The City of Staunton and Rockingham County have been awarded a total of $13.5 million in Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP) development grants. The grants will be used for the Staunton Crossing and Innovation Village at Rockingham projects.

The Staunton Crossing development is a publicly owned 275-acre site located in the I-81 corridor providing opportunities for businesses in light manufacturing, medical, food processing, office operations, data centers, and logistics.

Innovation Village at Rockingham is a mixed-use development situated on 354 acres offering retail, office, medical, commercial and residential components.

VBRSP grants are administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) in partnership with localities, utilities, and state agencies. The fund facilitates infrastructure improvements and assists in the smooth assembly of permits and approvals required for employers and manufacturers to smoothly expand in the Commonwealth.

Read the full press release HERE.

Rockingham County has recently adopted its updated Comprehensive Plan, which seeks to be a forward-looking document that will guide the County’s development over the next 20 years. Approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors on July 10, 2024, the plan addresses key areas such as land use, housing, transportation, and the protection of rural and agricultural lands through 2045. The plan has also integrated public feedback, including calls for greater emphasis on sustainable strategies, to align with community’s priorities and concerns. The Comprehensive Plan’s adoption followed extensive collaboration among county officials, residents, and other stakeholders, ensuring that the plan is both comprehensive and representative of the community’s vision. The CSPDC developed the Transportation Chapter of the plan.

A significant component of the update is the inclusion of the Stone Spring Urban Development Area (UDA), which focuses on a strategically located corridor south of Route 33, stretching between Cross Keys Road and the Harrisonburg city limits. This UDA is intended to manage anticipated growth, ensuring that the County’s infrastructure and services can meet the evolving needs of its residents. By designating the Stone Spring UDA as a priority for urban development, the County aims to align this area with its broader objectives of sustainable and balanced growth. As part of this process, multiple iterations of conceptual land use maps were developed, with final proposals providing a clear framework for future development within the UDA and across the County. In approving the plan, the Board also acknowledges the importance of adaptability in a changing County, envisioning future amendments as conditions and priorities change over time.

With this updated Comprehensive Plan, Rockingham County believes it is poised to maintain thoughtful growth, balancing development pressures with the need to preserve its rural character and agricultural heritage.

To learn more, visit www.rockinghamcountyva.gov/404/Comprehensive-Plan and www.rockinghamcountyva.gov/803/Stone-Spring-UDA-Plan.

In the CSPDC January 2024 newsletter, we reported that Rockbridge County submitted three grant applications in December 2023 for the 2024 Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) program. During this latest VATI application cycle, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) received 25 submissions seeking over $170M in funding. We are pleased to share that on July 24, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that Rockbridge County received two awards totaling $2,173,185. The two projects include collaborative efforts involving BARC Connects and Brightspeed. The CSPDC will provide grant administrative services for each project.

The Rockbridge County and BARC Connects award consists of three projects providing high-speed internet to 404 premises located in remote areas with difficult topography in central and western portions of the county. The total estimated project budget is $2,988,568. The award totals $1,197,320 (40%) in VATI funding with BARC and Rockbridge County providing $1,791,248 (60%)in matching funds.

The Rockbridge County and Brightspeed award involves one project providing high-speed internet to 1,734 premises located in isolated stretches with challenging geography in central, northwestern, and southeastern areas of the county. The anticipated project cost is $5,914,332. The VATI award is $975,865 (17%). Brightspeed and Rockbridge County plan to provide a combined $4,938,467 (83%) in matching funds.

In the Governor’s Office press release, Governor Youngkin stated, “Virginia continues to be a national leader for closing the digital divide, and today’s announcement brings us one step closer to becoming the first state in the nation to reach statewide universal broadband coverage. In our increasingly digital world, having access to high-speed broadband isn’t a luxury, it’s a prerequisite to participate in daily life.”

A third submission involving Rockbridge County and Verizon was not selected for funding. The proposed project included plans to provide broadband to 85 locations/101 premises in a rural area of northeastern Rockbridge County with particularly difficult topography. The total estimated budget is $2,429,768. In the Rockbridge County press release, County Administrator Spencer Suter stated, “We are already in discussion with Verizon, which serves the Vesuvius area, to support applications for funding available under the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which represents the next major funding source for broadband deployment.”