Bill Text: VA HJR736 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled


Bill Title: Commending Virginia's 21 planning district commissions.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)

Status: (Passed) 2019-02-07 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ736ER) [HJR736 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2019-HJR736-Enrolled.html

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 736
Commending Virginia's 21 planning district commissions.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 28, 2019
Agreed to by the Senate, February 7, 2019

 

WHEREAS, in 1966, the General Assembly created the Metropolitan Areas Study Commission (the Hahn Commission), which found that a holistic approach to solving local and regional problems needed to be taken and recommended a new concept, the creation of planning district commissions and service district commissions; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Area Development Act (VADA) passed in 1968, creating the planning district commission framework "to encourage and facilitate local government cooperation and state-local cooperation in addressing on a regional basis problems of greater than local significance"; and

WHEREAS, following passage of the VADA, the Commonwealth undertook an aggressive effort to establish planning district commission boundaries, the last of which were announced in 1969, and within one year, planning district commissions were established in 19 of the original 22 districts; and

WHEREAS, in 2019, Virginia's planning district commissions, now 21 in number, are celebrating 50 years of promoting and supporting regional collaboration; and

WHEREAS, planning district commissions serve to foster intergovernmental cooperation by bringing together elected and appointed officials and citizens to discuss common needs and develop solutions to regional issues; and

WHEREAS, over the years, planning district commissions have conducted studies and identified solutions in the areas of transportation, economic development, infrastructure, the environment, and community development, among many others; and

WHEREAS, planning district commissions implement services and provide technical assistance to their member local governments; and

WHEREAS, planning district commissions often serve as liaisons between local and state governments, partnering with the Commonwealth to carry out state initiatives at the local and regional level; most recently, these partnerships have included working cooperatively with state agencies on the GO Virginia initiative and Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan development; and

WHEREAS, planning district commissions are committed to promoting opportunities for regional collaboration and expanding the types of services they provide to their member governments; and

WHEREAS, planning district commissions take great pride in their history and accomplishments, while recognizing the importance of looking ahead to the challenges of the future; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Virginia's 21 planning district commissions on the occasion of their 50th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions as an expression of the General Assembly's appreciation for the vital support provided by Virginia's 21 planning district commissions to state and local governments.

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