[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6375308,"mediaKeyId","2142109-ad7437126a7b2f5cd5aae8146321860d","parentId",2142109,"title","Planning staff reports multiple subdivisions, lot-line adjustments and a parcel split around Northrop Grumman site","audioSeconds",524,"startMs",4132000,"endMs",4656000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2142109-ad7437126a7b2f5cd5aae8146321860d&start=4132&end=4656","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2142109-ad7437126a7b2f5cd5aae8146321860d/thumbnail_4132000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6375308/Waynesboro/Augusta-County/Virginia/Planning-staff-reports-multiple-subdivisions-lot-line-adjustments-and-a-parcel-split-around-Northrop-Grumman-site","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375308-3ee6c0c7de051985b957e0982330855e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775685692&Signature=h-jCcgtg3lrXKPNI7oq4y6L6YHAIGPVqrIYjN581RB8J~8-dORXn42lVYXSYXYl3YTH3k~s48oj9tal4~A-~466etmsfKMtAx6lSFXJAoFTyVqeTPVnddHbU2mQ6h6~4jb2a8spXI5x5aJzabJIcuyQox~wcS3SX6piu8mW1F0dpef0SHYYYvc02bHKnpX2INSfAU7nHgU6u1tlUmhmK8VkDxlycRb9-3WNO3-fi9FeVAEzacnE7vg9Sl0-jJmq30GAHLGhYAuNAzGSEl7SEl4sNozJZfrEBLFv9v8Bsb36wY9qy4Ke35wfiWQp2D5aOiyva93Ian0UWkvDVpfGe9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Waynesboro City","date","2025-01-22T13:28:09Z","article","Planning staff briefed the Planning Commission on minor and final subdivision activity since the Nov. 19, 2024 meeting and described five actions of note.

Staff said 1021 Fry Street was subdivided to divide two lots into four single-family residential lots. The Northrop Grumman parcel at 1001 Shenandoah Village Drive was subdivided into two parcels; staff said details about planned use for the newly created parcel had not been announced. The Town Center Drive parcels (150 P. Buckley Moss Drive and 651 Town Center Drive) were resubdivided into four parcels, with three commercial parcels fronting P. Buckley Moss Drive and a larger rear parcel reserved for apartments; staff noted a submitted site plan for one corner lot appears to be a convenience-store/gas-station-type use.

Staff also described a previously platted five-lot paper subdivision at 0 Gunn Street. The property owner filed a plat to remove those lot lines and consolidate the record into a single parcel; staff said the parcel is zoned RS-7 (single-family detached) and that redevelopment would require rezoning for a different use. Finally, staff reported a lot-line adjustment for 221 Osage Lane to expand a building’s parking area by transferring land from a rear parcel to the parcel with the building.

Why it matters: These plats and minor subdivisions affect buildable lots, commercial frontage and development capacity; the Northrop Grumman parcel split and Town Center Drive commercial lots could influence near-term commercial activity, but staff has not yet received final site-use confirmations.

Ending: Staff said several of the approvals came from routine administrative processing; where potential commercial uses were indicated (Town Center Drive corner lot), a formal site plan has been submitted and will follow the standard review process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 21st, 2025 Waynesboro Planning Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Planning staff reported several approved minor and final subdivisions and lot-line adjustments, including parcel splits at 1021 Fry Street and 1001 Shenandoah Village Drive (Northrop Grumman property), reconfiguration at Town Center Drive parcels and consolidation of a platted five-lot parcel on Gunn Street.","taxTitle","Waynesboro, Augusta County, Virginia","taxId",56188,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6375313,"Waynesboro planning staff presents 2024 annual report; commission approves report for City Council",710,2456000,3166000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2142109-ad7437126a7b2f5cd5aae8146321860d&start=2456&end=3166","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2142109-ad7437126a7b2f5cd5aae8146321860d/thumbnail_2456000.jpg","/articles/6375313/Waynesboro/Augusta-County/Virginia/Waynesboro-planning-staff-presents-2024-annual-report-commission-approves-report-for-City-Council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375313-246de40d801ff9227108121d760bb840/orig.mp4?Expires=1775685692&Signature=ZlkQIqoVGBjY2oKW0rBW5TVdVxs4HelbZFAvpt8Wzm-aZqYgt~6Oqenr23suDyUAD9-SA65u6OHdqdV6vBgQbh0eBVKjx00b6rCY51h694-ODzZSEKVMlviJD9xRv9o7hV3HeaM20ZxCGj~LLLUsSWcYVkyLgfdRPfINNlK6lGKG2UA~qPSTTXk3qdUf5AK-MstxZdW0Hjwszev0Yxx9GNHz3e9ostwxH8IidZ493X45oCn70qAJu5nK~OaFe8~Yuu7GTyiyF1pl6LGYBoM8kcvaG3NQPhXUOkP8XU86FAZspNq5ZXbDFQT3~gfAJxGNuwBgdJhP8ZD8a3TKb-36Pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Planning department staff presented the Planning Commission’s 2024 annual report on Jan. 21, summarizing zoning changes, development applications, construction activity and ongoing capital projects.

The staff presentation listed five zoning-text amendments completed in 2024 (townhouse parking, parking-lot landscaping, temporary special-events clarifications, accessory buildings and the cottage court ordinance), two rezonings (including 300 North Augusta and Smith Farm PUD), four conditional-use permits and four preliminary plats. Staff said residential construction stayed generally strong in 2024 but residential building permits dipped slightly from 2023, with 138 single-family permits and one multifamily building permit recorded for the year.

Major capital projects in design and construction were highlighted. West Main and Broad Street streetscape projects — both SmartScale-funded — remain in engineering and public-design phases; the West Main project is further along. The 14th Street sidewalk project began construction in fall 2024 and is expected to finish in spring (staff noted weather-related slowdowns). Staff also described multiple grant applications: a Virginia Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) round for pedestrian improvements, several SmartScale project submissions (including the Luduette pedestrian project, the Waynesboro Transit Access Project and the Blue Ridge Tunnel Connector Trail) and prior and potential federal grant applications (RAISE/BUILD). Planning staff said VDOT staff recommended the Waynesboro Transit Access Project for funding; the application sought roughly $2 million and would improve about six or seven bus stops with shelters, ADA ramps and minimal sidewalk connections.

Museum and other large projects were discussed. Staff reported the museum project completed detailed design work with earlier appropriations ($1.5 million previously appropriated for design), and the museum team intends to seek $40 million in state funding in a governor’s budget cycle; staff estimated a multi-year timeline that could place construction start roughly three years out if state funding is secured. The report also noted continued coordination with Augusta County on master planning and infrastructure for the mountaintop site discussed by county partners.

After the presentation, Commissioner discussion covered transit stop visibility and lighting, grant-application competitiveness for the Blue Ridge Tunnel project and whether undergrounding utilities should be pursued in major streetscape projects. Staff said utility undergrounding was not currently funded for the East Main streetscape project and explained different grant programs’ cost-match requirements; SmartScale does not require a local match, Transportation Alternatives does (typically 80/20), and federal grants like RAISE require detailed project justification and often favor projects with demonstrable transportation or equity benefits.

The Planning Commission voted to approve the 2024 Planning Commission annual report for presentation to City Council. No dissenting votes were announced.","Planning department staff summarized 2024 activity — zoning text amendments, rezonings, conditional-use permits, subdivision activity and multiple streetscape and transportation grant applications — and the Planning Commission voted to approve the annual report for presentation to City Council.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6375318,"Waynesboro economic development director outlines strategy, targets manufacturing and downtown revitalization",1640,254000,1894000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2142109-ad7437126a7b2f5cd5aae8146321860d&start=254&end=1894","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2142109-ad7437126a7b2f5cd5aae8146321860d/thumbnail_254000.jpg","/articles/6375318/Waynesboro/Augusta-County/Virginia/Waynesboro-economic-development-director-outlines-strategy-targets-manufacturing-and-downtown-revitalization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375318-dadf6251ed2a97356cbd2e8b961bd50c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775685692&Signature=W51coNwp6xRwR-1I0QnvifOsp6Y5CqLgR8dxXbVkVNJpaKyLTq3aXgNIMH4tTCc6EcQEMY9ODk-vbeQ~RJWYtTgb06LtkxodeiL70BH1PcVjFGaicTN~4T48Tr95WjmVm4UnqgHQPhCffjv7VPOOS9SZCkmItLRF922FJXIyGXRq1lHtQJqCNNGk3hQAXwgJSMBT0D6pKNqDg680Rq-jzz-kjxLCF86g8qSUXWB3zPMR-KNHjsDFDstXlp6UueHBVAs160y9W0txUuhzMMQesQT61HmPQa5KgzmgFkjet6ZRpINYApcxv~Se~4m0UbGKO~K5UgHkmVDl5AAvYOTNMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Greg Hitchen, Waynesboro’s director of economic development and tourism, told the Planning Commission on Jan. 21 that the city’s economic-development work is intentionally revenue-driven and focused on three linked goals: attract outside investment, help existing businesses grow and strengthen entrepreneurship.

Hitchen said statewide data show strong returns on investment for economic development programs, and he stressed Waynesboro’s emphasis on expanding existing firms rather than chasing headline-grabbing relocations. “Our goal is revenue generating,” he said, describing a state analysis that averages about $7,700,000 in tax revenue to a locality per project over a roughly 10-year window.

The presentation laid out a four-part strategic “stool”: attract new investment, grow existing businesses, deliver entrepreneurship guidance and manage real-estate opportunities. Hitchen highlighted downtown building vacancies as the single biggest local concern raised in a recent strategy survey, saying a small number of large buildings account for most empty space in the downtown core — he reported roughly 35 percent vacancy in the central square area, with four buildings representing about 30 percent of that total (survey figures from September; occupancy has changed slightly since then).

On entrepreneurship, Hitchen described the city’s Grow Waynesboro program and a local loan product capped at $15,000 (typical terms cited: about 3 percent for three years). He said the most recent round of entrepreneur support awarded $51,000 to four businesses; all four remained in operation and were expanding. “We gave out $51,000 to 4 businesses. They’re also operating. They’re also growing,” he said.

Industrial development and ready sites were a central focus of the discussion. Hitchen said Waynesboro owns roughly 205 acres of industrial land and that City Council has placed covenants on the two city industrial parks limiting uses to manufacturing or technology. He called a “ready site” — one with engineering, utilities and permitting largely complete or planned within 12–18 months — the most important local asset for landing manufacturing projects. “If we could do something that would make your job easier. Having a ready site is number one, I think, these days,” he said.

Hitchen said the city is targeting rail-served manufacturing at Nature’s Crossing, noting that true rail-served sites of 40 acres are rare in the mid-Atlantic. He also flagged constraints that typically follow manufacturing growth: workforce needs, childcare, housing and public-transportation access for non-driving workers.

Commissioners pressed on specific local assets and constraints. Several commissioners asked whether the economic-development authority keeps ongoing contact with downtown building owners; Hitchen said some owners have plans but others are “stuck in neutral.” Commissioners also asked whether certain former industrial properties, such as the DuPont site, are likely to redevelop; Hitchen said the DuPont property remains privately held and “I’m not sure much is ever gonna happen behind those gates.”

On tourism, commissioners discussed opportunities to increase overnight stays and lengthen visitor stays to capture more spending. One commissioner suggested pursuing formal recognition as the state’s fly-fishing capital to attract highway traffic; Hitchen said the office explores a range of outdoor-recreation opportunities but has not pursued that specific designation yet.

Why it matters: Waynesboro’s strategy ties revenue-generation, targeted manufacturing recruitment and support for local entrepreneurs to upcoming planning and infrastructure decisions. Readiness of sites and the city’s ability to package utilities, zoning and due diligence will determine whether the city can convert planning work into new investment and jobs.

Ending: Commission discussion ranged from technical questions about fiber and utility capacity to broader questions about downtown incentives and tourism branding. Hitchen invited further, smaller-group follow-up from commissioners and staff as the city finalizes its strategic plan.","City economic development director Greg Hitchen presented a revenue-focused strategy to the Waynesboro Planning Commission, emphasizing support for existing businesses, downtown building rehabilitation, entrepreneurship programs and readiness of industrial sites for manufacturing investment.","actionData","errors"]

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Planning staff reports multiple subdivisions, lot-line adjustments and a parcel split around Northrop Grumman site

Waynesboro planning staff presents 2024 annual report; commission approves report for City Council

Waynesboro economic development director outlines strategy, targets manufacturing and downtown revitalization