Attachment A (RFP for A & E Services-Narrows-GHHI Grant Application-08.27.26).pdf

Narrows EPA TC 2025 Application Narrative

Community Need

Community Needs:

The Town of Narrows, Virginia is a vulnerable rural community. The Town seeks support to develop resources and facilitate a small land purchase and acquisition to benefit the community which is disproportionately affected by ongoing environmental, climate, and health factors.

Disadvantaged Area:

Narrows is located within Census Tract 51071930300 and designated as an EPA IRA disadvantaged community per the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).

Further, the EPA IRA Map demonstrates the proposed project will serve residents in an eligible designated area adjacent to Narrows.

Residents of Narrows and adjacent areas who will benefit from the proposed project experience the following factors from the Environmental Justice Screen’s Supplemental Indices:

Indicator Percentile Toxic Releases to Air 92% VA / 95% Nation

Wastewater Discharge 97% VA / 96% Nation Drinking Water Noncompliance | 97% VA / 95% Nation

Additionally, area residents experience cancer at the 94th percentile in Virginia and at the 93rd percentile nationally and heart disease ranks at the 90th percentile in the state.

Narrows is home to an aging population with above national average numbers of older residents living alone, or married, without children, indicating smaller household sizes and incomes in general. Incomes in Narrows are lower than state averages with 16% of households earning under $20,000, compared to Virginia’s average of 10%. (ACS, 5-year estimates, 2021).

Needs the Proposed Project will Address:

Currently residents of the project area are lacking in accessible, safe community resources. The remediation of blighted land to establish a public safety complex to house fire and police departments and serve as a community resilience hub and community engagement center outside of the vulnerable 100-year flood plain will benefit the community in the following ways:

Category Factor Solution

Industrial Impacts Industrial facilities generate pollutants/community blight

Pollutants eAcquire land for public safety complex, community resilience hub, greenspace *Eliminate pollutants

Flooding *Public Safety currently in 100-year flood plain

*Low-income families displaced due to flooding

Project site home to new public safety/community resilience hub

*Plan for future energy-efficient multi-family housing rent/purchase

Community Engagement eLack of centralized community center/hub

¢Lack of Community education and youth training

¢ Resilience hub/center fosters community learning and establishes a “voice” and skills for area youth

Health *Lack of public greenspaces eLack of pedestrian access

*High rates of heart disease ¢Public green spaces, walking trails, coordinated community events reduce vehicle emissions, foster mobility

The proposed project will transform the currently blighted project area into a healthy and thriving community where Narrows citizens have a voice and access to community resources to serve members for generations to come.

Project Description

The Town of Narrows is seeking Tier III two-year implementation support for the proposed

Narrows Community Resilience Initiative (NCRI) project. Components of the project align with goals of the Thriving Communities Subgrant:

¢ Focus resources to serve disadvantaged community members experiencing environmental justice challenges.

* Acquisition of 1.75 acres of non-floodplain land to revitalize an existing industrial area will eliminate blight and future pollutant emissions and provide green space and home to a future public safety complex and community resilience hub and community center. The space will also serve as a site for ongoing public programming to include:

« Engagement of disadvantaged community members in public matters, public forums, community growth and support opportunities, and other public processes.

° Community-wide environmental education and outreach and environmental justice training for youth and learners of all ages, facilitated by local nonprofit partners.

* Development of pedestrian-friendly public greenspace, a public pavilion and pedestrian trails will improve access to the outdoors, reduce auto emissions and traffic, and improve community health. Design will include the use of climate resilient materials, native plantings, and green infrastructure principles will guide stormwater management.

» Land studies and planning for future higher density multi-family residential options.

° Promoting downtown revitalization by a range of mixed land uses and pedestrian friendly elements.

° Exploring options for re-use and redevelopment of vacant, underutilized, properties and buildings.

* Reducing / eliminating blight.

¢ Planning for future mixed density, multi-family energy-efficient housing.

* Recognizing and preserving the town’s natural assets.

Community Engagement:

On November 7, 2024, a Community Open House Workshop was held at the Town of Narrows

Municipal office. Community members, including disadvantaged residents within and adjacent to the proposed project site, reviewed initial surveys and designs. This opportunity resulted in community consensus around priority issues outlined in “Proposed Activities & Interventions.”

Future community forums will ensure the ongoing voice of all residents is incorporated into the decision-making process. Environmental Justice trainings for community youth will! be facilitated by project partners New River Valley Regional Commission (NRVRC).

Planning, Design, Engineering, and Permitting Activities:

The Town of Narrows will engage a consulting firm in the planning, design, engineering and permitting of the above. Architectural design services for the fire station building will also be provided under this plan. The Town will fund, outside of this grant proposal, a site survey and geotechnical investigation of the site to support the redevelopment needs/

Partner Organizations and their Roles:

The Town’s leadership is pleased to have the commitment of the New River Valley Regional

Commission (NRVRC) as the facilitator of public programming and housing components of the project. The Town also has the support of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

(VDEQ) Brownfields Program to remove hurdles to development, such as lead and asbestos studies (completed) and remediation as needed for the project sites, and further planning for future higher density housing and greenspace.

Organizational Capacity and Needs

The Town of Narrows was incorporated in 1904 to provide local government resources to residents. The Town operates under the Town Council/Town Manager model. The Council consists of five (5) elected council members and mayor.

Experience Relevant to Proposed Project: Narrows has been working towards the redevelopment of tracts of land, totaling over twenty acres, within the town limits (and immediately adjacent to the town) which have older, now defunct industrial uses, including a 19"" C. tannery, leaving the site in a blighted condition. Another ten acres were used as a disposal site for flyash from

American Electric Power. Although the disposal was done according to environmental regulation, there is a stigma about the site which to date has hindered any development of the property. A successful project on the tannery site would be an excellent educational opportunity for residents about the redevelopment of these brownfield sites.

The Town has worked with the Virginia DEQ Brownfields Program to advance the beginnings of this project, using Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance

Fund (VBAF) funds for the Phase I and Phase II Environmental Studies (completed), and the highest and best use planning study for the redevelopment of the project parcels (nearing completion a Highest and Best Use study of 10+ acres of these sites using funding through

Virginia DEQ’s Brownfields program. Those sites are the focus of this grant proposal.

As this project moves forward, we will continue to collaborate with Virginia DEQ to access applicable resources for Narrows.

Relationship to and/or Representation of the Community of Focus: Narrows is the local municipal government, offering services through both the Town and Giles County for its citizens. Successful stewardship of town-owned properties, as well as sustaining a vibrant community is a key effort by town officials, outlined in our comprehensive plan, and evidenced by the steps taken to-date towards this proposed project. Community members have been engaged throughout the process during workshops and via ongoing communications.

Staff Descriptions and Roles on the Proposed Project: Narrows Town Manager Terry Nichols will be the lead contact for the town. His background is in Quality Control/Management, as well

Architectural Preservation and Restoration. Terry has a BS in Chemistry from the College of

William and Mary, and completed Masters-level Architecture courses at Virginia Tech.

Treasurer/Clerk for the Town of Narrows Debbie Thomas will serve as the Financial Analyst for the project.

Capacity to Receive and Manage Grant Funds: The Town of Narrows has been awarded and successfully managed and closed out grants totaling over $1.3 million over the past ten years:

A Community Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Block Grant

(CDBG), an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant, and an Industrial Revitalization

Fund (IRF) grant.

Technical Assistance Needs and How Those Needs can be Addressed Through this Project:

The Town of Narrows appreciates the option of technical assistance for this project. Should any such needs arise for the Town or our nonprofit project partner we will request support accordingly.

Evaluation Plan

The Town of Narrows has identified the following outcomes, outputs, and measurements to providing a holistic understand of project/funding impact on the community members served.

Category Description Evaluation Method

Desired Climate Resilient Emergency Services Outcome 1

Output/Indicator l

Plan for Fire Department Services to Relocate Out of Floodplain

Quarterly review of climate risks to facility locations

Residents utilize Community Resilience Hub # of Registrants for services/programs

Desired

Outcome 2

Offer Climate and Resilience Education for

Underserved Population

I

Environmental Justice Training Sessions — Youth Pre and post-tests will be administered

Environmental Justice Information Sessions —

Adults

Pre and post-tests will be administered

Create Narrows Community Resilience Initiative Steering Committee

Guage participation & civic involvement

Outcome 3

Increase Downtown Public Green Space /Pedestrian Activity

Improve Tree Canopy and Public Green Space Measure improvements for GIS database

Increased Outdoor Access/Pedestrian Trail Parks and Rec to monitor site traffic and update quarterly

Outcome 4

Reduce Blight and Promote Positive Redevelopment

Environmental Assessment and Abatement of

Brownfield Sites

Abate environmentally contaminated buildings within 24 months.

Remove Underutilized Industrial Buildings Demolition within | to 2 years post design.

Outcome 4

Multi-family Energy Efficient Housing Development

I Town owned property on site will be allocated for multi-family development Engage in Development Agreement with Residential Developer within | to 3 years post design.