News
Bath County Housing Plan Funded
In December, Bath County was awarded a $20,000 Community Impact Grant from the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA). Funding will be used to procure a consultant to conduct a county-wide housing needs assessment and market analysis report. Bath County has identified housing as a priority for community development, including opportunities for rental housing and homeownership, and the goal is to enhance and expand opportunities for affordable, workforce housing in the County.
The County will be organizing a Project Team of stakeholders to oversee the project, and the CSPDC will provide grant administration and management services for the project.
CSPDC Submits Chesapeake Bay WIP III Final Report
In December, the CSPDC submitted the final report to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for the Chesapeake Bay Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP III). The WIP III planning process began in July and involved many local stakeholders including representatives from localities, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, Virginia Departments of Health, Forestry, Transportation, Environmental Quality, and Conservation & Recreation, Virginia Wilderness Committee, Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, Valley Conservation Council, and the Community Alliance for Preservation, as well as CSPDC staff.
DEQ will be integrating all regional reports into one statewide WIP III report and submitting to the Environmental Protection Agency. Virginia’s WIP III will ensure pollution control measures needed to fully restore the Chesapeake Bay are in place no later than 2025.
For more information about the Chesapeake Bay Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan, please contact Regional Planner/GIS Coordinator, Hunter Moore: hunter@cspdc.org.
CSPDC Turns 50!
This year will mark the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC). In 1968, the Virginia State Legislature passed the Virginia Area Development Act which set forth the framework for the establishment of regional planning district commissions throughout the state, and on October 1, 1969, the CSPDC was organized.
The CSPDC is one of 21 planning districts in the state and includes the five counties of Augusta, Bath, Highland, Rockingham, and Rockbridge, the five cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton, and Waynesboro, and the 11 incorporated towns within.
The purpose of the Commission, as stated in the original Bylaws, is to assist the District’s localities in addressing local problems on a regional basis, as well as promoting economic and community development in the region in cooperation with Federal, State and local governments and organizations. That mission is the same today, and the 10 jurisdictions have greatly benefited from this cooperative effort for 50 years.
Throughout the year, we will highlight some of our past accomplishments that have positively impacted our localities, improved the quality of life for our citizens, and enhanced diversification of the local economy. The picture above was taken from the CSPDC’s 1971 Annual Report and includes from left to right Commission Chairman, Charles Phillips (Lexington); Commissioners Lyle Koogler (Rockbridge County), Roy Cleek (Bath County), C.N. Wine (Rockingham County), John Moyers (Highland County), and the first CSPDC Executive Director, Ed Parcha.
Virginia Breeze Adds New Weekend Service
The Virginia Breeze has added additional weekend service to its route, allowing riders to make a weekend trip to Washington, D.C. and get back home in time for Monday classes and work. The bus makes nine stops along I-81 and I-66 from Blacksburg to Union Station in D.C. Updated brochures listing the full schedule of stops are being developed and will be available in the coming weeks. Three stops in the CSPDC region include Lexington, Staunton, and Harrisonburg.
Bike Safety Guides Available
The 6th edition of the Share VA Roads bicycle safety guide is now available in print and by download. The guides are produced through a partnership between the Northern Virginia Regional Commission and state and local agencies. The guides offer a set of safety procedures and traffic regulations for all users of the State’s roads. CSPDC has ordered guides in English and Spanish and will share them at events and based on requests from our member jurisdictions.