VDOT’s Role in B.U.D.
The Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT’s) Comprehensive Roadside Management Program was approved by the General Assembly in 2005 to permit the development of local programs for landscaping on state rights-of-way. Regulations were written to guide the participants in this effort.
The first such program was developed in Lynchburg. The Town of Rocky Mount became the second jurisdiction to apply for approval from the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
The guidelines outline who may seek approval of a program, application requirements, conditions for compliance with Land Use Permits, minimum sponsorship amounts per garden and the use of acknowledgment signs.
One of the conditions required the Beautification and Urban Design (B.U.D.) Commission to have a Maintenance Agreement to describe the way in which all maintenance must be performed. Two members of the commission worked very closely with VDOT to create the agreement, which became the master plan for use across the state.
VDOT reviews and approves the final design of each garden, including the placement of the sponsor’s sign.
The commission includes one non-voting member, appointed by VDOT, who attends meetings and provides guidance related to state regulations.
For more information, please call the Town of Rocky Mount at 540-483-0907 and a B.U.D. representative will return your call.
