Following a presentation by former Rockbridge County Supervisor Buster Lewis, the Commissioners endorsed a Resolution of Support for the Rockbridge Region General Aviation Airport Feasibility Study at the February 5, 2024 meeting. The Rockbridge region is exploring the possibility of a General Aviation Airport in the area. The Virginia Department of Aviation and the Federal Aviation Administration can partially fund a feasibility study, which, in turn, would provide for an in-depth analysis of the potential project, a market condition analysis, an in-depth look at competition, and recommendations for a site.  CSPDC  will assist Rockbridge County, the City of Buena Vista, and the City of Lexington, with this initiative by applying for state and federal funding to conduct a feasibility study and administering the planning grant(s), if awarded.

Augusta County will receive $50,000 in Virginia Brownfields Assistance Funds (VBAF) through the Virginia Economic Development Partnership for the Afton Mountain Renaissance project. These funds will allow the County to complete a water and wastewater assessment of the property located at the intersection of U.S. Route 250 and I-64 atop Afton Mountain. Augusta County is working with Timmons Group to complete several tasks to assess existing conditions on the property with the goal of creating a master visioning plan for future development on the site. Through this task, Timmons will conduct a full condition assessment of the existing water and wastewater systems on the site, provide recommendations, and draft a preliminary engineering report for specific water and wastewater needs to support future business development.

Timmons Group previously completed a land record research, compiled boundary survey, topographic survey, and a protected species and historical screening on the site. The Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (SAWMPO) is currently facilitating a vehicular traffic pattern and pedestrian/bicycle assessment of the roadways around the property. Combined, these studies and assessments will help the county and property owner better understand the best use for the property and what work is needed to prepare the site for redevelopment. The CSPDC assisted Augusta County with the application for the VBAF Grant.

Highland County was one of 65 communities in the country selected as a host community for an Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Fellowship. Led by the International Economic Development Council, the ERC program builds capacity in economically distressed areas across the U.S by placing a dedicated fellow — fully funded for two and a half years — in local communities to support and strengthen ongoing economic development efforts.

Highland’s ERC fellow, Landdis Hollifield, will begin working in Highland on Feb. 19^th and will spend the next 30 months helping to implement Highland’s Strategic Economic Development Plan, which includes revitalizing the Highland Inn, supporting small businesses, enhancing visitor experiences, and launching a marketing campaign to attract younger residents and remote workers.

For more information on the ERC, visit: www.economicrecoverycorps.org or check out the recent article in The Recorder.

One of the CSPDC’s roles in economic development is to be a resource for data about the region and the PDC’s localities. To help support this important function, the CSPDC creates and distributes Facts & Figures, an easy-to-read snapshot of each sub-region’s people, jobs, schools, and other unique attributes. The 2023 Facts & Figures documents are now available on the CSPDC website.

The University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center released its official population estimates for Virginia counties and independent cities this January. The Weldon Cooper Center’s estimates provide an accurate approximation of a locality’s population count on July 1st, 2023.  Government agencies use this data for funding allocations, planning, and budgeting purposes.

The CSPDC’s 2023 population estimate is 310,528. From the prior year, the region’s population grew by 1,740 people or 0.6%. Since the 2020 Census, the City of Harrisonburg experienced the greatest growth. From 2020 to 2023, Harrisonburg added 1,180 people to their population count, a 2.2% population increase. In contrast, Rockbridge County, the City of Buena Vista, the City of Lexington, and the City of Staunton experienced a slight population decline since the 2020 Census.

The 2023 population estimates are available on the Weldon Cooper Center website. Yearly population data is also available on the CSPDC’s Regional Data Center.