Council introduces ordinance to allow River City Breadbasket food pantry at 505 North Winchester Avenue

Waynesboro City Council introduced an ordinance to grant a conditional use permit for the LifeWorks Project to operate the River City Breadbasket food pantry at 505 North Winchester Avenue, with the council scheduled to consider final adoption at its June 23 regular meeting.

City planning staff told the council the property is zoned RG-5 (general residential) and that food pantries in that district require a conditional use permit. Alyssa Tate, planning staff, summarized the application and said the pantry opened in late 2023 and currently serves about 500 households per month. Tate said staff recommended approval and that the Planning Commission had also recommended the permit without conditions.

The applicant, AJ Young, described how the LifeWorks Project began in the summer of 2020 during the COVID pandemic and grew from feeding about 20 people in his home to operating the River City Breadbasket at the current site. “We started the LifeWorks Project,” Young said, “and it has grown exponentially. We are serving over 500 folks a month, and we expect that to continue to grow.” He said the site is pedestrian friendly and that many clients walk or bike to the pantry.

Multiple supporters spoke during the public hearing. Renee Harrell, a board member for the LifeWorks Project, said the pantry offers client-choice shopping and that people rely on the service. “I don’t know what we would do without you,” Harrell said, describing clients who must choose between rent and prescriptions. Christine Mano, who identified herself as a client, said, “If I didn’t have the breadbasket, I wouldn’t be able to afford rent.” Donna Yobs, a LifeWorks board member, said the pantry is located in a food desert and described partnerships with local churches and the Waynesboro educational farm.

Tate told the council the property is owned by a church across the street and that the LifeWorks Project is considering purchasing the building and possibly expanding storage. She noted that any future additions would have to meet the underlying zoning district’s setback and other requirements. Staff recommended approval and did not propose conditions; Tate said council could add conditions if it believed they were needed for compatibility with the neighborhood.

Mayor (who recused himself from the item) stated that he sits on the board of trustees and serves as CFO for the church selling the property; he said that while counsel found no legal conflict, he would recuse because of the optics. The public hearing was opened and closed; a motion to introduce the ordinance was made on the floor and accepted, and council members were told the matter will return for adoption on June 23.

The decision to introduce the ordinance does not itself grant the conditional use permit; final action will be at the June 23 meeting. If the permit is ultimately approved and the LifeWorks Project proceeds with purchasing or altering the building, any structural additions would require separate site‑plan review to confirm compliance with RG-5 standards.