Winston-Salem, Forsyth County leaders seek input on new development plan

Winston-Salem and Forsyth County leaders are asking the public for input on their next strategic plan. 

Officials are currently in the process of creating the Forward 2045 comprehensive plan, which is designed to guide housing, land preservation, and general development decisions in the city and county in the coming years.

Officials have suggested that the current plan, Legacy 2030, became outdated quickly. The topic came up during a zoning meeting this summer when residents criticized the city council for making a decision counter to what they said that plan advocated for: single-family homes in existing neighborhoods.

Councilmember Kevin Mundy pushed back:

“It was developed in 2016, before Gen Z started moving out on their own, before we knew what their housing needs were," he said. "It was before COVID, which changed the world in many ways, including whether people worked at home or whether they worked somewhere else. So in recognition of this, many other communities have already changed their previous plans.”

Officials are hosting public meetings this fall to solicit input on what the new plan should look like. The next one will be held Tuesday, October 17, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Enterprise Conference and Event Center. Six more will be held this month. Officials will begin the drafting process after they take place. 

Those who can’t attend are invited to take a community survey on the plan’s website.