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Regional Citizens Committee

Major Decisions on Transportation, the Environment, Land Use, and Your Lifestyle Are Being Made for the Delaware Valley...

 

Shouldn't You or Your Organization Have Some Input?

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) needs your help in making informed decisions and building consensus about new directions for the future.

The DVRPC Regional Citizens Committee (RCC) is the primary forum for Delaware Valley residents and interested stakeholders to actively participate in the regional planning and decision-making process. The RCC was established to provide an open avenue of communication from the public to DVRPC. It gives us the chance to hear the public's voice, ideas, and concerns on major decisions that affect the way that Delaware Valley residents live, work, and travel.

Currently comprised of approximately 80 members, the RCC meets monthly to review issues and make recommendations to the DVRPC Board, as well as hear presentations on a variety of topics in the fields of transportation and transit, land use and housing, and the environment. Meetings are held at 12 Noon on the second or third Tuesday of each month in DVRPC's Conference Center in The ACP Building, 190 N. Independence Mall West, 8th Floor, Philadelphia, PA.

DVRPC Regional Citizens Committee Mission

The mission of DVRPC's Regional Citizens Committee (RCC) is to provide citizens with access to, and participation in, the regional planning and decision-making process.

The RCC shall:

  • Promote two-way communication in order to enhance public awareness and citizen involvement in DVRPC's regional planning activities;
  • Inform and educate the RCC's own membership and a representative cross-section of the general public concerning regional planning issues and intergovernmental relations;
  • Help DVRPC staff reach out to the general citizenry through public meetings and workshops to ensure involvement in DVRPC programs;
  • Monitor the ongoing activities and planning programs of DVRPC, including the maintenance of the DVRPC Long-Range Plan;
  • Keep the DVRPC staff and Board apprised of current and emerging citizen concerns in areas related to the Commission's duties and responsibilities;
  • Investigate and propose new initiatives and programs;
  • Make recommendations to the DVRPC staff and Board on the planning process, on the coordination of governmental functions, and on public policy within the purview of the Commission;
  • Have voting members serve on DVRPC committees within the RCC's areas of concern, when appropriate; and
  • Work cooperatively with the DVRPC Board and Executive Director to implement federal public participation requirements.

Membership

The RCC shall consist of representatives from a number of sectors, interests, and organizations in the Delaware Valley, including but not limited to:

  • education
  • housing
  • environment
  • government
  • professional groups
  • health and human services
  • media
  • private enterprise
  • public enterprise
  • public utilities
  • special interests
  • religious
  • transportation
  • groups representing minority, low-income, elderly, and disabled persons

For a list of current RCC members, please click here. [14k .pdf]

Voting Procedures

The RCC shall have two levels of membership: CORRESPONDING MEMBERS are those who do not attend meetings regularly but wish to remain on the mailing list; VOTING MEMBERS are those who have attended three (3) previous consecutive RCC meetings or at least four (4) meetings in the past twelve (12) months. Committee membership is open to anyone wishing to join. To maintain balance, no more than one representative of any organization or company will be permitted to cast votes. However, those members serving on the RCC prior to 1990 will be grandfathered and may continue to vote, regardless of the organizational quota.

Parliamentary Procedure

The RCC shall use Robert's Rules of Order when the committee's by-laws do not address an issue. The Chair shall have the discretion to appoint a parliamentarian advisor.

Organization and Representation at the DVRPC Board

The RCC shall annually select a chair, who shall appoint two vice-chairs. If desired by the RCC, ad hoc subcommittees may be established to pursue special tasks or topics. The RCC Chair shall appoint representatives to DVRPC's other committees (as deemed appropriate by the respective committee) to ensure integration of information and recommendations.