Search

 Home

 About Us                   

 Planning & Information Systems

 Urban Transportation-MPO

 Legislative

 Meetings

 Publications

 Street Name Clearinghouse

 Links

 Site Map

 Contact Staff

 Employment Opportunities

Office Hours:  Monday - Friday

8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
 

RRPDC Sublease Opportunity

Guidelines for Public Participation

Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

Adopted July 14, 1994

Prepared by the staff of the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission

Revised October 9, 1997

Revised July 21, 2004

Richmond Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

1.         Elected officials from each MPO area local government shall serve as policy board members on the MPO.  These local elected officials are directly accountable to citizens from their various districts and they serve as the primary means of citizen input for the MPO.  These local elected officials are authorized to act on behalf of their governing bodies on MPO plans, programs, studies, and other matters related to the MPO planning and programming process.

 2.        A minimum period of 45 days shall be provided for public comment and review before the initial adoption or revision of these Guidelines for Public Participation.

 3.        Public notice shall be provided to the local news media of each regularly scheduled committee meeting at least one week in advance, and for other MPO committees and/or task forces, at least three days in advance of the committee/task force meeting date.

 4.         A public notice shall be provided to the local news media in order to solicit oral and written comments on draft transportation plans and programs under consideration by the MPO.

 5.        Copies of all final draft transportation plans and programs shall be made available at various locations throughout the region for public review and comment two weeks in advance of the deadline for submission of comments.  Copies of such final draft plans and programs shall also be posted on the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission web site if they are available in electronic format.

 6.        There shall be opportunity for public input during each MPO and MPO committee meeting to gather timely information about transportation issues and processes from interested area citizens, groups and organizations.  The MPO shall consider and respond in a timely fashion to all significant public input offered during the planning and development program process including that offered by the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee. 

7.         When significant written and oral comments are received on the draft transportation plan or Transportation Improvement Program (including the financial plan and the air quality conformity analysis) as a result of the public involvement process or the interagency consultation process required under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s conformity regulations, a summary, analysis and report on the disposition of comments shall be made part of the final plan and program. 

8.         If there are significant changes to the final draft transportation plan or program from the one made available for public comment, an additional opportunity will be provided for public comment on the revised changes.  The MPO chairman shall determine when changes to the transportation plan or program are significant and warrant additional opportunity for public comments. 

9.         The MPO shall periodically review the effectiveness of the public involvement process in order to ensure that the process is providing full and open access to all parties (the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration will also review these procedures as necessary).  Mechanisms shall be in place to gauge the effectiveness of public participation activities and results of such reviews shall be reported to the MPO. 

10.       Whenever possible, the public involvement process shall coordinate with the statewide public involvement processes in order to enhance public consideration of issues, plans and programs, to reduce redundancies and costs, and to maximize citizen involvement.  At a minimum, this shall include the submission to the MPO of written statements received at the Virginia Department of Transportation Richmond Construction District Six-Year Plan pre-allocation public meeting related to transportation needs and priorities in the MPO’s study area. 

11.       The MPO shall maintain and make readily available documentation of its public participation activities and procedures. 

12.       The Richmond Regional Planning District Commission shall maintain a website, which shall include information on MPO plans, programs, meetings, and other appropriate information.  The staff shall post on the RRPDC web site draft documents that are subject to the MPO’s public review process for public review and comment.  Staff will also use the RRPDC web site to solicit public input on draft plans and programs. 

13.       The MPO shall assess the distribution of impacts on low income and minority groups for investments identified in the Long-Range Transportation Plan and the Transportation Improvement Program. 

14.       The MPO shall conduct outreach activities to inform and seek comments from minority and low income groups. 

15.       The MPO shall annually conduct a series of meetings to obtain public comments for MPO consideration in developing the Long-Range Transportation Plan, Transportation Improvement Program, and Unified Work Program.  Such meetings shall also provide an update to the public on the region’s air quality status and shall be held at various locations throughout the region.  At least one-third of these meetings shall be held in minority and/or low income areas. 

16.       The MPO shall maintain and provide for the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC).  The purpose of CTAC is to advise the MPO on plans and other matters necessary and appropriate for providing viable and reasonable citizen input.  Resolutions approved by CTAC shall be presented to the MPO.  The MPO’s response to these resolutions shall be reported to CTAC. 

17.       The MPO shall maintain and provide for the Elderly and Disabled Advisory Committee (EDAC).  The purpose of EDAC is to advise the MPO on plans and other matters concerning the MPO’s urban transportation planning process responsibility to conduct special efforts to plan public transportation facilities and services that can be effectively utilized by the elderly and disabled.  Resolutions approved by EDAC shall be presented to the MPO.  The MPO’s response to these resolutions shall be reported to EDAC. 

18.       Informational meetings on MPO plans and programs will be conducted in response to requests from business and civic groups, organizations, and state and local elected officials.  Outreach activities will be conducted to inform minority and low income groups concerning the availability of this service. 

19.       The Richmond Regional Planning District Commission shall produce and distribute to interested area groups and organizations, state and local elected officials, and others a periodic newsletter that includes articles and other information of interest on MPO plans, programs, and studies. 

The MPO shall establish joint technical and citizen special purpose committees to oversee the development of the Long-Range Transportation Plan and other plans and studies.  Such joint technical/citizen committees shall provide for on-going citizen involvement in the Long-Range Transportation Plan and other plans and studies.