City of Staunton Planning Commission Meeting of August 20, 2026

The City of Staunton Planning Commission held a meeting on August 20, 2026, focusing on several key planning and zoning matters. The commission approved the minutes from the June 18, 2026 meeting and conducted a public hearing on the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan 2045, which sets a 20-year strategic roadmap for land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, and economic resilience. The plan emphasizes infrastructure resilience, diverse housing options, multimodal mobility, environmental stewardship, and funding strategies including state and federal grants and public-private partnerships. The commission recommended approval of the plan to the city council. Additionally, the commission considered a request to add two parcels to the Middlebrook Agricultural Forestal District, recommending approval to city council. The meeting also addressed zoning amendments to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in residential and certain other districts, with discussions on owner-occupancy requirements and short-term rental restrictions; the commission agreed to schedule a public hearing for further input. Other zoning amendments authorized for drafting included permitting private day nurseries in business and mixed-use districts to expand childcare opportunities, and allowing manufactured housing in all districts where site-built housing is permitted, to comply with new state law. Motions to authorize staff to draft these amendments were approved unanimously.