Housing workshops, Staunton school budget, and nine zoning cases: THE AGENDA

Presidential primary is today

Several meetings reviewing Tuesday’s presidential primary have been announced in Augusta County. For more on the election, see The News Leader's election guide and live coverage on Tuesday.

Stakeholder workshops on housing

Staunton and Waynesboro are teaming up to host four stakeholder workshops on housing and their five-year plans over the next week. A flier for the events is available online.

"Help determine the priority needs for the next five years," reads the flier. "Participants will be asked to identify housing and community development needs and gaps in services for the Staunton/Augusta/Waynesboro area."

Homelessness is an ongoing problem in all three localities, with those unhoused often facing harsh living conditions. Although there are a few programs dedicated to getting people in housing, they are not universally successful. Brian Edwards, acting director for the Waynesboro Area Refuge Ministry (WARM) highlighted these realities by staying outside for a night in the December winter weather.

On March 7, the group will discuss affordable housing, homelessness, special needs housing, and housing services over two separate meetings. The March 11 events include a workshop on human service providers and another on community-based organizations.

Staunton school upcoming budget and calendar to be considered

The Staunton City School Board are expected to vote on the 2025 budget and the upcoming school year calendar during its March 11 meeting.

According to the agenda, the board will also recognize Camille Dierksheide and the Whimsically Witchy Fundraising Project

Augusta Zoning Appeals to holds public hearings on nine cases

The Augusta County Board of Zoning Appeals is hearing nine permit application or revision requests.

The board previously heard two of these requests in February:

• James E. and Rachelle E. Summy are seeking a permit to have an agricultural hauling business and to use a portion of the existing structure for maintenance of commercial vehicles on property they own, located at 28 Rankin Lane, Stuarts Draft in the South River District.

• Kervin Yoder, agent for Enlisted Auctions, is seeking a permit to have a screened impound area for inoperable vehicles or equipment. Yoder is also requesting an amendment to a previous permit to increase the number of auctions, to allow vehicles or equipment to be stored in the impound area prior to seven days before the auction, and to allow vehicles or equipment to remain on the property seven days after the auction. Both requests are for property owned by Shady Haven Properties, LLC, located north of the intersection of White Hill Road (Route 654) and Stuarts Draft Highway (Route 340) in the Riverheads District.

The seven new applications include:

• Jessica Louise and James Hugh McKinnell are seeking a permit to host weddings and special events on property they own, located at 2964 Spring Hill Road in the North River District.

• Meade Mobile Home Park, LLC, is seeking a permit to replace a non-conforming manufactured home with a larger unit within a manufactured home park on property owned by James R. Ridenour, Sr. Living Trust, located at 94 Meade Park Circle, Lot 41, Verona in the North River District.

• Andrey V. and Larisa D. Lukashuk are seeking a permit to have two tent sites for primitive camping on property they own, located at 4701 Spring Hill Road, Mount Solon in the North River District.

• Jesse Moon, agent for Virginia Green, is seeking a permit to continue to have a lawn and fertilizer operation at the existing fertilizer/mill shop on property owned by Ag Venture, LLC, located at 491 Fadley Road, Weyers Cave in the North River District.

• Peggy Boyd F. III and Crystal Caricofe are seeking a permit to continue to have a motor vehicle repair, body and fender shop, and to have a towing operation, and impoundment lot in conjunction with the towing operation on property owned by Peggy Sue Caricofe, located at 69, 93, and 99 Humbert Road, Crimora in the Middle River District.

• Kenneth F. and Brenda R. Weaver are seeking a permit to add a sunroom onto the existing non-conforming dwelling no closer to the road on property they own, located at 220 Fadley Road, Weyers Cave in the North River District.

• Dennis R. and Jean Leigh Simmons are seeking a permit variance for their front yard setback in order to reconstruct a non-conforming dwelling destroyed by fire more than two years ago on property they own, located at 3121 Parkersburg Turnpike, Swoope in the Pastures District.

Staunton West End workshop returns Tuesday

As mentioned in in last week's edition of The Agenda, Staunton's West End stakeholder meeting will take place on March 5, 5:30 p.m., at the Irene Givens Administrative Building of Montgomery Hall Park.

The workshop will feature the results from the previous West End meeting in January, where dozens of residents told what the city and consultants for the project, EPR, P.C., what the area needs.

Tuesday, March 5

• Augusta County Electoral Board Meeting-Presidential Primary 5 a.m. Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane in Verona.

• Staunton Community Workshop for West End Revitalization 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Montgomery Hall Park, Irene Givens Administrative Building. The workshop will start with a brief presentation outlining what was learned at the meeting on Jan. 9, and verify a list of community needs and four to five goal statements.

Wednesday, March 6

• Metropolitan Planning Organization 10 a.m. Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission office, 112 MacTanly Place, Staunton.

• Augusta County Electoral Board-Election Canvass 10 a.m. Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane in Verona.

• Augusta County Electoral Board Meeting-Provisional Ballots 12 p.m. Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane in Verona.

Thursday, March 7

• CAPSAW affordable/accessible housing workshop 11 a.m. BRITE Transit Facility, 51 Ivy Ridge Lane, Fisherville. A flier for the event is available online.

• CAPSAW homeless/special needs housing workshop 2 p.m. BRITE Transit Facility, 51 Ivy Ridge Lane, Fisherville. A flier for the event is available online.

• Augusta County Board of Zoning Appeals 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane in Verona. The agenda is online.

• Augusta County School Board budget work session 5:30 p.m.

• Augusta County School Board regular meeting, following budget meeting.

• Craigsville Town Council 7 p.m. Town Office, 18 Hidy St.

Friday, March 8

• Augusta County Electoral Board Meeting-No-ID Provisional Ballots 12:01 p.m. Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane in Verona.

• Waynesboro Economic Development Authority Board 8 a.m. Economic Development Office, 301 W. Main Street.

Monday, March 11

• CAPSAW human service providers 11 a.m. BRITE Transit Facility, 51 Ivy Ridge Lane, Fisherville. A flier for the event is available online.

• CAPSAW community-based organization workshop 11 a.m. BRITE Transit Facility, 51 Ivy Ridge Lane, Fisherville. A flier for the event is available online.

• Staunton City School Board work session 5 p.m. City Hall, 116 W. Beverley Street. The agenda is online.

• Staunton City School Board regular meeting. 6 p.m. City Hall, 116 W. Beverley Street. The agenda is online.

• Waynesboro City Council 7 p.m. Council Chambers, 503 West Main Street.

Tuesday, March 12

• Augusta County Planning Commission Meeting 7 p.m. Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane in Verona.

Lyra Bordelon (she/her) is the public transparency and justice reporter at The News Leader. Do you have a story tip or feedback? It’s welcome through email to [email protected]. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Housing workshops, Staunton school budget, and nine zoning cases: THE AGENDA