News
Virginia Recreational Trails Program Grant Applications Accepted Through May 7
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation is accepting applications for the 2024 Virginia Recreational Trails (RTP) grant now through May 7, 2024, with approximately $1.9 million in RTP funding available.
The Recreational Trails Program is an 80-20 matching reimbursement program for building and rehabilitating trails and trail-related facilities. Funded by the Federal Highway Administration and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the program mandates allocations in non-motorized, diversified and motorized trail categories. City, county, town, tribal or other government entities may apply. Registered nonprofit groups partnered with a government body are also eligible.
For more information visit https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/recreational-planning/trailfnd. Direct questions to Recreation Grants staff at recreationgrants@dcr.virginia.gov, or call Recreation Grants Coordinator Kellie Seaton at 804-786-1119. For additional assistance, you can also contact the CSPDC at (540) 558-5174.
PDC Housing Development Program Update
The CSPDC’s PDC Housing Development Grant, which awarded a total of $1.66 million in gap funding for seven affordable housing developments in the region, has made significant process in recent months. As of April 2024, 27 of the 58 planned affordable housing units have been completed and are either occupied or prepared for occupancy, with the remaining 31 under construction or in pre-development.
Notable program updates for this quarter include:
- Construction was completed for 8 of the 19 affordable units planned for the Suter Street Development, a collaborative project between Central Valley Habitat for Humanity and PDY, LLC in Harrisonburg. The 8 completed affordable units are part of a total 10 units that were built on Suter Street by PDY, LLC, with the remaining two units being sold at a ‘below market’ rate. The 11 units being built by Central Valley Habitat are all under construction and will be completed over the next year.
- The Pump Street Apartments project, which provides 6 units of permanent supportive housing to extremely low-income individuals experiencing substance use disorder or chronic homelessness, was completed in this quarter. The project is fully leased.
- Project financing was completed for the Fairfax Hall renovation in Waynesboro, and construction is set to begin in late-April 2024.
- The Greenhouse Village Project, which will bring 8 affordable homeownership units to Rockbridge County, is well-underway, with several units either complete or in final construction phases.
All units will be completed no later than June 30, 2025.
Pictured Above: Completed Pump Street Apartments project in Staunton. This development was an adaptive-reuse project, converting a former local glass company into 6 affordable units and an office for local non-profit, Valley Supportive Housing. The six new units add to the existing six units already in place on the top floor of the building.
Attend the Spring 2024 Staunton District CTB SYIP Meeting
The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) will conduct a public meeting in the VDOT Staunton Construction District to give citizens the opportunity to provide comments on projects and programs to be included in the Fiscal Year 2025-2030 Six-Year Improvement Program (FY2025-2030 SYIP), including highway, rail and public transportation initiatives. These projects and programs represent important improvements to address safety, congestion and preservation of Virginia’s transportation network.
The Staunton District Spring Six Year Public meeting will start at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at Laurel Ridge Community College, 173 Skirmisher Lane, Middletown, VA 22645. Formal public comment on projects proposed to be included in the SYIP will be accepted at the meeting. Written comments may also be submitted during the meeting, or they may be mailed or e-mailed afterwards and accepted until May 20, 2024.
If you cannot attend the meeting, you can submit your comments online, in writing to Infrastructure Investment Director at 1401 E. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219, or e-mail to Six-YearProgram@vdot.virginia.gov. For transit and public transportation, send your comments to DRPTPR@drpt.virginia.gov, Public Information Office, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation 600 East Main Street, Suite 2102, Richmond VA, 23219.
For more information, please visit https://www.ctb.virginia.gov/planning/springmeetings2024/default.asp.
Bath-Highland Network Authority Public Notice of a Meeting
On April 8, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., the Bath-Highland Network Authority will hold a meeting at the Bolar Ruritan Club, 38 Bolar Lane, Monterey, VA 24465. For more information about the meeting, please contact Steve Bolster at 540-885-5174 or steve@cspdc.org.
Bonnie Recognized for Service in the Region
On March 1, Bonnie was recognized for her 29 years of service to the region. Frank Friedman, Mayor of Lexington and vice-chair of the CSPDC, presented Bonnie with a Commendation from Delegate Ellen Campbell of the Virginia House of Delegates for her service to the Commonwealth and the region. Bonnie has retired as Executive Director of the CSPDC having worked with the CSPDC since 1994. Bonnie will stay on part-time until her replacement is hired.