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.

Afton Express and UVA Recognized for Sustainability and Transit Partnership

Posted on June 1, 2026June 1, 2026 by Paula Melester

This spring, the Afton Express and its partner, the University of Virginia (UVA), received two awards recognizing the route’s environmental impact and the strength of the regional partnership behind it.

On May 1, UVA honored the Afton Express at its annual Sustainability Leadership Awards luncheon. Paula Melester, Devon Thompson, and Danielle Gannon received the award on behalf of BRITE Transit and CSPDC alongside Kendall Howell and Patrick Clark of UVA Parking and Transportation.

The award recognizes the Afton Express and Wahoo Commute partnership, under which UVA faculty, staff and students ride free, which supported 23,725 passenger trips in 2025. Those passenger trips eliminated an estimated 733,103 vehicle miles traveled and 260 metric tons of tailpipe emissions as compared to people driving alone, and the average rider saved approximately $5,500 in commuting costs including gas, vehicle wear and tear, and parking.

On May 20, the Virginia Transit Association (VTA) presented UVA’s Department of Parking and Transportation with its Outstanding Contribution by a Partner Award at the 2026 Annual Conference for its sustained role in advancing the Afton Express. The award, selected from nearly three dozen submissions by transit colleagues across the Commonwealth, cited UVA’s sustained financial investment, technical engagement during the recent service procurement process, and its Wahoo Commute incentive program, which rewards employees who choose transit and other alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles. In 2025, the Afton Express recorded nearly 24,000 total passenger boardings, with approximately 80 percent of riders affiliated with UVA, generating an estimated $872,751 in avoided commuting costs for UVA riders.

CSPDC and UVA will continue working together to grow ridership, strengthen service, and expand sustainable commuting options for travelers between Augusta County, Waynesboro, and Charlottesville.

Watershed Wellness Stormwater Projects Complete in Lexington and Staunton

Posted on June 1, 2026June 1, 2026 by Paula Melester

Two area nonprofit organizations recently completed projects under the CSPDC Watershed Wellness Program. Watershed Wellness provides 100% no-match funding for the planning, design, and implementation of nature-based stormwater projects that address water quality and flooding, supported by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

Boxerwood Education Foundation in Lexington installed a rainwater catchment system on its 1,200 square foot barn to support education and garden programs at its 15-acre facility. The system includes gutters and collection infrastructure to harvest approximately 28,000 gallons annually, addressing rainwater saturation that has caused soil erosion and structural damage around the barn. The collected rainwater will irrigate plantings in areas without water access.

Shenandoah Green worked with the Staunton Augusta YMCA (SAYMCA)00to improve a 0.35-mile segment of Lewis Creek at SAYMCA’s new facility on New Hope Road in Staunton. The improvements included planting 180 native riparian trees and vegetation along the stream. Shenandoah Green worked with a landscape engineer to design the site to improve its ecological function and make the stream publicly accessible.

The two-year program will award nearly $100,000 for stormwater planning and implementation projects across the region and is accepting applications on a rolling basis until funds are expended. Learn more at: https://www.cspdc.org/programs-services/wip-iii/

Waynesboro’s Fairfax Hall Reopens, Preserving History While Expanding Affordable Housing

Posted on June 1, 2026June 1, 2026 by Paula Melester

On April 30, the Waynesboro Redevelopment and Housing Authority hosted a Grand Reopening to mark the completion of a $15 million rehabilitation at the historic Fairfax Hall in Waynesboro, a project that pairs historic preservation with expanded affordable housing for senior residents.

Developed by the South River Development Corporation (SRDC), the nonprofit affiliate of the Waynesboro Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the project modernized the nationally-listed historic building while expanding accessibility for residents. Originally constructed in 1890 as the Brandon Hotel, the building has served many purposes, including as a girls’ junior college and later a training center, before being converted to affordable housing for seniors after a 2001 renovation.

The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission played a key role, contributing $200,000 through the Planning District Commission (PDC) Housing Development Grant to fund two accessible and affordable housing units inside the historic structure — units that were completed in FY24.

Today, Fairfax Hall demonstrates how historic preservation and affordable housing can work together — keeping a piece of the region’s architectural heritage in active use while adding accessible homes for seniors who need them. The CSPDC looks forward to supporting similar projects across the region as additional PDC Housing Development Grant funds from Virginia Housing become available.