Developing a Regional & Local WIP Response:

Kevin F. ByrnesDirector , GWRC Regional Planning & Demographer

Steven Hubble Environmental Programs Manager Dept. of Public WorksCounty of Stafford, Virginia

The GWRC & Stafford Co Experience

Regional Planning in VirginiaRegional planning commissions are creations

of local government encouraged by the stateRegional planning is a voluntary local

initiativeIndependent Cities & Counties = no

overlapping taxing or land use authority, separate school systems

Mission: "...to encourage and facilitate local government cooperation and state-local

cooperation in addressing on a regional basis problems of greater than local significance. ……… to facilitate the recognition and analysis of regional opportunities and take account of regional influences in planning and implementing public policies and services.

….(to) promote the orderly and efficient development of the physical, social and economic elements of the district by planning, and encouraging and assisting localities to plan, for the future."

CZM & MPO-Supported EffortsCZM Supported Efforts:

Animated flyover of imagery mosaic along Rapp. RiverDatabase of local development ordinances

associated with local response to Virginia Ches Bay Preservation Act

Local review and re-ranking of State-developed conservation lands needs assessment (VCLNA) dataset

Regional Urban Ecosystems Analysis: 1996-2009 trends in land cover change and associated environmental impact

Testing of impervious surface estimation modelsDevelopment of regional greenway corridor siting toolDevelopment of regionally-adopted Green

Infrastructure Plan

CZM & MPO-Supported EffortsCZM Supported Efforts: Significant Finding

Comparison of 30-meter LANDSAT-based land cover imagery with 1-meter, NAIP-based imagery for City of Fredericksburg*30-meter imagery over-estimates impervious surface area (in urban area) by 34%

30-meter imagery under-estimates tree canopy area by 40%

* 10 square miles

CZM & MPO-Supported EffortsMPO-Supported Efforts:

Development of regional land use scenario planning tool in Community Viz…a local parcel-based inventory of current and future land uses generalized to regional map to inform regional travel demand model on TAZ allocation of population, housing and employment

Integration of environmentally-sensitive and conserved lands into regional “greenprint” scenario

Public opinion research to measure public preference among 3 alternative scenarios: greenprint preferred over status quo and “jobs/housing balance” scenarios

Challenging Inter-Govt . EnvironmentFederal Actors:

Army, Navy & Marine Military BasesNational Park Service

State Actors & Dynamics:1-term Governor under Virginia ConstitutionDillon Rule legal environment4 key State agencies with differing administrative

geographySub-State Regional Actors:

Multi-regional Rappahannock River Basin CommissionGWRC – regional planning agency for Planning District 162 SWCDs in Planning District

Local Actors:3 urban MS4 & 2 rural non-MS4 localities, 2 institutional

MS4s

Finding a Workable Regional ProcessKey: find the common interest that overshadows the

autonomous & independent actions of local govts.Chesapeake Bay Preservation commitment by federal

and state governmentsInventory the stakeholders and map out regional

engagement strategy 1. Identify individual program goals and ways to

support2. Start small…build on successful track record3. Draw on the expertise of other regions and

associations4. For GWRC: be a facilitator, a “recording

secretary” to assemble local points of view, generate consensus, leverage the many voices into one common voice and program recommendations

Regional WIP-2 Recommendations:Planning Research & Bay Model Revisions:

1. Regional work on land cover information documented the short-comings of the Bay model land cover data

2. Need better land cover estimation, change detection system

3. Need a wider network of water quality monitoring stations to understand urban run-off impacts better

4. Need better reporting and tracking system for BMPs, both urban and rural

(see handout for complete list of all recommendations)

Regional WIP-2 Recommendations:Policy Support: General

1. Don’t re-invent the wheel…use the Tributary Strategies already developed to prioritize TMDL actions

2. Expand the Nutrient Credit Exchange program.3. Expand the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act

(CBPA) to the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed.4. Expand septic system pump‐out requirements

statewide, require retrofits for failing systems, and grant counties the authority to require sanitary sewer system connections where appropriate.

5. Amend the Virginia Code to allow all Virginia localities to adopt an ordinance containing a set of tree canopy preservation requirements based on development density.

Regional WIP-2 Recommendations:Policy Support: Agricultural BMP Strategies

1. Better Coordination of State Stormwater Planning and E&S Programs

2. Evaluate Inter-Applicability of Urban and Rural BMPs

3. Promote Greater Collaboration between regional Planning Commissions and Conservation Districts

4. Evaluate and Promote New Technologies which Show Promise for Cost-Effective Reductions

Regional WIP-2 Recommendations:Policy Support: Alternate BMP Strategies

Committee recognized 12 strategies not incorporated in Bay model which could reflect local practices not being given credit for water quality benefit

Some of these practices are recognized and used under MS4 programs, why not in the Bay model?

Regional WIP-2 Recommendations:Policy Support: Nutrient Management

Strategies1. Targeting Impaired Stream Segments2. Consider Sub-Regional Nutrient Management

Planning as a Guiding Framework for Urban Nutrient Management Plans

3. Encourage Innovate (e.g. urban-rural) Nutrient Trading Partnerships

4. Promote Nutrient Recycling and Reuse Strategies that Promote Reduced Water Demand

5. Promote Wastewater Treatment Plant Efficiency Optimization

Regional WIP-2 Recommendations:Policy Support: Stormwater / E&S Strategies

1. Regional Coordination of Local Stormwater Programs2. Targeting Urban BMPs on Redevelopment3. Statewide or Regional Coordination of BMP Tracking4. DCR Program Administration Improvements for Greater

Efficiency5. Stormwater Management Regulatory Support for

“Regional and Watershed Approaches”6. Continued Promotion of LID & Smart Growth Development

Practices7. Expanding BMP Eligibility for Undeveloped and

Undevelopable Lands8. Encouraging Conservation Easements by Providing

BMP Credit for lands placed in cons. easement

Regional WIP-2 Recommendations:Regional & Local Resource Needs:

Funding & Resource Needs (9)Planning & Programmatic Needs (13)

Legislative and Regulatory Needs (10)

(see handout for full list by heading)

Challenges Ahead & Next Steps1. Continued Facilitation of Regional Committee

Meetings

2. Testing methodology of using 1-meter NAIP imagery for better land cover estimation at Bay model river segmentshed level

3. Capacity Building for local SWCD: NFWF technical assistance application to develop better District business model to support local govts

4. Integrating New State Stormwater Management Regs into Local Ordinances

5. Developing Process to Produce Farm Assessments, Nutrient Management & Conservation Plans for Rural Areas

6. Building Nutrient Credit Exchange Partners in the Region & Beyond

Contact Information:Kevin F. Byrnes, AICP (byrnes@gwregion.org)

Director of Regional Planning & Regional DemographerGeorge Washington Regional Commission (GWRC)406 Princess Anne St, Fredericksburg VA 22401 Ph (540) 373-2890 (ext 18) Fax (540) 899-4808

Steven Hubble (shubble@co.stafford.va.us)

Environmental Programs ManagerDepartment of Public WorksCounty of StaffordP.O. Box 339Stafford VA 22555540-658-4559