[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6480155,"mediaKeyId","5691867-9f18947ab655e8e4bc4d9e726514cf12","parentId",5691867,"title","Forsyth County staff briefs board on ‘Project Touchdown’—company plans $5.6M investment, 30 jobs","audioSeconds",63,"startMs",7253000,"endMs",7316000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691867-9f18947ab655e8e4bc4d9e726514cf12&start=7253&end=7316","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691867-9f18947ab655e8e4bc4d9e726514cf12/thumbnail_7253000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6480155/Forsyth-County/North-Carolina/Forsyth-County-staff-briefs-board-on-Project-Touchdowncompany-plans-56M-investment-30-jobs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480155-2830fe409e7e971234cea2ad0c2f5e90/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437071&Signature=OobTn-z49fSLwQNMyPPyhmvBw82VgeJ2LRZp2quL4ISQPHbLGAokeW1dOzJvmJuxM35RTWr8CjuDyZ9Gy3gsVqh8~ywR5dcd5BbxejIgPt5u5QcyIepCn1JfVheDs5ePWCtyzjcP7XzREFDQk6e3hUFX8n9ICPoSsmRjMR99j12V4QYg82p3n0pn57u6ci81TLuYhJ7OlRU0I3VXhfNyGnKsafVSoIcm-BjiQy~LoaChMJLDWSg5RyITsXl0xXVBFtXeKrVi35JPaV8MhK5kEeN5ZOsO3xumGl0fLOz5-tdqx~GsU~KW0AbBOL3vMAdK9PFAUZI-TKORiUYRQUuNmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Forsyth County","date","2025-08-29T08:14:01Z","article","County economic development staff briefed commissioners on Aug. 28 about a prospective business, identified in staff materials as “Project Touchdown,” and requested preliminary consideration of an incentive package. Helena Fiore of the county’s Community and Economic Development Department presented the item.

Fiore said the company expects a capital investment of $5,635,000 to establish a facility in Forsyth County and would create 30 full-time jobs with an average annual wage of $59,217 and health benefits. Staff estimated the investment could produce about $231,032 in new tax revenue over 10 years, contingent on realized investment and job creation.

The proposed county incentive package would be paid over five years if the company meets the capital‑investment and job‑creation benchmarks. Fiore said the total county incentive would not exceed $53,962 and that annual payments to the company would be capped at 50% of net new taxes; payments would be made only after the company paid taxes and provided documentation of new jobs. Fiore said the company is considering other locations, including South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, and is also pursuing a North Carolina Department of Commerce building reuse grant and a City of Winston-Salem five‑year incentive.

Staff said the project will be briefed again on Sept. 8 and that a public hearing would be scheduled for Sept. 11, at which point the company’s name will be released. No formal action or incentive agreement was approved at the meeting.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions and staff said follow-up materials and the public hearing schedule will be provided in advance of the September meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Commissioners Meeting - Aug 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Economic development staff presented details on a prospective project—code-named Project Touchdown—proposing a $5.635 million capital investment and 30 jobs; incentives would not exceed $53,962 and would be tied to net new tax receipts.","taxTitle","Forsyth County, North Carolina","taxId",5013,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6480159,"Votes at a glance: Forsyth County commissioners approve budget amendments, grants, contracts and appointments",248,7212000,7460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691867-9f18947ab655e8e4bc4d9e726514cf12&start=7212&end=7460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691867-9f18947ab655e8e4bc4d9e726514cf12/thumbnail_7212000.jpg","/articles/6480159/Forsyth-County/North-Carolina/Votes-at-a-glance-Forsyth-County-commissioners-approve-budget-amendments-grants-contracts-and-appointments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480159-73b000f62a3767bfffe1d48e6fe864d3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437071&Signature=ZQTL49CfenBTlWBSBElPHCENn0ZzORzFxM11UJg60YCDs0LzEhwUOsLH7b5fw9cg4W-e61T228LmuPA36uYiUoCkmucHJ~0tIPH9SYnfN9yUNwdfwP-lQLjMYvzmzx3P9RejvZtRQ4A-XKNM45nO-DOpfAb6n4slZI09U0T5YioOW84VyUp9GaQ1xfqAEvR6zIBjwlpmarWqMp~8UAXkvbgSna0t3IloN1QIGm0VYVYjbDMI1FWrN72S-rp0NkQQzaXzRB0f~2qsLD973SAWRywFWQgyYF0I-UjzOv03ptSzCNVpDZupdf2yKM-67wn3MgrP3qD1XEZeIbfwnVCCtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 28 approved multiple routine and project-specific items by unanimous vote. The actions below summarize each item, funding or contract amount, and the board’s recorded outcome.

- Amendment to FY26 budget: breastfeeding peer counselor program (Department of Health and Human Services agreement addendum 4-15) — appropriated $52,248 to support mother-to-mother breastfeeding peer support for WIC enrollees. Motion to approve was recorded and carried unanimously.

- Amendment to FY26 budget: general communicable disease control (DHHS agreement addendum 5-10) — appropriated $6,000 to update the electronic reporting interface between public health and the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health. Motion carried unanimously.

- Transfer to Emergency Telephone System fund — cleanup transfer of $1,395. Motion carried unanimously.

- County capital projects ordinance amendment — close airport landfill project and transfer available balance of $1,234,530 from the airport element to county buildings ($88,000) and economic development reserves ($1,146,530). Motion carried unanimously.

- Amendment to FY26 budget: scrap tires payment to City of Winston-Salem — appropriated $431,066.98 to pay the city for scrap-tire handling. Motion carried unanimously.

- Adoption of Community Development grant projects ordinance — $617,725 to continue rehab, reconstruction, demolition and lead clearance for owner-occupied substandard dwellings and down-payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. Motion carried unanimously.

- Partners Health Management agreement amendment and FY26 budget amendment — authorize amendment and appropriate revenue for nonclinical support of Family and Children’s Division youth housed internally; total reimbursement not to exceed $58,850. Motion carried unanimously.

- Renewal of subscription services with Worldwide Technology LLC — one-year cloud-based endpoint management subscription for county MIS, $64,093.20. Motion carried unanimously.

- Appointment confirmations: Haley Gingles to the city–county planning board (term ending Feb. 2029) and Charles Wilson reappointment to the utility commission (term to expire June 2030). Both confirmed unanimously.

- Resolution authorizing tax assessor/collector refunds — $19,882.66 in refunds approved unanimously.

- Financial reports: June and July appropriations transfer reports and the July financial report were accepted as presented.

Each motion was presented in the meeting’s agenda packet, and the board adopted the items by voice vote; minutes state each motion carried unanimously. Where staff identified follow-up tasks (for example, the community development grants and capital project transfers), county departments were assigned implementation roles and reporting responsibilities to the board.","At the Aug. 28 meeting the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a set of budget amendments, grant appropriations, a capital-project transfer, contracts and appointments. Totals and purposes are listed below.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6480163,"Forsyth County urges FERC and NCDEQ to address safety, environmental risks before approving Transco SSEP",509,6290000,6799000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691867-9f18947ab655e8e4bc4d9e726514cf12&start=6290&end=6799","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691867-9f18947ab655e8e4bc4d9e726514cf12/thumbnail_6290000.jpg","/articles/6480163/Forsyth-County/North-Carolina/Forsyth-County-urges-FERC-and-NCDEQ-to-address-safety-environmental-risks-before-approving-Transco-SSEP","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480163-d00a124adcd229a1d861e8fe5c621920/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437071&Signature=c2c0Pwh4wZjRiVZQw3ZBuIhIrb1xMxcd3eQhokxuw1chRwPwMw-cDXxjd3L-xF-JnGAUBRlVdR9khp7unwE0E4EfAqwukqizUU2-auQk1mfGwI7cdjzJlFY82YmWXvzKKWlIRFzknoBuDCYYvqObGddFi1Gojg6olzydd1lkvEJtmSQeL7fSUriyPJMoWY-rx~G~g2f0AzjD548KCcC6qgC3AgaG7MK6ZWwzPRa6m3PtsMoBLTjDh2CYhBaoNUd-uXV8vQlP5IPpd9TLCEZhKJBrJwkoCzzwU~a50MCY5AEAt5veqryRGG9FnTkfIOzoFp~0v3Td6k3-A~FyU-Z1Ew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 28 adopted a resolution urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to require additional environmental and safety analysis before approving the Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (SSEP) and, if those steps are not satisfied, to deny permits and approvals.

Commissioner Bessie read the resolution and moved its adoption; Commissioner McDaniel seconded. The board voted unanimously to send the resolution to FERC and NCDEQ.

The resolution asks federal and state regulators to: fully consider health, safety, environmental and economic impacts raised by residents; require a comprehensive environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act that includes a no-action alternative; ensure meaningful consultation with impacted communities; require Transco to submit prompt emergency-notification plans for affected residents and local emergency management agencies; and withhold air- or water-quality permits until regulators are satisfied the project will not cause water quality degradation, irreversible impacts to wetlands or unacceptable air-quality impacts.

The SSEP proposal described in the resolution would add about 24 miles of 42-inch pipeline through parts of Guilford, Rockingham, Forsyth and Davidson counties and increase capacity by about 1,600,000 decatherms per day, the resolution states. The resolution also cites a Pipeline Safety Trust analysis characterizing Transco facilities as having among the poorer safety records in categories such as fatalities, cost per incident and releases per incident.

More than a dozen residents and environmental organizers urged the board to act during public comment, citing safety, health and limited local economic benefits. Jessica Rowe of the Piedmont Environmental Alliance told commissioners that the project would bring “almost no more permanent jobs across the entire state,” could reduce property values along the right of way, and would cross major roadways and several schools as well as Novant Kernersville Medical Center and the Kernersville VA clinic. She asked the board to support the resolution asking regulators to deny permits or approvals until concerns are addressed.

Calls and speakers from residents echoed safety worries about co-locating new pipeline segments adjacent to aging lines, potential impacts on emergency response capacity near hospitals and schools, and questions about who would bear cleanup and remediation costs in the event of a failure. Anne Heller, who called in from 1125 Edgebrook Drive, said disturbing the ground near existing pipelines “is asking for problems” and cited a recent pipeline rupture in Roanoke County, Va. Resident Rosalynn Sloan noted an asserted impact radius of about 0.7 miles for the project and said people would have “30 seconds to evacuate” in a worst-case failure—an evacuation window she characterized as unrealistic for hospitals and schools.

Commissioners’ discussion referenced limits to local regulatory authority. Planning Director Chris Murphy and others said some community concerns—such as regulating homeownership versus rental or permitting short-term rentals—are constrained by state law and not addressable directly by county planning. The resolution therefore focuses on asking FERC and NCDEQ to apply rigorous review and specific regulatory conditions.

Commissioner Bessie said county attorney edits had been incorporated to better match statutory language governing permit findings and water-quality standards. The board’s motion conditions denial of project permits on regulators’ failure to require measures that, among other things, minimize surface-water and wetland impacts, prevent groundwater or downstream water-quality violations, and require mitigation for permanent impacts.

The resolution record and public comments will be forwarded to FERC and NCDEQ along with the county’s request for additional study and meaningful community consultation.","Following extensive public comment, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution asking FERC and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to require additional environmental review and safety assurances for the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6480168,"Forsyth County adopts Forward 2045 comprehensive plan after public hearing",1036,1200000,2236000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5691867-9f18947ab655e8e4bc4d9e726514cf12&start=1200&end=2236","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5691867-9f18947ab655e8e4bc4d9e726514cf12/thumbnail_1200000.jpg","/articles/6480168/Forsyth-County/North-Carolina/Forsyth-County-adopts-Forward-2045-comprehensive-plan-after-public-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480168-7c988526cef6fd4fc3510546cf5bf925/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437071&Signature=PpoRYR-wvOBSQIWDl9mo8EY9xNzhRa2qXhEuR0CibBCUAlC8on5wFwj~ElgYgsZryccsQiw1DVshAkuHrYugmbErEd5Z3NnQSkz7Li1OIXdw8WATvZ128FYdOWbr-v4Y9AjrXFr4aHKERrK46es~N~njd2WXjmuyN8kapNJCF7fmdvE8A3N0vTTveoFlWbBPp47lnYT3cgB9GhHm2l-sTGh0qm27yWLaZfe0bNn35fRYtYst7R9SoHNZ4Xl6Fq5xpuUgnHnvEdDE38b0m~DYSYxNRqAViMXIR-fkyTYb~4VFY4feb7zcO4e8Z1xfgKxE-nXdgQ~3iYWVAy~6oPn~PA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Forsyth County commissioners on Aug. 28 unanimously adopted Forward 2045, a high-level comprehensive plan intended to guide growth, land use and related policy through 2045.

The plan, presented to the board by Planning Director Chris Murphy and Assistant Planning Director Amy Crum, sets five vision themes—attainable housing and stable neighborhoods; strong economic opportunities; connected and accessible spaces; vibrant character and identity; and a sustainable, healthy environment—and three guiding principles: equity, livability and resiliency. Crum described the document as a “guide” rather than a regulatory code and said implementation will occur through later area plans, text amendments and other actions.

The plan’s supporters, including residents and business leaders who spoke during the public hearing, praised the outreach process and the document’s balance. “The plan’s five themes and three guiding principles will promote the economic strength and environmental health in our city and county,” said Carol Hoover, a resident who urged adoption. Calvin McRae, who identified his address as 525 Vine Street, said the plan “hits all the things that we need” including housing and economic development. Several speakers noted the planning staff’s outreach: Crum said the process included an online survey of more than 2,900 participants, over 4,000 written comments, 16 community events and 20 public input meetings.

Opponents in the hearing, led by the Winston-Salem Neighborhood Alliance, urged the board to delay adoption and return the draft to the planning board for additional debate. George Bridal, speaking for the Neighborhood Alliance, said the plan “plays lip service to the visions” and criticized the process as insufficiently deliberative, asserting that the document lacked concrete targets for housing and stormwater resilience and that the plan effectively encourages changes to single-family zoning without meaningful public debate.

Commissioners discussed those concerns before the vote. Murphy and Crum said the plan is intentionally high level and that many suggestions raised by the Neighborhood Alliance would be addressed through the implementation steps that follow adoption—area plans, Unified Development Ordinance text amendments and topic plans—each of which will include separate public processes. Crum also noted the plan’s findings that Forsyth County is roughly 25% built out, ranks fourth in population among North Carolina counties, and faces competing pressures for preservation, housing and economic development.

Vice Chair Wisenhunt moved approval; Commissioner Wilson seconded. The board voted unanimously to adopt Forward 2045.

The board packet notes the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning Board previously adopted the plan on Sept. 12 (date as stated in the staff presentation) and the Winston-Salem City Council adopted the plan on Nov. 18 (date as stated in the staff presentation). Crum said the plan and its website will remain a resource for outreach as implementation begins.

Implementation items identified in the plan include updating area plans, pursuing targeted infrastructure extension where appropriate, and refining recommendations through UDO text amendments. Crum emphasized the plan’s flexibility, saying staff intentionally omitted fixed long-term timelines because staffing, funding and technical conditions can change.

The board’s adoption moves Forward 2045 into the implementation phase; the planning department will notify interested parties on its contact list and through the plan website about subsequent steps such as area plans and text amendments.","The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the Forward 2045 comprehensive plan following a presentation by planning staff and a public hearing that included supporters and neighborhood critics.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Forsyth County staff briefs board on ‘Project Touchdown’—company plans $5.6M investment, 30 jobs

Votes at a glance: Forsyth County commissioners approve budget amendments, grants, contracts and appointments

Forsyth County urges FERC and NCDEQ to address safety, environmental risks before approving Transco SSEP

Forsyth County adopts Forward 2045 comprehensive plan after public hearing