On July 6, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners adopted the Forsyth County Comprehensive Plan 2017-2037, the result of a multi-month comprehensive plan update process, branded as Foster Forsyth.

Foster Forsyth was a full update initiative to the county’s Comprehensive Plan, focused on community elements such as housing, transportation, zoning and other land use matters, as well as economic development. The Comprehensive Plan is the umbrella policy document for the county’s future growth and development, which plays an important role in rezoning and development decisions. The plan also establishes community goals and priorities for the county’s future.
Click here to view the plan.

The update process provided an opportunity for the community as a whole to pause and have a meaningful dialogue about its vision for land use, housing, quality of life and employment opportunities, along with the policies and programs that will support plan implementation. Throughout the process, which began in early 2016, 26 meetings were held including public hearings, workshops and open houses.

Included in the plan is the formation of 11 unique character areas with the identification of 13 nodes within the Community Character Area map. The nodes are envisioned to function as activity centers for surrounding neighborhoods and allow for a range of intensity depending on the nodal type (neighborhood, community, regional). The map seeks to guide development via a place-based approach so that growth will be consistent with the plan’s areas’ specific policies as well as the Comprehensive Plan 2017-2037 vision statement:

Forsyth County will promote responsible use of our natural assets and green space while advancing a balanced growth management strategy that strengthens and sustains quality of life for everyone. 

Prior to the board’s adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, it was submitted for state and regional review. Both the state of Georgia and the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission determined that the plan meets the standards for comprehensive planning in Georgia.

The Comprehensive Plan update process was conducted by Jacobs in collaboration with Kimley-Horn.