Yesterday the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission voted to join leaders of the business community in developing a collective vision for Central Virginia. The news is good.

The exercise will draw from the resources and talents of the public and private sectors; it will solicit input from citizens as well. The success of the charrette regarding Richmond's Downtown Master Plan and participation in this newspaper's Public Squares reflect the value of citizen discourse. People want to play a role. The faith community offers welcome insights, too.

The planning district includes not only Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover but also the Town of Ashland and the counties of Goochland, Powhatan, Charles City, and New Kent. The area's diversity provides the ingredients for the unity that promotes progress.

Yesterday's release mentioned the inclusion of the Crater Planning District Commission in the effort. The Crater District is composed of Petersburg, Hopewell, Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie, Prince George, and other jurisdictions to the south and east. Chesterfield and Charles City, by the way, belong to both commissions. We second the motion.

Central Virginia loves to talk about itself. Self-examination is its forte. The new venture promises to intensify the focus. The collaboration complements the Crupi report. We salute it, and anticipate its success in translating words into deeds, talk into action, vision into reality.