Who we are
Rural and small town planning in Virginia has always consisted of juggling multiple responsibilities – some planning related, others not. The Rural Planning Caucus (RPC) was founded in 1978 in Blacksburg, Virginia to provide a much-needed resource to help planners learn and understand the bottom-line about new legislation, share innovative ideas and gain more efficient planning tools and techniques to accomplish everyday tasks. RPC aims to provide an interactive forum for rural and small town planning professionals to gather and share ideas and information that focuses on rural planning matters that affect Virginia’s rural lands and character. RPC celebrates its 47th anniversary in 2025.
To further our purpose, the Rural Planning Caucus strives to provide educational and professional development opportunities; improve rural and small town planning awareness among both local and state officials, citizens and other professional organizations; and promote legislation that does not result in an undue burden on rural localities.
RPC is organized into an executive committee made up of twelve members elected to serve a three-year staggered term. Elections are held at the annual conference. The committee meets at least four times a year. At the first executive committee meeting of the year, officers are elected for one-year terms. Officers include the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer. The appointment of a conference coordinator and a webmaster are also made.
As of November 4, 2016, RPC of Virginia is a non-profit 501(c)3 public charity capable of receiving tax-deductible charitable donations.
Activities
Members of the Rural Planning Caucus cover a wide spectrum of the planning profession in Virginia. Members range from planning commissioners, professors, professional planners and administrators to economic development professionals, transportation and transportation demand management (TDM) planners, lawyers, engineers and other land planning professionals. Members represent small towns, counties and larger localities striving to retain rural character in their communities. Over the years, the annual conference has become the Rural Planning Caucus’ primary focus. Held in a rural location in Virginia in the Fall, the annual conference is an excellent educational opportunity that also provides many planners (both rural and urban) with what may be the only opportunity for them to meet and share ideas with other planning professionals. The annual business meeting also is held during the conference to elect executive committee members, receive an annual financial report, and discuss planning-related legislation being proposed for the upcoming legislative session.
Every year the executive committee selects a conference theme based on the feedback received from the previous conference attendees. Past themes and topics have included sustainable agricultural practices; techniques to revise Comprehensive Plans; low impact development techniques; legislative updates; writing effective conditions, proffers, and staff reports; water supply planning; land conservation tools; form-based code; main street revitalization; reducing the impact of rural development; methods for improving citizen participation among a wide variety of topics.
Following the completion of the annual conference in October, the executive committee meets in December to review that year's conference and what worked (and didn't). Early in the new year the executive committee meets to draft the conference agenda and begin getting speakers. By June the conference agenda is nearly finalized and conference registration is opened. A final meeting is held over the summer to complete details of the conference. Over the year, several e-mail blasts are sent to those on the RPC email list (includes members and non-members). If you are not receiving these emails, please contact us (chair@rpcva.org) to be added to our mailing list.
BYLAWS
The Official Bylaws of the Rural Planning Caucus of Virginia were adopted in 1980, revised in 1987 and last revised October 16, 2014. A copy of the current bylaws can be found here:
Executive Committee
Executive Committee members serve through the year shown and are elected to serve a three-year term. Elections are held during the business meeting at the annual conference. Positions in the executive committee for the next year are voted upon by committee members at the last meeting of the year.
Will Cockrell (2026) Chairman
Planner
EPR, PC
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone:
w.cockrell@epr-pc.com
Dylan M. Bishop (2026) Vice Chair
Director of Planning & Zoning
Nelson County
80 Front Street
Lovingston, VA 22949
Phone: 434-263-7090
dbishop@nelsoncounty.org
Tripp Little (2027) Immediate Past Chair
Planner III
Gloucester County
Gloucester, VA 23061
Phone: 804-693-1224
tlittle@gloucesterva.info
Darla Orr (2025)
CM Credit Coordinator
Executive Manager
Berkley Group
P.O. Box 181
Bridgewater, VA 22812
Phone: 540-560-2202
darla.orr@bgllc.net
Kelli Le Duc (2026) Sponsorship Coordinator
Director of Community Development
King George County
10459 Courthouse Dr.
King George, VA 22485
Phone: 540-775-
kleduc@co.kinggeorge.state.va.us
Diana Utz (2026) Sergeant-at-Arms
Retired Director, GWRideConnect
George Washington Regional Commission
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
dianautz1@outlook.com
Matthew G. Bolster (2024) Secretary
Senior Strategic Housing Officer – Program Design
Virginia Housing
601 Belvidere Street
Richmond, VA 23220
Phone: 804-343-5631
Matthew.Bolster@VirginiaHousing.com
Nora Amos (2024)
Communications & Scholarship Coordinator
Director of Planning & Community Development
Town of Ashland, Virginia
121 Thompson St., P.O. Box 1600
Ashland, VA 23005
Phone: 804-798-1073
namos@ashlandva.gov
Christy Straight (2024) Treasurer
Senior Planner
New River Valley Regional Commission
6580 Valley Center Drive, Suite 124
Radford, VA 24141
Phone: 540-639-9313 ext. 209
cstraight@nrvrc.org
Joe Lerch (2025)
Director of Local Government Policy
Virginia Association of Counties
1207 East Main St., Suite 300
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-343-2506
jlerch@vaco.org
Steve Sandy (2026)
Director of Planning
Franklin County
1255 Franklin St., Suite 103
Rocky Mount, VA 24151
Phone: 540-483-3027
steve.sandy@franklincountyva.gov
Sharon Angle (2025)
Retired Director of Planning
City of Staunton
Staunton, VA 24402
ladystaunton@verizon.net
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