• By City/County Planning Department
• Posted Wednesday, January 22, 2014

City/County Legacy 2030 Plan Wins National Award

Legacy 2030 has once again been recognized as one of the best planning efforts in the country. Even before it was adopted by all of Forsyth County's elected bodies, Legacy 2030 won the 2013 National Planning Achievement Award for Public Outreach from the American Planning Association. Now, the plan itself and the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning Department have been honored again, this time with the Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan.

Legacy 2030 Comprehensive Plan identifies a list of strategies, policies, and actions to help Winston-Salem/Forsyth County become more sustainable, better designed, and more fiscally responsible. Forsyth County's predicted population growth, combined with its sprawling development pattern could result in the county running out of developable land within the next 20 years. Legacy 2030 Comprehensive Plan addresses these concerns and connects health and equity to the physical form of the county county, focuses on ways to catalyze private investment, and makes the case that higher density and mixed-use urban areas in the appropriate areas yield a higher return on strategic public investments. The Plan also highlights the growing interest in local foods and agriculture in our rural areas in addition to the need to continue our efforts to tie into the “new economy.”

The plan's multi-pronged approach to engage citizens in the planning process was designed to invite resident input and offer a variety of ways in which to do so. Outreach efforts included an interactive website, a film series, public meetings, and a music video. As a result of the outreach efforts, the planning department came into contact with more citizens than ever before and the community sees a greater connection between planning and issues like public health, local foods, equity, and quality of life.

"Needless to say, we're truly honored," Planning Director Paul Norby said. "Thanks to all the citizens, board members, and elected officials who worked together to make our community more sustainable, better designed, and more fiscally responsible."

Visit the Legacy 2030 website for more information.