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 at www.tjpdc.org. 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. Please feel free
to send comments and suggestions to
.
TJPDC
to Begin 29N Corridor Transportation Study
The TJPDC,
along with the County of Albemarle, City of Charlottesville, and VDOT,
is in the beginning phases of the US 29 North Corridor multi-modal transportation
study. The consultants
will be in town to meet the week of April 11th to begin the
technical process with staff and gather data.
This study will be in conjunction with the County of Albemarle’s
Northern Development Area Master Plan process to ensure land use and
transportation decisions are considered simultaneously.
The detailed technical and economic analysis performed in the
29H250 Phase 2 Study (www.tjpdc.org/transportation/29H250_Phase_2_toc.asp)
will be important components of the extended study. This study area includes the corridor
and its parallel networks stretching from the 250 Bypass to the Greene
County Line. The public
workshops will be held in late spring.
For more information, contact Harrison Rue at (434) 979-7310
x110 or
or Rhonda Edmunds at (434) 979-7310
x330 or
.
TJPDC
to Form Homeless Task Force
At
its March meeting, by request of the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition
for the Homeless, the Commission agreed to appoint individuals throughout
the region to serve on a Task Force to develop a Plan to End Homelessness
by 2012. With mounting
research to show that homelessness arises from a combination of solvable
problems, over 180 communities across the nation have adopted such plans. By bringing together a variety of stakeholders
including service providers, business and civic leaders, public safety
groups, faith based organizations, and others, communities develop strategies
to prevent
homelessness
where possible, to rapidly re-house people where homelessness is unavoidable,
and to provide supportive services as needed. For more information, contact Evan Scully
at (434) 979-7310 x440 or
.
Moore’s
Creek Implementation Plan Complete
The
Moore's Creek Fecal Coliform TMDL Implementation Plan has been completed
and submitted to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
This plan outlines actions needed to remove Moore's Creek from Virginia's
impaired waters list for contamination from fecal coliform bacteria. Many thanks to the technical committee
members, who are already at work on a proposal for funding to bring
about key plan recommendations.
The plan may be viewed on the TJPDC's website at http://tjpdc.org/pdf/rep_envi_Moores_Creek_IP.pdf. For
more information, contact Rochelle Garwood at (434) 979-7310 x320 or
.
Piedmont
Workforce Network Hosts Open Houses
The
Piedmont Workforce Network hosted two Open Houses in March at their
Comprehensive One Stop Career Centers. The first one was held on March
21st at the Culpeper Career Resource Center and the second one was held
on March 23rd at the Charlottesville Workforce Center. Many businesses
and service agencies attended. Guests were able to tour the facilities,
network, and provide feedback on the services offered.
The Piedmont Workforce Network has the central role of providing
leadership and direction on local strategic workforce issues, identifying
local needs, and developing strategies to address those needs. For
more information on services provided by the One Stop Career Centers,
contact Heather Foor at (434) 979-7310 x240 or
.
Regional
Agency Conducts Homeless Census and Survey
The
TJPDC and the Thomas
Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless (TJACH)
recently conducted the annual Homeless Census.
Over a 3-day period, volunteers visited soup kitchens, service
providers, and outdoor locations to conduct surveys with people who
are homeless and near-homeless in our community. On January 26, 2005,
175 people were identified in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District
who met the definition of homeless. Reliable statistical estimates suggest
that the total number of those homeless in the region is at least 257.
- 37%
of homeless adults were currently employed
- 26%
were homeless with dependent children
- 69%
had been homeless for less than a year
- 20%
had been homeless for less than 1 month
Complete
results can be found at http://www.tjpdc.org/pdf/rep_hous_homelessCensus05.pdf. For more information, contact Evan Scully
at (434) 979-7310 x440 or
.
Walkable
Communities Expert in Town to Focus on US29 North
The North
Charlottesville Business Council of the Regional Chamber of Commerce
is bringing in Dan Burden, a nationally recognized authority on community
walkability, to discuss the challenges to develop the basic concepts
of the US29 Urban Boulevard. In
conjunction with Burden’s visit, a public workshop will be held on April
26th at 7:00pm. This
workshop session will include a presentation on concepts that would
make the 29 North Corridor more pedestrian and bicycle friendly as well
as include examples of built concepts for similar corridors.
Participants will also have the opportunity to provide feedback
on issues of importance. Check tjpdc.org for more information in
the next week or contact Rhonda Edmunds at (434) 979-7310 x330 or
.
HOME
Action Plan for 2005-2006
All
interested citizens are invited to comment on the Draft Year 2005-2006
Action Plan of the Consolidated Plan. The Consolidated Plan and the
Action Plan guide the use of federal Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) funds in the City of Charlottesville and federal HOME funds in
the Thomas Jefferson Planning District. Beginning July 1, 2005 the City
of Charlottesville expects to receive $619,580 in CDBG funds and the
Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission expects to receive $1,009,430
in HOME funds. The public comment period started on March 28, 2005 and
extends to April 28, 2005. The Plan can be found at http://tjpdc.org/pdf/consPlan_HOME_action06.pdf. For more information, contact
Billie Campbell at 434-979-7310 x230 or
.
The
Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, in partnership with the
Thomas Jefferson HOME
Consortium,
has developed a Green
Building Sourcebook
to provide information and resources for people interested in learning
more about building sustainable, affordable housing. The Sourcebook
contains information on simple steps homeowners can take to green their
homes, including replacing thermostats, choosing energy efficient appliances,
and replacing windows and doors. It also includes information on products
and materials to choose for your home to make it healthier, more energy
efficient and more affordable over the long term.
The Sourcebook can be found at http://www.tjpdc.org/housing/Green_building_sourcebook/. For
more information, contact Bill Wanner at (434) 979-7310 x 390 or
.
Solid
Waste Management Plan Update
The 2004 TJPDC
Solid Waste Management Plan originally submitted last year, was amended
in response to comments from the Department of Environmental Quality
and resubmitted in February for final review and approval. The TJPDC
region for this plan consists of the City of Charlottesville and the
Counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, and Nelson. The regional recycling
rate has been calculated as 25.3%, exceeding the 25% state mandate.
TJPDC will act as a central clearinghouse for the region and has been
designated as the central archive for solid waste data. The Solid Waste
Committee will meet semi-annually to review data and monitor implementation
of plan recommendations. The committee will meet on April 20 at 2:00
p.m. at TJPDC. Anyone involved in waste management, or interested in
learning more and sharing ideas, is invited to attend. The Plan can
be found at http://www.tjpdc.org/pdf/rep_envi_solidWaste04.pdf. For more information, contact Chris Gensic
at (434) 979-7310 x260 or
MPO-Appointed
Transportation Funding Options Group at Work
The
Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization appointed
a Transportation Funding Options
Working
Group to address the severe statewide budget constraints and the need
to expedite implementation of regional transportation projects. This group of interested stakeholders
was charged with exploring alternative sources of funding with specific
tasks including researching and analyzing all feasible options and submitting
a recommendation to the MPO in the spring.
More information on the work of this group can be found at
http://tjpdc.org/transportation/funding_options_workingGroup.asp. For
more information, contact Rhonda Edmunds at (434) 979-7310 x330 or
.
Hazard
Identification and Risk Assessment Approved
The first
section of the Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan has been submitted to
the state, reviewed by the Virginia
Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) staff and deemed satisfactory.
Comments from the VDEM review are being incorporated into the Hazard
Identification and Risk Assessment, which will be submitted as part
of the full plan. TJPDC welcomes your comments and questions on this
portion of the plan. The Working Group and staff from participating
localities and TJPDC are now generating ideas for hazard mitigation
strategies in the localities and the region. The full draft plan will
be presented to Planning Commissions in May and to the City Council
and Boards of Supervisors in June and can be found at http://tjpdc.org/environment/hazard.asp. For more information, contact Billie Campbell
at (434) 979-7310 x230 or
.
Fluvanna
Community Planning
TJPDC
Executive Director Harrison Rue facilitated the Zion Crossroads Area
Community Forum on March 19th, to prepare for planning workshops to
begin in September. A diverse group of 75 people attended, including
elected officials, business people, service providers, and citizens
from Fluvanna and Louisa counties. This
effort is part of a series of small area plans throughout Fluvanna County. The Fork Union
Community Plan
addresses economic development, transportation, housing, and recreation
issues in the Fork Union area. Residents and business owners in the
greater Lake Monticello area are in the process of developing a Lake
Monticello Community Plan. The Plan will shape future transportation,
housing, and economic development in Lake Monticello and the surrounding
areas. Community events are scheduled at Lake Monticello on May 14 and
Fork Union on May 21. Community Planning is about to begin in Palmyra.
The plans can be found at http://www.tjpdc.org/pdf/rep_comm_forkUnion.pdf and http://tjpdc.org/pdf/commPlan_Lake_Monticello_DRAFT.pdf. For more information, contact
Billie Campbell at 979-7310 x 230 or
.
