2014 National Planning Excellence Awards: Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan

Legacy 2030 Comprehensive Plan

Winston–Salem / Forsyth County, North Carolina

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 yield a higher return on strategic public investments.

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.

Legacy 2030 was promoted with a music video about population growth and comprehensive planning.