Author: Lizzie Stone
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Lizzie Stone, city council reporter
40-unit low-income housing development near Bluestone Town Center wins approval
City council members approved the construction of a 40-unit development off Erickson Avenue aimed at helping low-income residents.
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Higher-density housing development near Smithland Elementary wins approval
The Harrisonburg City Council on Tuesday approved the rezoning of two lots near Smithland Elementary School from single-family residential to the higher density housing, which would allow developers to build 55 units, including at least 44 single-family homes.
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No city tax increases proposed; Zoning changed to allow cat adoptions downtown
City taxes will stay the same next year if the Harrisonburg City Council sticks with the proposed budget draft that officials unveiled Tuesday. Some city charges will increase, including water and sewer utilities and the stormwater fee, while the sanitation fee will decrease.
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City takes steps to address potential predatory towing, neighborhood traffic
Seeking to address concerns about private towing companies, the council on Tuesday established an advisory board as a first step. Council members also moved toward revamping the way the city tracks and implements traffic safety measures in neighborhoods, such as building speed bumps or installing stop signs.
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Harrisonburg, like other cities, seeks answers about how federal grant freeze would affect operations
Harrisonburg officials are still gathering information on how the Trump administration’s move to freeze federal grants might affect the city, Deputy City Manager Amy Snider told the city council on Tuesday.
City adds restrictions on data centers, allows for developers to pay for public upgrades in zoning applications
Cash proffers — in which developers pay to offset effects on the community like necessary road expansions — will now be permitted in zoning applications after a 4-1 city council vote in favor of the change. City officials explained that all zoning requests would still be considered and adjusted individually, but allowance for cash proffers will provide more flexibility in zoning decisions.
City to begin cardboard recycling collections on Fridays
Harrisonburg residents can schedule online to have cardboard picked up from their homes beginning next week. The city will begin an opt-in program for recycling-bound cardboard collections on Fridays so people won’t have to bring cardboard to a recycling drop-off point.
Construction delay forces city to seek temporary location for shelter
Valley Open Doors, which operates annual shelters for people without housing, had planned to use the city’s new permanent shelter, which was projected to open in November. But construction delays are forcing the group to search again for temporary shelter spaces as weather gets colder.
