Cultural & Environmental Resources

Who are We?

The Cultural & Environmental Resources team is comprised of four staff members who are involved in a variety of cultural resource, environmental, and transportation planning operations within Winston-Salem and Forsyth County in accordance with the Legacy Development Guide. The team provides staff support to several advisory commissions and boards including the Historic Resources Commission, the Community Appearance Commission, and the Yadkin River Commission. The team also supports other internal and external planning agency responsibilities including Parks, Open Space, and Greenways; Transportation Planning; Watershed Management; and Farmland Preservation.

What are our primary responsibilities?

Historic Resource Planning

Historic Resource staff work with citizens, property owners, businesses, public agencies, and other community organizations to help identify, preserve, and promote the community’s unique heritage. Serving as professional liaison to the Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission (HRC), staff are responsible for administration of the Historic (H) and Historic Overlay (HO) Districts as well as Forsyth County’s Local Historic Landmark (LHL) program. Additional ongoing services include coordination of the community’s "Certified Local Government" responsibilities, review of National Register of Historic Places nominations, Section 106 (National Historic Preservation Act) review, redevelopment plan review, administration of Winston-Salem’s Historic Marker program, and coordination of Historic Preservation Month. Historic Resource staff also respond to public inquiries about various historic preservation issues, such as available financial incentives, sources of historical information, appropriate rehabilitation/preservation techniques, and questions about specific historic properties.

Transportation Planning

The Cultural & Environmental Resources Team provides staff support to the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) and generally collaborates with other City and State transportation officials regarding local Transportation Planning needs and land use planning objectives.

Environmental Planning

The Cultural & Environmental Resources Team works with a variety of City, County, Regional and State officials regarding county-wide environmental resources. The team evaluates watershed requirements related to new development proposals and collaborates with the local Soil Conservation Service regarding Farmland Preservation programs and the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Quality Partnership. The team also staffs the Yadkin River Commission.

Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Greenway Planning

The Cultural & Environmental Resources Team works with other agencies both within and outside City-County government to plan the locations and coordinate the implementation of parks, greenways, recreational facilities, and community open space. The team also evaluates new development proposals and zoning requests for compliance with existing guidelines and plan recommendations.

Community Appearance Commission

The Cultural & Environmental Resources Team provides staff support to the joint City-County Community Appearance Commission (CAC) to facilitate the development and implementation of various commission initiatives pertaining to street corridor improvements, gateway treatments, the biennial CAC Awards Presentation, and revised Sign Ordinance Standards. The CAC also reviews and makes recommendations on various publicly funded developments and capital improvement projects.