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WHAT WE DO

Virginia’s PDCs provide a variety of technical and program services to member local governments.  They include grant application assistance, management services for program implementation, land use planning services, and mapping.  The merging of mapping and information services has created the field of geographic information systems (GIS), where PDCs often lead the way.

The West Piedmont Planning District Commission is involved in special transportation and economic development programs.  The PDC provides staffing for two basic transportation planning programs in conjunction with its member localities and the Virginia Department of Transportation.  These programs are the Rural Transportation Planning Program and the Danville Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The Danville MPO serves Danville City and Pittsylvania County.

The West Piedmont Planning District received designation as an Economic Development District by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) on June 24, 1992.  The PDC Board of Commissioners serves as the West Piedmont Economic Development District’s CEDS Committee (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee).  The Regional CEDS document must be developed or updated annually as a result of a local planning process designed to guide the economic growth of the area. The CEDS document is required for the region’s member localities to qualify for EDA assistance under EDA’s public works, economic adjustment, and planning programs.

For the Commonwealth, PDCs serve as an accessible network that gives quick and complete statewide coverage. Each serves as the Affiliate State Data Center for the region.  In this role, PDCs provide important information to businesses as well as citizens. PDCs are the regional contact for the Commonwealth’s Intergovernmental Review Process and provide input for a host of agencies and commissions.

One important duty of the PDCs is to create a strategic plan for their region of service. This plan is created in cooperation with local governments, businesses, citizen organizations, and other interested parties. The plan is intended to help promote the orderly and efficient development of the PDC by stating goals and objectives, strategies to meet those goals, and mechanisms for measuring progress.

Other duties of the PDCs are:

    • To conduct studies on issues and problems of regional significance;
    • To identify and study potential opportunities for local cost savings and staffing efficiencies through coordinated local government efforts;
    • To identify mechanisms for the coordination of state and local interests on a regional basis;
    • To implement services upon request by member localities;
    • To provide technical assistance to state government and member localities;
    • To serve as a liaison between localities and state agencies, as requested;
    • To review local government aid applications as required by applicable law;
    • To conduct strategic planning for the region as required by applicable law;
    • To develop regional functional area plans as deemed necessary by the commission or as requested by member localities;
    • To assist state agencies, as requested, in the development of substate plans;
    • To participate in a statewide geographic information system, the Virginia Geographic Information Network, as directed by the
       Department of Planning and Budget; and
    • To collect and maintain demographic, economic, and other data, acting as a State Data Center Affiliate in cooperation with the Virginia
       Employment Commission.

The following is a list of current/recent key projects of the West Piedmont Planning District Commission:

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