Straughan: Housing, Infrastructure Biggest Needs

Leslie Straughan is running for her third term on Lexington City Council.

Over her previous terms on Council, she has helped tackle many issues, including the Kendal expansion, the dam removal, regulation of short-term rentals and several updates to the city’s zoning ordinances, strategic plan and comprehensive plan. She’s also been part of renaming the Oak Grove Cemetery, creating and beginning implementation of both the Bike & Pedestrian Plan and the Jordans Point Park Master Plan, developing new housing on city-owned properties, improving the city’s infrastructure and helping navigate the Covid pandemic.

“I decided to run again for City Council because I am interested in the issues facing our city, and I am willing to dedicate the time and energy necessary to work through them,” she said. “I’m excited for all we’ve accomplished, but there is more work to be done and I’d like to help.”

Straughan, along with her husband and two sons, moved to Lexington in 2000 when her husband accepted a teaching position at Washington and Lee University.

“We previously lived in Waco and Houston, but we’ve lived in Lexington longer than anywhere else, and our kids grew up here. Lexington is our home,” she said.

Straughan earned a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Texas in Austin and worked for Air Products, Inc., at its polyurethane intermediates manufacturing plant in Pasedena, Texas, first as a process engineer then as an environmental engineer. Part of her responsibilities involved “following federal and state legislation that affected our plant, working with all the departments to create compliance plans then implement those plans.”

“It has a lot in common with my work on Planning Commission and with policy setting for the city,” she said.

Over the years, Straughan has served on a number of boards and commissions in Lexington, including the city’s Planning Commission (where she still serves as the Council representative), the Main Street Lexington board, the Lexington Walkability Team, the Lexington School Board, the Rockbridge Area Network Authority, the Rockbridge Area Habitat for Humanity board, Project Horizon board and as an officer of election.

Housing is a major concern for residents of Lexington and Straughan feels that the city “is on the right track” with the steps it is taking to address that issue. During her time serving on the Planning Commission, Straughan has helped draft several ordinances that will help expand the city’s housing options, including the Planned Development-Mixed Use zoning district, which will allow for different types of housing and commercial developments on the city’s entrance corridors on East Nelson and South Main streets, and an ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units within the city.

Currently, she and the Commission are working on drafting an ordinance to allow cottage housing developments in Lexington. She is also an advocate for “increasing density in ways and locations that don’t adversely impact existing neighborhoods, and evaluating our current zoning to determine if parameters such as street frontage requirements are too restrictive for developing in-fill properties.

“These changes will create some new housing within the city,” she said, “but with very limited undeveloped land, our best bet is to continue focusing on the development of the city owned Spotswood and VDOT parcels.”

Outside of housing, Straughan feels the most pressing issue for the city is continuing to upgrade its infrastructure “in a fiscally responsible manner.” The city is currently in the process of either replacing or repairing its water and sewer lines, and there are several systems and facilities that require upgrades, such as the roads, stormwater system, Lexington’s city hall and public works offices, as well as Rockbridge County High School, Rockbridge Regional Jail and the Department of Social Services, which the city shares the costs for.

“The needs are daunting, but the city staff and Council will continue to work together and with our regional partners to address these challenges,” she said.