Planning staff has been working to establish a current land use map and draft proposed land use recommendations for the Northeast Suburban Plan area. The proposed land use recommendations are being developed through discussions amongst staff, review of Forward 2045 Comprehensive Plan recommendations, and public input received at the first two public input meetings held in February and March. These recommendations will be used to guide planning staff, the City-County Planning Board, the Winston-Salem City Council, and the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners when evaluating proposed development, redevelopment, and rezoning requests.
This survey provides information on the draft proposed land use map as well as areas designated as Mixed Use Areas and Alternative Development Options (ADOs) Areas. The mixed-use designation means that if the parcels within the area were to come in for development together as one project, the area could be planned comprehensively with a mix of land uses rather than based on the specific parcel recommendations. However, if only one parcel of the designated mixed-use area was proposed for development, the specific parcel recommendation would be used when reviewing the proposal. ADOs signify areas where an alternative land use other than what is shown on the map could be supported for development. Please take a moment to review the map and provide your comments. Your comments will be used to finalize the land use recommendations for the area.
To assist in your review, the difference between low-intensity and high-intensity commercial uses relates to automobile dependence/traffic generation and scale. Low-intensity commercial uses include small retail stores, convenience stores without gas pumps, cafes, restaurants without a drive-through, salon/barbershop, urgent care facilities, and veterinary services. High-intensity commercial uses include big box retail stores (Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, Target), automobile repair shops, automobile dealerships, restaurants with a drive-through, strip malls, and gas stations.
After the public input has been reviewed and incorporated, the draft plan will be presented to the City-County Planning Board at the public hearing. During the public hearing, individuals will have an opportunity to provide their opinion on the draft recommendations. The public hearing will likely be held at the end of summer/beginning of fall. The draft plan will then proceed to the Winston-Salem City Council and Forsyth County Board of Commissioners for adoption. Each elected body will hold a public hearing on the plan where individuals will have another opportunity to provide their comments and opinions on the plan.