City of Staunton

Sept. 2, 2026 – Staunton City Council has officially adopted the city’s first Flood Resilience Plan, establishing a long-term roadmap to protect neighborhoods, businesses, and infrastructure from severe weather and flooding.

Council members unanimously endorsed the plan during their regular meeting last Thursday, praising the collaborative effort between local residents, city staff, and regional consultants. Adoption of the plan represents a critical milestone that officially positions Staunton to pursue state and federal grant funding to finance future flood mitigation and infrastructure projects.

Turning Public Input into Action
The finalized plan is the culmination of nearly a year-long community process led by Staunton’s Environmental Programs Division, alongside consultants from Wiley|Wilson and Wetland Studies and Solutions Inc. It incorporates extensive feedback gathered through public surveys and community listening sessions held at the Staunton Public Library.

The plan guides future capital planning and floodplain management through five core principles:

• Best Available Science: Incorporating modernized data to anticipate changing rainfall patterns.
• Social Equity: Prioritizing solutions that protect vulnerable residents and neighborhoods.
• Community-Scale Impact: Focusing on projects that deliver broad, citywide benefits.
• Economic Responsibility: Aligning projects with cost-effective practices and sensible land-use policies.
• Nature-Based Solutions: Leveraging natural systems and green infrastructure to mitigate runoff.

“Adopting this plan gives us a clear, actionable path forward,” said Environmental Programs Administrator Willow Hughes. “More importantly, it reflects the lived experiences of our residents who shared their stories and concerns with us. Having this framework in place ensures we aren’t just reacting to storm events, but actively building a safer and more resilient city.”

Unlocking Grant Opportunities
A key benefit of the newly adopted plan is eligibility for competitive state and federal resilience programs, including the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF). With a formal plan on record, the city can now pursue external funding to offset the cost of high-priority capital improvements without placing the sole financial burden on local taxpayers.

The full, adopted Flood Resilience Plan and the accompanying presentation materials are available for review on the city’s website.