The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) has produced the proposed FY 2022 Work Program (WP) for fiscal year 2022, July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. The WP describes planning work to be performed by the HRPDC staff during this period. The WP replaces the Work Program FY 2021 approved by the Commission at their October 15, 2021 meeting. This public notice is to request public review and comment on the proposed FY 2022 WP.

The Work Program includes projects to be undertaken for the Hampton Roads region as a whole as well as for sub-regional groupings of localities and agencies. Also included are local projects to be carried out in cooperation with or on behalf of individual member localities. The WP functions as a comprehensive guide to the activities of the HRPDC staff and supporting committees and represents the agreement between the HRPDC staff and the Commission on the functions and services to be accomplished on behalf of the Commission and its member localities. The WP is required by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), in part, as the basis for the state’s annual appropriation to support Planning District Commissions.

The planning activities in the WP address a wide range of programs, including: community affairs and civil rights, emergency management, environmental education, housing and human services, planning and economics and water resources. Each of these programs concurrently considers many related issues, such as land use, socioeconomic characteristics, transportation, climate change, environmental justice, and public involvement and outreach. To ensure the most effective service to the Hampton Roads community, many of the HRPDC functions, as well as those of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO), require integration and coordination of key issues such as recurrent flooding, hurricane evacuation, economic development and provision of utility and transportation infrastructure. HRPDC programs include:

• Community Affairs and Civil Rights: The Office of Community Affairs and Civil Rights is committed to public involvement in the planning and programming process as recognized by federal law. It implements Title VI, Environmental Justice, and Public Involvement to ensure a fair and equitable planning process, as well as access to that process. Staff also provide current and relevant updates to residents about projects and activities of the HRPDC.

• Emergency Management: The HRPDC Emergency Management program serves as a resource to foster and support local and regional strategies that will complement existing emergency management programs in cities and counties throughout Hampton Roads. The overall goal of the program is to help build partnerships that encourage regional cooperation.

• Environmental Education: The HRPDC Environmental Education program staff administer askHRgreen.org, which provides residents with guidance on environmental stewardship and helps localities meet the requirements of MS4 permits, groundwater withdrawal permits, and state consent orders to reduce sanitary sewer overflows. This effort is concentrated into four subcommittees: Recycling and Beautification; Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Education; Water Awareness; and Stormwater Education.

• Housing and Human Services: The HRPDC collaborates with local government agencies and non-profit organizations to coordinate local initiatives on housing and human services issues in an effort to develop effective and efficient solutions to our region's housing and human service needs. The HRPDC is involved in a variety of housing and human service activities aimed at improving the quality of life of the Hampton Roads region's residents such as affordable housing, services and programs for the disabled, as wells as services for seniors.

• Planning and Economics: HRPDC's Planning and Economics program provides a forum for local governments to develop cooperative initiatives that address regional economic and planning issues and opportunities. The HRPDC Planning and Economics program staff undertake technical and policy studies and provide technical assistance to the member localities and others. The program staff provide detailed information, analysis and forecasting relevant to the Hampton Roads economy. The staff also publish and present information in a variety of manners, including focused in-depth published reports, quarterly reports on the regional economy, special reports relating to breaking news or new information, and journal articles.

• Water Resources: HRPDC’s Water Resources program provides technical and planning support to local stormwater, drinking water, and wastewater programs. Program activities are focused on the management of regional groundwater and surface water resources and water quality regulations. Other program areas include: coastal resources management, recurrent flooding and sea level rise.

The proposed HRPDC FY 2022 Work Program can be viewed at the following link:

HRPDC FY 2022 Work Program

You may also obtain a copy of the proposed Work Program by contacting the HRPDC at (757) 420-8300. All interested parties are encouraged to review the proposed HRPDC FY 2022 Work Program and send comments to Keith Cannady at kcannady@hrpdcva.gov or by mail to 723 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake, Virginia 23320, by May 12, 2021.