News
CSPDC Staff, Regional Leaders Featured in Virginia Public Media’s Life in the Heart Land Series
Virginia Public Media (VPM) recently released a documentary series called Life in the Heart Land. The series takes a deep dive into the unique challenges facing Virginia’s rural communities, and the innovative solutions that are being implemented on the local, regional, and state level to solve them. The series spans across eight episodes covering food insecurity, justice reform, recycling and plastics, farming, housing, the Monacan Nation, agricultural workers, and broadband.
CSPDC Housing Program Manager, Olivia Raines, was featured in the Housing episode, and discussed some of the challenges surrounding the advancement of affordable housing as well as efforts to better understand our region’s specific housing challenges through the ongoing Central Shenandoah Regional Housing Study. The episode also emphasizes the lived experience of those experiencing housing insecurity, providing an in-depth look at the housing challenges that many families face daily. The docu-series features many other organizations that are working to promote rural prosperity in the Central Shenandoah region, including Jones Gardens, Allegheny Mountain Institute, Valley Community Services Board, Eastern Mennonite University, Blue Ridge Legal Services, BARC Electric Cooperative, and many more. If you are interested in viewing the series on the big screen, Visulite Cinemas in Staunton will be featuring two episodes for free each Sunday in May followed by a panel.
Partner Spotlight: Community Housing Partners Weatherization Program
CHP Energy Solutions is a 501c3 non-profit providing zero cost home and energy improvements for qualifying renters AND homeowners in Staunton, Augusta, Waynesboro, Highland, Harrisonburg, and Rockingham. Improvements can include installation of LED lighting, repair or replacement of heating and cooling systems, adding insulation, select home repairs, health & safety improvements, and more. CHP Energy Solutions is the Virginia DHCD designated weatherization provider for central and northern Virginia. Households can apply for no-cost services by calling our office at 888 – 229- 3714 or by visiting their website.
Staff Attends Microtransit Meeting
On May 8, Regional Planner & Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Coordinator Paula Melester and Transit Planner Devon Thompson traveled to Warsaw, Virginia to meet with fellow TDM professionals to learn how microtransit is being implemented in rural Virginia. The Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT)’s Chesapeake Chapter organized the event. The Chesapeake Chapter is hosting a series of in-person meetings this year to discuss topics of interest in the Transit and TDM industries. Microtransit is a hot topic right now, as agencies are considering how it might supplement or replace fixed transit routes.
The meeting was hosted by the Northern Neck Planning District Commission. Bay Aging and Bay Transit staff presented their microtransit pilot program – Bay Transit Express. Michael Norvell, Manager of Marketing and Public Relations for Bay Transit, shared lessons learned and performance data from the first year of operations for Bay Transit Express. The service has been very successful in Gloucester, Virginia, providing on-demand transportation solutions in rural areas.
CSPDC staff talked with Michael about Bay Transit’s experience, from feasibility study through implementation. The CSPDC and BRITE Transit have plans to conduct a microtransit feasibility study for the BRITE service region in FY25 as part of the Transit Development Plan. Information gleaned from early adopters – particularly in rural areas – will help guide the scope of future studies.
Bay Transit Express is also featured in the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT)’s recently published Rural Microtransit Case Study and Report. You can read more about microtransit in rural Virginia by reviewing the report on the DRPT website.
Last Chance to Review Draft 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan
The review period for the Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (HRMPO) draft 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) closes Thursday, May 18.
You can review the draft plan online and submit feedback directly on a digital version of the document.
Physical copies of the draft 2045 LRTP are also available for review at the Harrisonburg City Hall, the Rockingham County Administration Center, Town of Dayton City Hall, Mt. Crawford Town Municipal Building, Bridgewater Community Center, and the Massanutten Regional Library.
HRMPO, which is staffed by CSPDC, developed the draft 2045 LRTP based on input from a record number of community members. Your review of the draft document, which includes 55 transportation projects across the region, will help ensure the plan captures our region’s transportation needs and that the projects and proposed studies in the draft plan help meet those needs.
Visit hrvampo.org/lrtp for more information and to sign up to receive email updates on the LRTP.
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Process Kicks Off
In April 2023, the CSPDC launched its update of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). As the region’s 5-year plan for economic development, the CEDS provides a vision and a blueprint for greater economic prosperity and growth. This region-wide planning effort offers a platform for various stakeholders including local governments, institutions of learning, and private industry to engage in a meaningful conversation about capacity building efforts that would best foster economic development in the region. This process will involve baseline economic analyses, goal and strategy identification, and performance measure development for local and regional strategies. The theme of economic resilience will be incorporated throughout the CEDS.
Following a public procurement process, the CSPDC awarded a contract to Mangum Economics and their partners Spectrum Growth Solutions and Timmons Group to assist in the CEDS’ development. The planning process kicked off in April with the formation of a Working Group that includes representatives from local economic development and planning staff, community colleges, workforce development organizations, and small business accelerators from around the region. The Working Group held a kickoff meeting on April 18th and will meet periodically to guide the development of the plan. The updated CEDS is anticipated to be completed in October 2023.