Roanoke—The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) has announced Phil North as the winner of its 2024 Gordon N. Dixon Award. The award was presented at a recent meeting of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission (RVARC), of which Mr. North is a member. The Dixon Award recognizes an executive director, VAPDC commissioner, or PDC commissioner who has provided leadership and made outstanding contributions to promote the concept of regionalism in Virginia.
North is the immediate past chair of RVARC and also is currently serving as chair of the Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization, which is staffed by the Commission. As a former Norfolk Southern employee, North has a keen interest in transportation issues and the need for a regional approach to transportation planning and funding. “During recent state-level discussions about potential changes to SMART SCALE, North was a leader in coordinating messaging among our rural and urban communities,” said RVARC Executive Director Jeremy Holmes. “He engaged regularly with our CTB member to advocate for our region’s needs, kept abreast of CTB and General Assembly issues surrounding potential policy changes, and engaged with our staff to develop strategies to support the region’s goals.”
North also has led efforts to engage the Commission more actively with its state elected officials. In FY23, the Commission launched the development of its first legislative agenda at the request of several member localities. North became the chair of the resulting Legislative Committee, leading the development of a focused set of legislative priorities that met the needs of the RVARC communities.
For 16 years, Gordon N. Dixon was an outstanding example of a regional leader while serving as Executive Director for two planning district commissions–the New River Valley and the Fifth Planning District Commission. He sincerely believed in regional planning and community development. Following his death, the VAPDC established the Dixon Award to recognize executive directors and commissioners who display exceptional dedication to the regional planning vision for Virginia.
Planning District Commissions were enabled by state legislation in 1968 and most were established the following year. There are 21 PDCs and Regional Commissions in Virginia made up of elected officials and citizens appointed by local governments. The purpose of Planning District Commissions is to encourage and facilitate regional solutions to problems of area-wide significance. This is done by promoting the efficient development of the physical, social, and economic policies of all districts by assisting local governments to plan for the future. The PDCs of Virginia joined together to create the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions in 1987 to share best practices and further regionalism across the commonwealth.
-The Salem Times-Register
