
households have been placed in permanent housing through this program.
HPP, HSG and the coordinated intake and assessment process are initial
parts of an envisioned comprehensive program to establish a continuum
of care network to help prevent area homelessness, and address the
needs of families and individuals when homelessness occurs.
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PD9-Area Administrators Committee an Invaluable
Regional Resource
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In addition to important guidance and feedback on
regional planning-related issues provided by the members of the RRRC
at fourth Wednesday of every-other month public meetings (commencing
at 1:00pm), another source of invaluable expertise is a PD9 committee
consisting of county administrators and town managers from among the
RRRC's thirteen member jurisdictions.
The committee meets on an informal quarterly basis to exchange information
on emerging issues of local and regional significance. The committee
is chaired by longtime Rappahannock County Administrator John McCarthy.
Depending upon the topic, informational briefings are scheduled and
invitations likewise extended to area chief elected officials (mayors
and board chairs), and planning directors, among others, for the benefit
of localities and region at large.
The membership of the RRRC Administrators Committee includes the following:
| Culpeper
County |
Frank
Bossio |
| Fauquier
County |
Paul
McCulla |
| Madison
County |
Ernest
Hoch |
| Orange
County |
Julie
Summs |
| Rappahannock
County |
John
McCarthy - Chair |
| Town
of Culpeper |
Kim
Alexander |
| Town
of Gordonsville |
Sabrina
'Sam' Martyn |
| Town
of Orange |
Greg
Woods |
| Town
of Remington |
Sharon
Lee |
| Town
of Warrenton |
Ken
McLawhon |
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Commission Provides Mapping Assistance to
Orange County
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Regional Commission staff recently provided mapping
assistance to Orange County in support of the County's ongoing comprehensive
plan updates. Utilizing data sets obtained from the county, along
with state and federally-developed databases, maps were prepared to
illustrate various chapters within the Comprehensive Plan that reflect
the existing landscape in Orange County.
Maps submitted for review by Orange County staff and officials included
2010 population distribution (shown below) and comparison of
2000 to 2010, physical infrastructure locations, land use, zoning
and improved parcels, as well as areas with physical constraints,
such as steep slopes, wetlands and conserved lands.
Questions pertaining to the Regional Commission's GIS program may
be directed to Patrick Mauney at (540) 829-7450 or plmauney@rrregion.org.
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Culpeper to Charlottesville Foothills Express
Service Proving Highly Popular
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The Foothills Express, a recent new Culpeper to Charlottesville
transit option, made possible by RRRC and operated by JAUNT, has completed
another successful year of service, and is proving increasingly popular
around the community as word of its offering continues to spread.
In 2012, the Foothills Express completed 1,876 one way trips in 144
days of service. Over half of those trips were to UVA Health System
facilities for medical appointments. However, riders also are utilizing
the convenient new shuttle for more than just medical appointments.
Numerous area groups such as the Madison Senior Center, Red Hat 'Pepers',
Culpeper Health and Rehab, and Silver Citizens, among others, are
taking trips to Charlottesville for lunch and shopping. Other residents
in need are taking advantage of the affordable new service to visit
family and friends, and a few are even relying on the shuttle for
employment and education-related purposes.
Of equal significance, the Foothills Express is also bringing riders
from Charlottesville to Madison and Culpeper for appointments, shopping,
and in order to access the various human services and non-profit organizations
at the middle and northern ends of the route. The JABA Senior Center
in Greene County, for example, arranged for a trip on the Foothills
Express for individuals to visit and shop at the Goodwill store in
Culpeper and have lunch at a nearby restaurant. And Madison Free Clinic
patients have used the Foothills Express to connect to Virginia Regional
Transit's Culpeper Trolley to get to Wal-mart so they could have their
eyeglass prescriptions filled.
For a growing number of riders, utilizing the Foothills Express in
conjunction with local Virginia Regional Transit public transportation
routes and Rappahannock-Rapidan Community Services Volunteer Care-a-Van
Service, among other compatible offerings, makes it all the more possible
to get around, and has enabled area residents wider access to sought-after
community destinations. Moreover, customer satisfaction surveys have
consistently revealed high levels of satisfaction among riders with
the new service in all categories of assessment including: punctuality,
courteousness, safety, cleanliness, affordability, ease of service
and overall satisfaction.
Of those that were surveyed:
• 35% were age 60 or over
• 30% were a Veteran or military family
• 40% had Medicaid
• 55% were disabled
• 75% made less than $10K annually
• 100% made less than $30K annually
So whether going to a medical appointment, staying connected with
friends and family, or commuting to work, the Foothills Express is
providing area residents in need with increased mobility options and
access across the Rappahannock-Rapidan Region and beyond.
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Helpful Websites and RRRC: Make Your Commute Easier
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The VDOT Park and Ride Lot Study has concluded and
a new interactive website currently under development is scheduled
to go live in February 2013. Upon completion, the new website will
provide information about every commuter lot in Virginia, such as
location, number of spaces, overnight parking restrictions, and more.
We'll be sure to let you know when it's up and running.
In addition, below are several other VDOT links that can help you
manage your winter driving, especially in the event of inclement weather!
For Snow Removal Information: http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp
To See the Status of Plowing in Your Neighborhood: http:///www.novasnowplowing.virginia.gov
For Real Time Traffic Updates and Road Conditions: http://www.511virginia.org
To download the Real-Time Smartphone App: http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/511.asp#app
Or Follow on Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/511northernva
As always, RRRC Commuter Services is here to serve you, be it with
locating a car or vanpool, obtaining information about the region's
commuter bus line operated by Academy, securing timetables or cost
information for Virginia Railway Express (VRE), or any other information
of interest to local commuters.
Please contact us at commute@rrregion.org,
(540) 829-7451, or visit our website at: http://www.rrcommute.org.
We are happy to help!
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Photo Feature: Historic Buildings in the
Rappahannock-Rapidan Region
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The Exchange
Hotel, Gordonsville
 This is an ongoing feature focusing on a building of
historic interest in the region. We will feature buildings from each
of the five counties and eight towns and welcome your suggestions
(and pictures) to planinfo@rrregion.org.
The Town of Gordonsville is celebrating the 200th anniversary of its establishment as a Town in 2013. There will be events throughout 2013, but the kick-off celebration will be held from 4pm to 6pm on February 2nd at the Gordonsville Fire Hall.
Thirty years ago, the Gordonsville Historic District was included in the National Register of Historic Places and includes areas along Main Street, with the traffic circle serving as the northern boundary and the Exchange Hotel (pictured at right) serving as the southern boundary. Below is an excerpt of the National Register for Historic Places nomination from 1983:
Equally illustrative of Gordonsville's role as a transportation center are its early hotels, which depended almost entirely upon trade engendered by the railroads. By the 1870s, Gordonsville boasted three hotels, all bordering the depot property. Two of these still stand. The earlier is the Exchange Hotel, a largely unaltered and recently restored three-story, brick-and-frame building. Erected in 1859 to supplant an earlier hotel, it features Greek Revival detailing and two-story front and rear verandas. A somewhat smaller hotel, Magnolia House (ca. 1873) faces the railroad platform on the northeast side of the former C&O passenger station. Like the Exchange Hotel, Magnolia House has a grade-level brick basement and a two-story front veranda with fancy brackets and sawn-baluster railing.
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Regional Stat: Home-to-Work trips from the SuperNOVA Transit Study
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The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation recently released the Final Report and Executive Summary from its SuperNOVA Transit Study. The study was designed to evaluate current transit service and transportation demand management (TDM) programs; existing and future land use, population and employment conditions; travel patterns and trends; and projected travel demand as a basis for the development of a multi-horizon vision for transit and TDM in the study area.
Included in the final report are travel patterns for the West subarea,
including Culpeper, Fauquier, Orange and Rappahannock counties. A
summary of the peak daily home-to-work trip statistics from the plan
can be found below and the numbers reflect the importance of Route
29 as a prominent route for home-to-work trips in the region. More
information on the SuperNOVA Transit Study, including the Executive
Brief and the Final Report can be found at http://www.supernovatransitvision.com.
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Jurisdiction
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Daily
Home-to-Work Trips (peak direction) |
| Culpeper
County |
12,860 |
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Northern
Fauquier County*
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5,241 |
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Southern
Fauquier County*
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19,732 |
| Orange
County |
6,707 |
| Rappahannock
County |
1,888 |
Source:
SuperNOVA Transit Vision Study Final Report
* Northern Fauquier County includes areas located north of the Town
of Warrenton; Southern Fauquier County includes the Town of Warrenton
and areas south
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