Planning district commissions: A great source for information

There are 21 planning district commissions in Virginia. They are made up of elected

officials and citizens appointed to the commission by member local governments. The

commission selects an executive director responsible for managing daily operations.

Commission offices are located generally in a central location for the region as

determined by the commission charter. Meeting schedules vary, and meetings are open to

the public. See below for a complete list of locations.

The purpose of planning district commissions is to encourage and facilitate

local government cooperation and state-local cooperation in addressing regional

problems of greater than local significance. The cooperation is intended to facilitate

the recognition and analysis of regional opportunities and take account of regional

influences in planning and implementing public policies and services.

The commissions provide 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.

Transportation planning is another role for PDCs, which may deal with highway

development, ridesharing, airport planning and specialized transit.

Five top business resources

Virginia entrepreneurs are fortunate to have an abundance of outstanding online and

published resources that are available free of charge.  Here are five favorites:

1. How to Start Your Own Business:  A Recipe for Obtaining Capital.  This Longwood

SBDC publication is essential reading for anyone seeking to finance a new business. 

http://www.longwood.edu/sbdc/Cookbook.htm
2. Guide to Establishing a Business.  Everything you need to know about Virginia’s

regulatory framework from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.

http://www.yesvirginia.org/pdf/guides/EstablishingBusiness.pdf
3. Starting a Business and Keeping Records, IRS Publication 583.  Determining how

to account for income and expenses is critical.  This pamphlet can help. 

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p583.pdf or call (800) TAX FORM.
4. Starting Your Food Business, published by the Virginia Department of

Agriculture and Consumer Services.  What you need to know before starting a catering,

food product, or restaurant business.  Call (804) 786-2373 to request a copy.
5. Business Registration Guide, a cooperative effort of the State Corporation

Commission, Virginia Employment Commission and Virginia Department of Taxation.  Most

businesses only need a few of the forms and instructions, but they are all here. 

http://www.scc.

Virginia multilingual business assistance organizations

Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce
14214 Washington Highway
Ashland, VA 23005
Tel: (804) 798-3975
Fax: (804) 798-1164
Web site: http://www.aabac.org

Business Development Assistance Group
901 S. Highland St. # 318
Arlington, VA 22204
Tel: (703) 553-0766
Fax: (703) 237-3996
Web site: http://www.bdag.org

Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
10700 Midlothian Turnpike, Suite 200
Richmond, VA 23235
Tel: (804) 378-4099 Fax: (804) 379-1727
Web site: http://www.vahcc.com

Ibero American Chamber of Commerce
100 North Glebe Road, Suite 1500
Arlington, VA 22201
Tel: (703) 228-0802 Fax: (703) 228-0805
Web site: http://www.iberochamber.org

Pakistan American Business Association
9302 Old Keene Mill Road, Suite B
Burke, VA 22015
Tel: (703) 287-1546 Fax: (703) 749-5076
Web site: http://www.pabausa.com

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Virginia planning district commissions
http://www.vapdc.org
11712C Jefferson Ave. #250
Newport News, VA 23606(757) 412-2664

PDC 1 Lenowisco
128 Lenowisco Drive
P.O. Box 366
Duffield, Virginia 24244
(276) 431-2206

PDC 2 Cumberland Plateau
950 Clydesway Road
P.O. Box 548
Lebanon, Virginia 24266
(276) 889-1778

PDC 3 Mount Rogers
1021 Terrace Drive
Marion, Virginia 24354
(276) 783-5103

PDC 4 New River Valley
6580 Valley Center Drive
Radford, Virginia 24141
(540) 639-9313

PDC 5 Roanoke Valley-Alleghany
P.O. Box 2569
Roanoke, Virginia 24010
(540) 343-4417

PDC 6 Central Shenandoah
112 MacTanly Place
Staunton, Virginia 24401
(540) 885-5174

PDC 7 Northern Shenandoah Valley
103 E. Sixth St.
Front Royal, Virginia 22630
(540) 636-8800

PDC 8 Northern Virginia
3060 Williams Drive, Suite 510
Fairfax, Virginia 22031
(703) 642-0700

PDC 9 Rappahannock-Rapidan
420 Southridge Parkway, Suite 106
Culpeper, Virginia 22701
(540) 829-7450

PDC 10 Thomas Jefferson
401 E. Water St.
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
(434) 979-7310

PDC 11 Region 2000
828 Main St.
Lynchburg, Virginia 24505
(434) 845-3491
PDC 12 West Piedmont
1100 Madison St.
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
(276) 638-3987

PDC 13 Southside
200 South Mecklenburg Ave.
South Hill, Virginia 23970
(434) 447-7101

PDC 14 Commonwealth Regional
One Mill St.
Farmville, Virginia 23901
(434) 392-6104

PDC 15 Richmond Regional
9211 Forest Ave.,
Suite 200
Richmond, Virginia 23235
(804) 323-2033

PDC 16 George Washington
406 Princess Anne St.
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401
(540) 373-2890

PDC 17 Northern Neck
451 Main St.
Warsaw, Virginia 22572
(804) 333-1900

PDC 18 Middle Peninsula
125 Bowden St.
Saluda, Virginia 23149
(804) 758-2311

PDC 19 Crater
1964 Wakefield St.
Petersburg, Virginia 23805
(804) 861-1666

PDC 22 Accomack-Northhampton
23372 Front St.
Accomac, Virginia 23301
(757) 787-2936

PDC 23 Hampton Roads
723 Woodlake Drive
Chesapeake, Virginia 23320
(757) 420-8300