if only...

• the north fork of the shenandoah river was cleaned up
• strasburg's water supply problem was solved
• strasburg didn't have a smelly and dangerous milk plant and industrial buildings in the center of town
• huge tractor trailer trucks and farm equipment had routes other than US 11 and US 55 to get around the center of town
• children, elderly and handicapped could get safely to and from the madison heights area to town park
• west king street was more pedestrian oriented (eliminate parking on west king and massanutten streets and widen sidewalks)
• adequate parking was provided for shops in the historic district
• the noisy, archaic, 24/7 siren was replaced by one of several modern alert systems, e.g. Active911 or IamResponding smartphone apps, automated text messaging, digital pagers, etc.
• the noise ordinance was enforced 
• birds and wildlife returned
• strasburg had more than one grocery store
• strasburg had a zoning plan that made sense
• strasburg's town council stopped granting zoning exceptions
• town staff and town council were more visionary

then maybe strasburg might become all that it can be.

North Fork Shenandoah River at Strasburg Park public boat landing in Shenandoah County VA. E. coli levels on Wednesday June 22 versus Thursday June 23, 2022.

source:  FSSP NF Shenandoah River E. coli levels on Wednesday June 22 versus Thursday Jun 23 - FOSR - FOSR  

three juveniles arrested for making bomb/school violence threats

On Wednesday, September 11 the Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office responded to two bomb/school violence threats in Strasburg.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/DDQNkfq5dpaE1vn1/

***NEWS ALERT**

Today, on Tuesday, September 17 [sic], 2024, the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office responded to an incident, regarding school threats.

The incident pertained to a suspected 16-year-old female, from Edinburg, VA, at Central High School. The juvenile made two (2) separate verbal threats, involving school violence/threats, which was then reported to school officials and the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office.

This juvenile female was charged with:
Two (2) counts of 18.2-83: Threats to bomb or damage buildings or means of transportation; false information as to danger to such buildings, etc.

The individual has been taken to a Juvenile Detention Center and is awaiting a detention hearing.

WHSV report: https://www.whsv.com/2024/09/11/three-students-apprehended-separate-school-violence-threats-across-valley/

The Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office responded to two incidents Wednesday in Strasburg.

The first incident involved a Snapchat post created by a suspected 15-year-old girl concerning school violence/threats, according to SCSO. The post was then sent to other students. SCSO filed two charges against the suspect:

• §18.2-83: Threats to bomb or damage buildings or means of transportation; false information as to danger to such buildings, etc.
• §18.2-60: Threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family; threats of death or bodily injury to persons on school property; threats of death or bodily injury to health care providers; penalty.

The second incident in Strasburg involved a suspected 16-year-old boy who made a verbal statement pertaining to school violence/threats while riding a school bus. Other students reported the statement to school officials and SCSO. The boy has been charged with the following:

• §18.2-83: Threats to bomb or damage buildings or means of transportation; false information as to danger to such buildings, etc.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/94502827@N00/38910984640

attribution: Brent Moore and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/

strasburg town council caves

https://www.whsv.com/2024/09/12/strasburg-town-council-approves-gas-station-convenience-store-edge-town/ 

strasburg town council ignores the citizens of Cedar Spring and caves to the developer.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/maywind72/49159392253/

attribution: Maayan Windmuller and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/

corridor h

Following is from https://shenandoahalliance.org/project/corridor-h/:

West Virginia’s Corridor H highway project has been in development since the late 1960s as part of the Appalachian Development Highway System. As proposed, the highway is a massive almost 150 mile 4-lane highway running from Interstate 79 east through rural West Virginia ending in Wardensville WV, 7 miles short of the Virginia state border on State Route 48/55 west of Strasburg.

Although sections of the highway are built and operational, Corridor H continues to be controversial in West Virginia as residents question the massive cost of the road to taxpayers and the damage it has caused compared to its modest economic impact. If completed as envisioned by West Virginia legislators, the road will bulldoze through the Virginia state line, into the George Washington National Forest, through the Cedar Creek drainage and create a huge interstate exchange where the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park now lies, while offering almost no benefit to Virginians.

Thankfully, Corridor H isn’t and has never been in any of the local or long-range transportation plans for the state. And, Virginia doesn’t have any plans to build its section from the state line to I-81 or I-66. Still, the Alliance remains vigilant as the project moves forward in West Virginia.

Alliance comments in opposition of Corridor H
Dec 12, 2022

The Alliance agrees with and supports the resolutions recently adopted by Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors and the Strasburg Town Council opposing construction of Corridor H in Virginia.

Strasburg signs on in opposition of Corridor H
Dec 09, 2022

“There appear to be no benefits to the citizens of Strasburg that would result from constructing a Corridor H Highway to connect with I-81 and/or I-66 near Strasburg, Virginia.”

Thanks to Shenandoah Supervisors for Action on Corridor H
Nov 16, 2022

Community members in Shenandoah County are concerned about West Virginia’s proposed continuation of Corridor H to connect with I-81 near Strasburg.

A long history of opposition in Virginia
– 1993: “BE IT RESOLVED that plans to construct the Corridor H highway through Shenandoah County, heretofore described, are opposed by the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors.”
– 1995: “NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Commonwealth of Virginia adamantly cannot support the four-lining alternative of Corridor H in Virginia.”
– 2022: “NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the County of Shenandoah opposes the plans heretofore described to construct the Corridor H highway through Shenandoah County.”

Partners in Opposition
– Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance Conservation Hub
– Stewards of the Potomac Highlands

QUESTIONS:

•  On December 9 and 12, 2022 Strasburg's town council "adopted a resolution by Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors opposing construction of Corridor H in Virginia." Did the strasburg town council vote unanimously in favor of this resolution? If not, who dissented? 
• Is there a connection between the proposed Cedar Spring rezoning and Corridor H? If so, are there those in strasburg who are working to make the connection between the West Virginia line and I-81/I-66 a reality? 
• Likewise, is there a connection between corridor h and west virginia's proposal to annex counties in virginia?    https://apnews.com/article/d9ee8611eb59aedff84160ae1be27d14

inquiring minds want to know.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/59283046@N00/1237052249/

attribution: Bill Benzon and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

could the developer kill the project from hell that the community can't?

https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/developer-wants-strasburg-council-to-delay-vote-on-gas-station-rezoning/article_0d45ed6f-1b4f-547d-af3e-79d5f1ec9234.html

"Claytor previously indicated that rejecting the highway sign could cause developers to abandon the project."

• community concerns
• VDOT concerns
• phase two?
• 25 ft. high highway sign
• outdated (20 years old) traffic analysis
• emergency exit?
• crime concerns
• corridor h? (https://shenandoahalliance.org/project/corridor-h/)

Mayor Brandy Hawkins Boies asked if the trees could be removed, but Otis said they are on VDOT property and cannot be removed.

Council member Dane Hooser said "the design of the neighborhood was flawed from the start."

Council member Brad Stover said he wouldn’t interfere as long as the proffers are met. “I’m not going to dictate what you’re going to do with your commercial property,” Stover said.

Council member A.D. Carter IV urged a straightforward approach when the council votes, and asked members not to be side-tracked by residents’ wide-ranging concerns. “We have to be single-minded and say this is what it is, and this is what has been met,” he said. “Here it is.”

“I always thought phase one was residential and phase two was the commercial component,” Otis said. “To me, this is phase two. There is no development left to take place. Now is the time to do it.”

From the looks of it strasburg town government is trying to make the I-81 interchange at Route 55 the next south of the border.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/8557221010/

attribution: Doug Kerr and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Despite the mayor, town council, and town staff continuing their efforts to push ahead with this project, and despite the community's continuing opposition to it, this project may collapse of its own weight.

a novel approach to town planning

so, the town is revising its zoning ordinance and they're holding a public hearing for citizens to provide comments and recommendations before the ordinance is adopted. translation: we're just about done and we need to get this public hearing check-mark done so that we can adopt the revisions. ergo, we're too late in the process to fool around with citizen input.

here's a novel approach: https://www.ruralbusiness.com/a-common-sense-approach-to-reinvigorating-small-town-america/

click on "Episode 34: Building Possibility". it's worth your time to listen.

the point: get citizen input BEFORE the town BEGINS the process.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/6282429807/

attribution: Doug Kerr and flickr

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/