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

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.