TJPDC e–News—Summer 2003

30 Years of Regional Planning, Linking Transportation, Land Use, Economy, & Environment

TJPDC e–News is issued on a quarterly basis to keep you informed about the programs and projects at the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. In addition to e-mail, every issue of TJPDC e–News is posted on our website.

TJPDC e–News provides brief snapshots of our current efforts. If you are interested in additional information on a particular subject, just click on the link embedded in the article or contact the appropriate TJPDC staff member. We hope you enjoy this update. Please feel free to send comments and suggestions to info@tjpdc.org.

TJPDC Bids Farewell and Welcomes New

The Planning District Commission wishes to express its sincere thanks and appreciation to Walter Perkins and Harry Harris. We thank Mr. Perkins who has served faithfully on the PDC Board for the past eight years. We appreciate his service as Chair and are happy that he will remain in his position on the Board representing the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors. We thank Jeri Allen, Kevin Lynch and Dr. David Morgan for their upcoming service as the new Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer, respectively. Mr. Harris has dedicated many long years of service on the PDC Board representing the Nelson County Board of Supervisors. We bid him farewell and welcome Connie Brennan as the new representative for Nelson County.

Housing Action Agenda Now Available Online!

In March, the Thomas Jefferson HOME Consortium convened Creating Successful Mixed Use Communities, which brought together individuals representing a wide variety of public and private organizations interested in developing creative solutions to the housing problems in our region. The Housing Action Agenda is the result of their ideas and suggestions and can be found at http://www.tjpdc.org/housing/mixedUse.asp. Please read the agenda and select elements that you can put into action to promote affordable housing and make our communities better places to live, work, and play. We also ask that you circulate it to people in other agencies or departments who might be interested in supporting affordable mixed use development. Anyone interested in working on these issues is invited to attend the meetings of the Housing Directors' Council (10:00 a.m.) and the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless (1:00 p.m.) held the third Tuesday of every month at TJPDC. Contact Shae Garwood at (434) 979-7310 or for more information.

UnJAM Round 2 Workshops Held in Rural Areas

As part of the public involvement process for the creation of the UnJAM 2025 Plan (United Jefferson Area Mobility Plan), public workshops have been held where citizens could come and get their hands on the plans and make significant feedback. Round 1 workshops were held last spring, with Round 2 workshops now complete. The first Round 2 workshop was held in the winter and focused on the urban/suburban Charlottesville area. Round 2 workshops for the rural areas were recently completed. The next step is the creation of the long-range plan that will consider public input and define which major transportation projects will be built in our region over the next twenty years. Be listening for information on Round 3 workshops where the draft plan will be revealed in the fall. More information can be found at www.tjpdc.org/transportation/unjam.asp. If you have questions about UnJAM, please contact Harrison Rue or Rhonda Edmunds at (434) 979-7310 or or .

TJPDC Announces New Program Specialist

The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of Heather Foor as its new Program Specialist. In her position, Ms. Foor is providing data management for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs, staff support for the Local Workforce Investment Board (LWIB), and support to the RideShare program. She has a bachelor's degree from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she majored in finance and minored in economics. Prior to coming to the TJPDC, Ms. Foor was an assistant director at the Bedford County Office of Economic Development in Pennsylvania. If you would like to personally welcome Ms. Foor to the TJDPC, she can reached at (434) 979-7310 or .

TJPDC, VDOT, Albemarle, and City Complete 29N Exercise, Gear Up for 29H250 Phase II

In partnership with VDOT, the TJPDC recently completed an exercise that identified practical improvements to the Hydraulic/250 Bypass intersections of the US-29 corridor. Staff from VDOT, TJPDC, Charlottesville, and Albemarle formed the technical team that focused on design, feasibility, modeling, and economics issues. These issues were developed with consideration given to the extensive public input received through focus groups and a hands-on workshop. The goal of this exercise was to develop a context-sensitive, multi-modal transportation improvements plan to complement existing and anticipated development along the corridor. This exercise has shown the feasibility of meeting the larger goal of improving many of the corridor's intersections at a reduced cost. The full report can be viewed at http://www.tjpdc.org/transportation/29H250.asp. Be looking for more details on 29H250 Phase II. For further information, please contact Harrison Rue or Rhonda Edmunds at (434) 979-7310 or or .

Homeless Coalition Preparing a Comprehensive Plan to Achieve an End to Homelessness

The Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless, of which the TJPDC is a founding member, is preparing this year's Continuum of Care Plan. This Plan identifies a system of care for the homeless that reflects the needs and vision of our region and is a necessary requirement when applying for funding under the McKinney Homeless Act. This year three applications are to be submitted for McKinney Act funds from our region. The AIDS Services Group, the M.O. Mohr Center, and the Region Ten Community Services Board are preparing applications that will move the region closer to the Coalition's vision to eliminate homelessness in the region. Last year's Continuum of Care Plan ranked Number 1 in the State and the Coalition expects this year's Plan to be even better. For more information, contact Evan Scully at (434) 979-7310 or .

Walkable Communities Workshops A Success

In April, many local residents and staff participated in Walkable Communities Workshops hosted by the TJPDC. These interactive workshops involve learning the basics, touring on foot to identify issues, and cooperatively determining a plan for making improvements. The workshops addressed the needs of every type of citizen, from young to old, in the city, suburbs, and rural areas. Special topics included schools, major roads, land use, neighborhood design and the needs of the mobility impaired. For more information and to view and/or download level of quality guidelines, go to http://www.tjpdc.org/transportation/walkability.asp. These workshops were sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, TJPDC, and Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization. For more information, contact Chris Gensic at (434) 979-7310 or .

General Assembly Final Report Available

An in-depth report summarizing actions taken by the 2003 General Assembly is now available on the TJPDC website. The document highlights significant budget and legislative action of interest to local governments. The text of the report is available at http://www.tjpdc.org/liaison/finalReport.asp. If you have questions about items in this summary, please contact David Blount at (434) 979-7310 or .

Regional Mobility Map Available

The TJPDC is a proud sponsor of the Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation's (ACCT) regional mobility map that details transit, bicycle, pedestrian, train, and other travel options. The map includes safety tips, contact information, and has a zoom in on the UVA/Downtown area. TJPDC provided mapping and other support for the project. The Mobility Map is available at a variety of locations, including tourist centers, government buildings, and the TJPDC front lobby. For more information, contact Tobin Scipione of ACCT at (434) 295-6554.

Executive Director Delivers Keynote at PA Transportation and Land Use Conference

Harrison Rue was recently a keynote speaker at the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Conference on Transportation and Land Use for Economic Development. Governor Rendell has identified clear priorities for advancing his state's future and emphasizes the importance of integrating transportation and land use policies in improving the economic and social vitalities of its communities. Rue helped to plan and facilitate the event as an outgrowth of his work with the Pennsylvania team while serving as faculty for the National Governors Association Policy Academy.

Completion of the 2003-2008 Consolidated Plan

We are pleased to announce that the HOME Consortium and City of Charlottesville 2003 - 2008 Consolidated Plan is complete and now available on-line. The Plan sets affordable housing goals for the region and specifically guides the use of Consortium HOME funds in the planning district and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds in the City of Charlottesville over the next five years. The Plan is available at http://www.tjpdc.org/housing/consPlan_HOME.asp. For more information, contact Shae Garwood at (434) 979-7310 or .

TJPDC Assists Louisa in Successful Grant Application

Louisa County with the assistance of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission has received a grant for $350,000 from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development to run water and sewer lines to a proposed location in Mineral for a potential wood manufacturing company. The manufacturer would create approximately 35 new jobs and at least half of those jobs will be available to low-to-moderate income individuals. For more information on this grant assistance, contact Heather Foor at (434) 979-7310 or .

Executive Director and Transportation Program Manager Attend New Urbanism Conference

Harrison Rue and Rhonda Edmunds attended the Congress for the New Urbanism conference held in Washington, DC June 19-22. The conference, which was also attended by Albemarle County planning staff, featured a presentation by the Mayor of Charlottesville. Mayor Cox spoke on the City's Commercial Corridor Study that focuses on the redevelopment of several major corridors and highlights many of the new urbanism principles. The Torti-Gallas firm completed that study for the City and is the same firm that completed Albemarle County's Neighborhood Development Model. Both local governments are in the process of changing their zoning ordinances to allow for more mixed-use developments in targeted areas.

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TJPDC e–News is a publication of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission and is published as a forum for the latest news and information concerning the programs and projects at the PDC. This newsletter is mailed on a quarterly basis. If you would like to be removed from the distribution list, please contact the TJPDC at info@tjpdc.org or by calling (434) 979–7310.

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Regional planning
linking transportation,
land use, economy, & environment.