The CSPDC has been working with the Town of Mount Crawford on the development of a Comprehensive Plan. The Town’s Planning Commission is serving as the Comprehensive Plan Development Committee and they meet monthly with CSPDC planners to discuss and draft each section of the plan. The town wanted to ensure the public had a voice in this process, so a public engagement campaign was developed to gather input from residents related to needs and priorities.
The first public engagement phase took place in May. A survey was available in both a digital and paper format. The survey was open from April 12th through May 31st and received 109 responses which represents 25% of the town’s residents.

There were also two open-house style events held in May; at the Town Hall on May 14th and at the Ruritan Club on May 19th. Between the two events, approximately 30 residents came out to share their ideas about the future of Mount Crawford. Attendees provided input through different activities. A “love it or leave it” map allowed residents to place different stickers on a town map to indicate areas or aspects of town that are special to them, as well as points of frustration or opportunities for improvement. Participants could also use stickers to indicate the top three topics they believe the town should prioritize in the plan. Bicycle and pedestrian mapping and open-ended input activities were also available.

CSPDC staff are working to analyze the data from both the survey and the in-person events and will present the results to the Mount Crawford Planning Commission at their next meeting on July 5th. The commission will then use the public’s input to begin developing goals and recommendations. A second public engagement phase is planned for later this year (fall) where residents will be able to review a draft of the recommendations before the plan is finalized.

Fifty years ago this month, Hurricane Agnes made landfall affecting communities on the U.S. East Coast from the Caribbean to Canada. One hundred and twenty-eight (128) people died from Hurricane Agnes. At the time it was the costliest hurricane to hit the U.S. with an estimated 2.1 billion dollars (1972 dollars) in damages. Because the hurricane was so devastating, the name Agnes was retired from the list of hurricane names. Agnes was the first named storm of the 1972 hurricane season. The hurricane made landfall on June 19 in Panama City, Florida. The storm traveled to North Carolina and went back out to sea. On June 22, Agnes made a second landfall near New York City.

Scottsville, VA – Library of Virginia photo

In Virginia, 13 deaths were caused by Agnes including four people in Richmond who drowned when their car plunged into the James River. Across the state at the height of the flooding, over 600 miles of highway were submerged, sewer and water facilities experienced severe damage, 95 houses were destroyed and 4,393 houses were damaged, and 205 small businesses were damaged or destroyed. Over 125 million dollars (1972 dollars) in damages was reported in the State.

Route 130, Glasgow, VA – Library of Virginia photo

Hurricane Agnes also made her presence felt in the Central Shenandoah Region as well. Waynesboro was one of the hardest hit areas with both its downtown and Club Court areas evacuated. In Rockbridge County, Buena Vista and Glasgow received flooding. Fifty families were evacuated in Glasgow. Buena Vista was prepared for Agnes with a new Emergency Evacuation and Warning Plan created after Hurricane Camille hit the area in 1969. Because of past experiences with Hurricane Camille still fresh in everyone’s memories, residents in the Region were vigilant as Agnes approached.

During the month of May, the CSPDC and our RideShare commuter assistance program are celebrating Bike Month! Throughout the month, we’re promoting the benefits of incorporating bicycling into your daily commute. The week of May 16^th is Bike Week, and Friday, May 20^th is Bike to Work Day. RideShare staff will be visiting bike shops throughout our region on Saturdays in May to talk with riders about bike commute benefits.

Biking to work instead of driving has great benefits for your health, and the planet. It also reduces congestion on our roads. Many communities in our region have bike trails for recreation, and bike lanes for safe biking to work, school, or errands.

Now is a great time to try your new commute – During the month of May, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT) is hosting a contest and prize drawing for commuters who log their bike-to-work trip. Each trip logged increases your chances of winning a $100 gift card. To sign-up and start logging trips today, visit www.rideshareinfo.org and download the RideShare app. You can also find bike safety tips, bike laws, and other biking information at www.BikeVA.org

In addition to promoting biking to work, the RideShare program promotes other environmentally sustainable alternatives to your typical commute. RideShare offers carpool matching services, vanpool coordination, and resources to get you connected to local transit options.