Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Regional Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Central Shenandoah PDC reports $91M returned to region, housing and transit highlights
Summary
Ann Cundy, executive director of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, told council the PDC brought in roughly $91 million in state and federal funding during its recent reporting period, supported housing projects and transit improvements, and will continue regional planning and resilience efforts.
Ann Cundy, executive director of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, presented the CSPDC fiscal year 2025 annual report to Staunton City Council at the Oct. 9 work session.
Cundy said the PDC, which serves five counties, five cities and 11 towns in the region, reported bringing in about $91 million in state and federal funding during the most recent reporting period, an amount she framed as a strong return on local investment. “During our most recent reporting period…we brought in $91,000,000 in state and federal funding,” Cundy told council, adding that the PDC was geographically large and “one of the most rural” regions in Virginia.
Cundy highlighted housing, transportation, resiliency, and economic development work. On housing, she said the PDC completed a regional housing study covering tailored recommendations for each jurisdiction, helped 11 first-time homebuyers with down-payment assistance and interest-rate reductions, and invested roughly $1.6 million through the PDC housing development program to support 48 affordable units across the region.
On transportation, the PDC staffs two regional planning bodies and completed work including an intersections safety analysis along Port Republic Road, an assessment of 120 potential electric vehicle charging sites in rural parts of the region, and updates to long-range transportation plans. The PDC also reported record ridership growth on the commuter Affton Express route and ribbon-cutting of the Lewis Street transit hub in Staunton.
On resiliency and environmental work, Cundy described a $2 million Department of Homeland Security grant to improve emergency radio communications for remote counties and a $300,000 DEQ watershed improvement grant for the South River Preserve in Waynesboro. She said the PDC would soon finalize a regional all-hazards mitigation plan to keep jurisdictions eligible for FEMA funds.
Looking ahead, Cundy said the PDC will continue to focus on housing stability and supply, improve the Affton Express schedule for shift workers, pursue flood resilience planning, and support local and regional economic development projects through its comprehensive economic development strategy and Go Virginia partnerships.
Councilors asked about opportunities and challenges; Cundy said federal grants can be delayed and the PDC is exploring diversified revenue and service models to sustain operations.
