Economic Development: Overview of the Planning Grant Program

Overview of the Planning Grant Program

Virginia's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) planning grant program is designed to aid communities with the greatest community development needs in creating clearly articulated strategies for addressing those needs following meaningful citizen participation. In 2004, Nelson County successfully applied for both Phase I and Phase II funding. Phase I project planning grant determines the business district's level of need ($5000). Phase 2 planning grant begins to address the elimination of physical and economic blight in the business district ($30,000).

There are 5 major areas for the revitalization plan:

Housing
Economic Development:
Blight Determination
Infrastructure - Water/Sewage/Drainage/Road/Pedestrian Systems
Flood Mitigation

Other efforts being coordinated for the revitalization of Lovingston include:

Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission Safety (transportation) Study
Market Analysis of Lovingston
Historic district application
Courthouse renovation
Target business study completed November 2004
2007 bicentennial celebration - also Jamestown 2007

Lovingston Business District Revitalization Project Timeline:

June-October 2005 - master planning work and public workshops
June 2005 ö market analysis work completed
May 31, 2005 ö kick off public meeting
May 2005 ö contract from DHCD received
March 11, 2005 - letter from DHCD notifying us that a contract is forthcoming
February 1, 2005 - monthly management team meeting
December 2004- RFP issued for project consultant
November 10, 2004 and January 25, 2005 - DHCD Facilitated Planning Strategy Meetings
September 2004 - Notification from DHCD that the County and the stakeholders have demonstrated an acceptable preliminary level of interest and demand necessary to move forward with the Lovingston Revitalization Project.
Final report to DHCD - July 30, 2004
Management team meeting - July 21, 2004
Preliminary identification of professional services by County staff - July 20, 2004
Downtown surveys (2) - physical inventory and market analysis report - July 9-16, 2004
Initial public meeting - July 12, 2004
Initial management team meeting - July 1, 2004
June 2004 - Received notification that Phase I grant accepted
May 2004 - Applied for Phase I planning grant ($5000)