Welcome to the CSPDC

The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) represents and serves the local governments of Augusta, Bath, Highland, Rockbridge, and Rockingham counties and the cities of Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton and Waynesboro as well as the 11 towns within the Central Shenandoah region.

The CSPDC works with its member jurisdictions, communities and agencies to provide high-quality planning, technical assistance, and facilitation of services that address local, regional and state needs in an innovative, timely and cooperative manner. Covering everything from land use planning, transportation, water and waste-water utilities, natural resource management, affordable housing, economic and community development, disaster mitigation and preparedness, agritourism to human services, the CSPDC is an invaluable asset to the quality of life in the Shenandoah Valley. For more information about the CSPDC, click here.

Grottoes Adopts New Comprehensive Plan, Launches Multimodal Transportation Study

Posted on August 20, 2025August 20, 2025 by Kimberly Miller

After 18 months of collaborative planning, the Town of Grottoes has officially adopted its Comprehensive Plan 2025-2045, setting the stage for strategic growth and community improvements over the next two decades.

CSPDC staff led the comprehensive planning process with Grottoes, facilitating extensive community engagement through surveys and public input sessions. The CSPDC team conducted demographic analysis and developed strategic goals and objectives that will guide the town’s future land use decisions.

The resulting Comprehensive Plan provides an overview of the Town’s present needs along with a holistic vision for Grottoes through 2045, addressing the full spectrum of physical, social, and economic development needs while reflecting community-driven priorities. Following this collaborative planning effort, the Town Council unanimously adopted the final plan on July 14, 2025.

Next Step: Improving Walkability and Biking

One of the first projects that will come out of this newly adopted plan originates from a high priority need shared by Grottoes residents who expressed a desire to further develop walking and biking facilities to improve the overall quality of life across the Town. Building on the foundation of the Comprehensive Plan, the CSPDC will now work with the Town to develop a Multimodal Master Plan for Grottoes that will:

Assess connectivity across existing sidewalk, cycling, and trail networks
Identify priority connections to key destinations including Grand Caverns, local businesses, schools, and neighborhoods
Provide a prioritized list of bicycle and pedestrian improvements with cost estimates
Include funding recommendations to help the town compete successfully for state transportation grants

This strategic approach positions Grottoes to systematically expand its walking and biking infrastructure while building on the strong foundation established with the assistance of CSPDC’s comprehensive planning work.

Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan Achieves Milestone

Posted on August 20, 2025August 20, 2025 by Kimberly Miller

On August 8^th, the CSPDC’s Community and Economic Development team achieved a major milestone by hosting the final steering committee meeting for the new Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Nearly 40 representatives from local governments, regional organizations, and state agencies gathered at Augusta Community Care to collaborate on this critical planning initiative.

The steering committee finalized a set of regional goals and strategies that will guide the region’s hazard mitigation efforts over the next five years. The goals focus on six community themes:

Economic Resilience
Housing and Neighborhood Protection
Environmental Stewardship
Public Infrastructure Hardening
Public Health and Safety Enhancement
Regional Collaboration and Innovation

The Plan’s Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), which evaluates the region’s vulnerability to specific natural hazards and man-made threats, informed the steering committee’s discussion. Among the 12 hazards and threats analyzed, flooding, wildfires, severe winter weather, and hazardous materials release had “high” risk ratings. Additionally, the region faces unique challenges to bolstering its infrastructure, given its karst landscape and communication restrictions under the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ).

This fall, the CSPDC will incorporate the committee’s input and work with localities to identify specific projects that will boost community resilience. Once approved by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), these projects will become eligible for federal grant funding.

Watch CSPDC Connects for a draft plan and opportunities to provide comment and input later this fall.

$1 Million Investment Brings Affordable Housing Solutions to Central Shenandoah Region

Posted on July 10, 2025July 14, 2025 by Kimberly Miller

The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) has received $1.2 million from Virginia Housing’s Regional Housing Development Program (RHDP) to support the development of new affordable housing units in Waynesboro and Harrisonburg.

The grant award builds on Virginia Housing’s successful 2022 Planning District Commission Housing Development Program. The RHDP creates replicable models of affordable and workforce housing to meet growing demand across the Commonwealth.

The CSPDC’s recent Regional Housing Study identified a shortage of affordable rental options in the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro and Harrisonburg Metropolitan Statistical Areas. In response, the CSPDC is supporting two projects that will bring 176 affordable rental units to the region. These homes will serve residents earning between 30% and 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), with a focus on supporting workers in service and support roles.

The projects include the 1030 Alston Court development in Waynesboro, led by Enterprise Community Development, Inc., a nonprofit and one of the largest affordable housing developers in the Mid-Atlantic region. The second project is BJS Harrisonburg Family I in Harrisonburg, developed by the Beverly J. Searles Foundation, Inc., a Georgia-based nonprofit that has built more than 800 affordable housing units nationwide. Both projects will receive $560,000 in Regional Housing Development Funds.

These developments represent a significant step forward in addressing the region’s affordable housing shortage and will provide much-needed rental options for working families in the Central Shenandoah region.