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In this issue:
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Visit these Regional Websites:
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Commission Elects New Officers for 2007-08
Localities, Stakeholders Present Transportation Priorities
Rappahannock Basin TMDL Study Nearing Completion
Rail Study presented to Commissioners, Rural
Technical
Committee
2007 RRRC Living Towns Planning Workshop to be held in
Village of Sperryville
Commission Hosts Electronic Marketing for Tourism Workshop
RRRC Workforce Affordable Housing Committee
Commission Completes GIS Projects for Gordonsville,
Brandy
Station Foundation
Commuter Services: Not Just for Employees
Did You Know?
Regional Stat: Percent Change in Population for Virginia's
Planning Districts
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www.RRRegion.org
www.VisitFoothills.org
www.PiedmontGrown.com
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Commission
Elects New Officers for 2007-08
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The members of the Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional
Commission, at their February 28, 2007 meeting held their annual election
of officers for the coming year and unanimously elected the following
slate of candidates:
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Chester W. Stribling
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Fauquier County Board of Supervisors
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Chair
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Robert Miller
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Madison County Board of Supervisors
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Vice-Chair
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L. Win Carithers
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Town of Culpeper Planning Commission
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Treasurer
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Ruth P. Updike
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Culpeper County Citizen Representative
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Executive Committee, At-Large
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Harry Hopkins, Jr.
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Town of Orange Town Council
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Executive Committee, At-Large
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Robert P. Anderson |
Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors |
Executive Committee, At-Large |
"The collective experience of its board members,
without question, is a PDC's most important asset," states executive
director, Jeffrey Walker, "and our Commission and Executive Committee
are no exception, with an ideal mix of elected, appointed, administrative
and business expertise."
"With the growth that the region continues to experience and associated issues
that come with it, we are well-positioned to respond to both opportunities and
challenges ahead."
Per Commission bylaws, the new officers assumed their roles March 1.
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Localities,
Stakeholders Present Transportation Priorities
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The RRRC Rural Transportation Technical Committee,
tasked with developing a long-range transportation plan for the Rappahannock-Rapidan
Region is comprised of planning director representatives from each
of nine participating jurisdictions, as well as VDOT Culpeper District,
Residency and Central Office personnel, Department of Rail and Public
Transportation, and other agency and area stakeholders.
By way of its monthly meetings, the Committee has heard presentations
on transportation priorities around the region, draft bicycle and
pedestrian, rail, transit, and elderly transportation assessment reports,
plans and studies, discussed General Assembly efforts, and reviewed
proposed multimodal grant and annual work plan projects toward completion
of Phase I: Goals and Data Collection, as a prerequisite to subsequent
development of a regional long-range transportation plan.
The components of the plan completed thus far include the development
of draft regional transportation goals with accompanying objectives
and measures, establishment of a public participation plan, identification,
inventory and mapping of regional activity centers/growth areas, transit
service, bike and pedestrian facilities and the development of a regional
transportation project priority list.
The Committee meets the first Wednesday of every month at the Regional
Commission offices in the Town of Culpeper. Please contact Regional
Planner Chris Conti at clconti@rrregion.org
or (540) 829-7450 for more information.
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Rappahannock
Basin TMDL Study Nearing Completion
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The Rappahannock Basin TMDL Study, entailing the
development of bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) assessments
for 16 area watersheds, is nearing completion with the last round
of public meetings conducted March 19th, 22nd and 27th with the presentation
of draft TMDL reports. After the thirty-day public comment period
which runs through April 18, 2007, has been concluded and comments
incorporated, the final draft reports will be forwarded to EPA for
review, comment and approval.
The first series of public meetings which included presentations by
DEQ and consultant Environmental Concepts, Inc. were conducted in
October 2006 at Rochelle, Town of Washington and Remington and attendees
were given informational handouts and the opportunity to ask questions
and register comments..
A 52-member technical advisory committee also met on December 15,
2006 and February 27, 2007 to review estimates for straight pipes,
failed septic systems, bio-solids, and updated point sources, as well
as hydrology and water quality modeling calibration data, with model
results and allocation scenarios presented at the latter of the two
meetings.
For more information concerning the Rappahannock
Basin TMDL study process and to review the draft reports, please visit
the Commission's website at
http://www.rrregion.org/rappbasin.html.
Comments on the drafts may be submitted through April 18, 2007, via
e-mail, fax or US mail to:
Ms. Katie Conaway
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
13901 Crown Court Woodbridge, VA 22193
mkconaway@deq.virginia.gov
Fax: (703) 583-3841
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Rail Study Presented to Commissioners, Rural Technical Committee
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RRRC staff presented a draft version of its
Regional Rail Study at the January meeting of the RRRC Rural
Transportation Technical Committee and February 28 Commission
meeting. The study summarizes the current state of rail transportation
in the region, focusing primarily on passenger and commuter
rail capacity and provides updates on regional and statewide
rail transportation initiatives, such as the TransDominion Express
passenger rail service, Virginia Railway Express commuter rail
service, as well as possible changes in freight rail transportation
along the main railroad corridors in the region.
At the February meeting, Alan Tobias, Manager of Passenger Rail
Programs with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation,
presented a detailed update and discussion of pending rail initiatives
and related issues with respect to the Rappahannock-Rapidan
Region. Chief among topics discussed were the challenges and
costs associated with expanding commuter and passenger rail
services across the state.
Click on the map at right for a higher resolution image.
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2007
RRRC Living Towns Planning Workshop to be held in Village of Sperryville
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Rappahannock County has been selected to serve as
host community of the 6th Annual RRRC Living Towns Planning Workshop.
The purpose of the popular annual workshop series is to bring together
representatives of the region's towns with those of public and private
sector entities to network and exchange information on planning, revitalization
and the preservation of towns as vital economic living centers. Among
other goals of the program are to share ideas for planning and quality
of life; preserve historic and natural heritage; promote networking
among communities; integrate resources from multiple state resources,
and to enhance regional identity and community.
The Regional Commission, the series' convener, will assist local
community leaders in developing a detailed workshop agenda that focuses
on current local and regional topics, and responds to area needs.
The workshop will employ a panel discussion/case study format, with
presentations to be provided by knowledgeable speakers from similar-size
communities both inside and outside the region. RRRC will also provide
assistance by taking care of registration, preparation of workshop
materials, and public outreach.
Planning on behalf of an information-filled agenda and roster of expert
panelists and moderators is currently underway, along with an exciting
array of additional offerings, including lunch, after-workshop reception,
and driving tour. The tentative date for the all-day workshop is May
31, with further details to be made available once things have been
finalized.
Stay tuned for more information!
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Commission Hosts Electronic Marketing For Tourism Workshop
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Together with PD9 Tourism and Economic Development
Directors and other key area stakeholders, the Commission has been
engaged in an ongoing data collection/strategic planning effort aimed
at identifying ways of enhancing the visibility of the R-R Region
and better capitalizing on its beauty, diversity, and assets with
respect to collaborative marketing and tourism promotion.
In addition to a most informative presentation for area officials
here in Culpeper on the subject of electronic marketing by Virginia
Tourism Corporation (VTC) representatives Wirt Confroy and Angela
Wiggins, RRRC Office Manager Sue Hromyak recently had the opportunity
to participate in an orientation session at VTC in Richmond along
with a sizable number of tourism professionals from around the state
also in attendance.
The program consisted of an overview of each of the departments at VTC and how their services
could be better utilized to enhance and promote tourism of an attraction, event, locality or region.
With $16.5 billion in spending by U.S. resident travelers in Virginia
in 2005 alone, the following data from the Virginia Tourism Corporation
for localities in Planning District 9 provides an indication of both
the importance and potential the tourism industry holds for our region:
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COUNTY
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2005 Expenditures*
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2005 Employment**
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Culpeper
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$22,639,234
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322
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Fauquier
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$124,396,554
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1,689
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Madison
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$33,184,798
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353
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Orange
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$28,652,690
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461
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Rappahannock
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$19,337,277
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223
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*Expenditures represent direct spending by domestic travelers, including meals, lodging, public transportation, auto transportation, shopping, admissions and entertainment
**Employment represents estimates of direct travel related employment in locality
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RRRC Workforce Affordable Housing Committee
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The housing market in the Rappahannock-Rapidan Region, as in many
other parts of the country, cooled significantly in the latter half of 2006. However,
according to information from the Metropolitan Regional Information System, Inc.
(MRIS), the median price for home re-sales in the region remains about double what
it was in 2001. The 2006 median sales prices ranged from $275,000 in Orange County to
$475,000 in Rappahannock County. In all five counties, these home prices are well
outside the reach of median-income households.
The RRRC Workforce Affordable Housing Committee is exploring strategies for creating
and retaining housing for the segment of the local workforce earning between 50 and 80
percent of the area median income. Some of these strategies involve changes to local
zoning codes and building regulations, such as streamlining procedures for affordable
development, and allowing a small accessory housing unit to be built on more existing
home sites. Other strategies involve ways to acquire land at low or no cost, and ways
to leverage outside funds for development. The Committee is working to package ideas
and best practices into a Toolkit for use by local governments and other affordable
housing stakeholders.
Committee meetings, held at RRRC, also serve as a forum for exchange of information
about affordable housing activities throughout the region. Tony Hooper, Deputy County
Administrator for Fauquier County, and a member of the Regional Commission, has been
appointed by RRRC to chair the committee. Individuals interested in participating on
the committee are requested to contact RRRC Project Manager, Cathy Zielinski, at 540-829-7450.
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Commission Completes GIS Projects for Gordonsville, Brandy Station
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The Commission has recently completed
GIS mapping projects for the Town of Gordonsville and the Brandy Station
Foundation. The Town of Gordonsville projects included a boundary
adjustment map (shown below) and an updated zoning map, both of which
will be used for general planning purposes by the Town.
As part of its continuing work with the Brandy Station Foundation,
which began with assistance on the Foundation's TEA-21 grant application
in 2006, the Commission provided aerial views of the Brandy Station
area for planning use by the Brandy Station Foundation with aerial
photography overlaid by road and parcel data.
Further information about the Commission's GIS program can be obtained
from Patrick Mauney at 540-829-7450 or plmauney@rrregion.org. 
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Commuter Services: Not Just for Employees
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Attention PD9-Area Employers!
Are high gas prices and the day to day grind of commuting getting
you and your employees down? The RRRC Commuter Services program
can assist with the delivery of a valuable free benefit for
your employees.
We would be happy to provide information, and
can assist your employees in forming carpools or vanpools so
that they can both reduce the cost and hassle of driving alone
to work every day, and for those commuting by way of vanpool
or taking public transportation, the reassurance of having a
guaranteed ride home should they need to leave earlier than
their fellow riders in the event of an emergency.
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Such ridesharing
lowers transportation costs and reduces stress for workers enabling
them to be
more productive during the workday. It also helps the region by reducing
traffic
congestion and improving air quality. This is an employee benefit
that truly benefits us all.
At the recent Piedmont Area Job Fair about 75 individuals
seeking local jobs also requested information on ridesharing, and
RRRC Commuter Services staff are scheduled to have a booth at the
upcoming Fauquier Business Expo on April 12.
Contact RRRC Commuter Services today for additional details on how
this program can work for your company. Call 540-829-7451 (the Rideshare
number that you see on the familiar blue roadsigns) or e-mail us at
commute@rrregion.org.
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Did You Know?
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United States law allows for extra protection of
waters that have been deemed to have exceptional qualities. In Virginia,
this protection comes under the Exceptional State Water designation.
To qualify as an Exceptional State Water, a segment of a river, stream,
lake, wetland or estuary must at a minimum be a location of outstanding
scenic beauty and have exceptional aquatic communities or superior
recreational opportunities. After designation as an Exceptional State
Water, permanent new or increased discharges from pipes or other point
sources into the protected water is prohibited. Currently, eighteen
waters have been designated Exceptional State Waters in Virginia covering
approximately108 miles of stream corridor and 6.1 square miles of
water body. Two of these waters are in Rappahannock County, segments
of the North Fork Thornton River and the Piney River. The designated
part of these streams in Rappahannock County account for approximately
17 miles or 16% of the total amount of stream corridor considered
as an Exceptional State Water in Virginia. |
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Regional Stat: Percent Population Change in Virginia's Planning Districts
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According to recently released population projections
by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at UVA, the population
for the Rappahannock Rapidan Regional Commission (PD9) between 2000-2006,
grew at a rate of 19.3%, the second fastest growth rate of the commonwealth's
twenty-one planning districts, second only to the George Washington
Regional Commission (Fredericksburg area), which grew at a rate of
27.4%.
Of the counties which make up the Rappahannock-Rapidan Region, Culpeper
grew at the fastest rate (29%), followed by Orange (21.3%), Fauquier
(17.2%) and Madison (9.6%), in contrast to Rappahannock County which,
according to Weldon Cooper estimates, lost .8% of its population since
2000.
Click on the image for a higher resolution version.
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