Attracting the remote workforce is a new strategy for many communities, with the potential for big impacts on local economies without a big investment in infrastructure. The Fall Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA) Conference will feature a panel presentation with Main Street America, Virginia Main Street, the CSPDC, and the City of Buena Vista. The panel will highlight Virginia Main Street’s Remote Work Pilot Program and discuss how communities can identify existing assets and infrastructure needs to successfully attract and retain remote workers. This session will explore the key commonalities and unique market positions to inspire economic developers across the state.

On August 16^th, the Town of Dayton hosted a public meeting to kick off their downtown revitalization initiative. Community members and business owners came out to hear about the Town’s plans to transform Downtown Dayton into a vibrant year-round destination and activity center. This marks the first step toward implementing the Community Development Block Grant the Town received from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The Town is in process of assessing the existing conditions of their downtown properties. Once the assessment is completed at the end of September, the Town will advertise a request for proposals for a consultant to develop a revitalization plan that will guide the Town’s efforts to reenergize Dayton’s business district. The CSPDC is providing grant writing and administrative services.

The Harrisonburg Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (HRMPO) 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) will create an effective framework to address current and future community needs.

HRMPO, which is staffed by CSPDC, is in the process of developing the 2045 Plan, and is offering virtual and in-person opportunities to get involved. Phase 2 of the Plan is focused on gathering feedback on a list of proposed transportation projects, known as the draft Universe of Projects.

Projects on the list were checked against public input as well as regional and statewide data sources to determine whether they met defined transportation needs, and align with the community’s vision, as identified through the Phase 1 Visioning Survey.

Community members are invited to share feedback on the draft Universe of Projects through September 16, 2022. You can:

• Explore the interactive map and leave feedback on specific projects via Metroquest
• Register for and participate in our webinar on August 16 at 7 p.m.
• Drop by one of our open house community meetings
  • August 18 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Lucy F. Simms Community Center
  • August 31 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Turner Ashby High School

Feedback on the draft Universe of Projects will be used to identify which projects will be included in the final Plan, guiding transportation investments over the next 25 years to support the needs of the region and its future growth.

Visit hrvampo.org/lrtp for more information and to sign up to receive email updates on the LRTP.

Senator Mark Warner visited the region Friday, July 15, and made a stop at the BRITE Transit Facility in Fishersville. The Shenandoah Valley Infrastructure Discussion event highlighted the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the positive impacts of the subsequent five-year funding for transportation through the new law. Additionally, Senator Warner applauded the work and effort of BRITE for providing an essential service to the community. “I think the BRITE system that services your communities here in central Virginia, is probably if not the most successful, one of the most successful transit systems in a rural community all across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Warner. The Senator also hosted a question-and-answer session for event attendees.

Director of Transportation and VAMPO Chair Ann Cundy will present at the National Association of MPOs (AMPO) Annual Conference in October, 2022. Ann will share the conference session with Chet Parsons, Director of Transportation for the Richmond Regional MPO, and Ashley Dobson, Director of Operations and Strategic Communications at Avid Core. The session will focus on post-pandemic public engagement strategies that MPOs of varying sizes can use for any planning process, but particularly on Long Range Transportation Plans. The HRMPO is currently developing the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan with assistance from Kimley-Horn and Avid Core.

The CSPDC recently began a Regional Housing Study in partnership with the Virginia Center for Housing Research (VCHR) and HousingForward Virginia. As part of the study process, VCHR will host a series of data trainings that are available to both CSPDC staff and the region’s local government staff. The purpose of these trainings is to introduce participants to the variety of publicly available data that can be used to assess regional housing issues. Additionally, the trainings hope to empower staff to update data in comprehensive plans, housing studies, and other projects without needing to engage a consultant.

The trainings will be held virtually, and will begin on Thursday, July 14^th from 10am-11am, with the first session focusing on American Community Survey and U.S. Census data. The series will span across seven sessions and cover a variety of topics, including economic data, housing affordability data, and MLS and real estate assessment data.

Local government staff interested in attending any of the data training sessions can fill out a registration form here no later than Wednesday, July 13^th.

Schedule:

Thursday July 14 – American Community Survey/U.S. Census

Thursday July 21 – Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)/Jobs EQ

Thursday July 28 – Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) Data

Thursday August 4 – Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) Data #1

Thursday August 11 – PUMS #2

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TBD – MLS Data

TBD – Assessment