Peters Creek Parkway Growth Corridor Plan
Peters Creek Parkway Growth Corridor Plan
Peters Creek Parkway Growth Corridor Plan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................45
i
Salem Parkway/
US 421
I-40
2
US 5
Growth Corridors are roads that can support a mix of office, retail, and higher density housing, reducing de-
velopment pressure on adjacent residential neighborhoods, encouraging efficient use of public infrastructure,
and supporting transit. These corridors are envisioned as places where increased density at selected locations
is desirable.
Legacy has identified 12 major roadways as growth corridors countywide (see Map 2). In 2018, the City-
County Planning Board selected the Peters Creek Parkway Growth Corridor, from Salem Parkway/US 421
(formerly Business 40) to the Davidson County line, as the first growth corridor to be studied. Legacy calls
for completing plans for Forsyth County’s identified growth corridors in order to study the feasibility of zon-
ing overlay districts that emphasize mixed-use development, pedestrian and bicycle circulation, and design
compatibility for surrounding neighborhoods. This plan expands on the work already completed by the City
of Winston-Salem in 2014 on the Peters Creek Parkway Corridor Study and in the area plan updates which
encompass the corridor. The purpose of the 2014 study was to enhance the Peters Creek Parkway corridor
by providing landscaping, improved pedestrian facilities (sidewalks and pathways), and accommodation for
bicycles and transit. The plan also recommended maintaining a level of traffic service that will accommodate
commuters while supporting the urban, neighborhood business district.
Public Participation
The kickoff meeting for the Peters Creek Parkway Growth
Corridor Plan was held on November 15, 2018, where
residents gave input on how they would like the corridor
to develop in the future (see Appendix A on page 42).
Community feedback from the kickoff meeting and visual
aids depicting site elements to be considered in the
development of design concepts were presented at a sec-
ond meeting on January 29, 2019. Citizens also worked
with staff on establishing general development parameters
for strategic parcels in each section of the corridor at this
meeting. These community guidelines/recommendations
were used to prepare design concepts for a number of
sites, which were presented at the third community meet-
ing on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Design concepts were
revised and finalized and a design vision for each section
was presented in a drop-in session on April 30, 2019 for
final citizen review prior to the plan adoption process.
2
Corridor Plan Section Boundaries
The Peters Creek Parkway Growth
Corridor extends from Salem Park-
way/US 421 (formerly Business
40) to the Davidson County line
(approximately 6.4 miles). This
plan includes parcels located on
both sides of the road (see Map 1
on page ii). For the purpose of this
plan, the corridor has been divided
into three sections: North, Central,
and South (see Map 3). The North
Section contains the area between
Business 40 and Interstate 40.
The Central Section includes the
area between Interstate 40 and the
Activity Center at Stafford Village
Boulevard. The South Section
contains the area from the Activity
Center at Stafford Village Boule-
vard to the Davidson County line.
3
NORTH SECTION
A. Existing Character Salem Parkway/US 421
7
C. Development Focus Areas
Three general focus areas for
redevelopment were identified along
the north section of the corridor,
representing distinct development
opportunities. A more effective use
of existing land, reconfiguration of
lots, and adding new land uses that
will significantly alter the character
of the corridor are recommended
for these areas. These areas are as
follows:
Citizens prepared a list of the key elements needed to guide the design process for each of these focus areas.
To accomplish this, the Peters Creek Parkway Corridor Study (2014) was reviewed with participants and its
recommended typical roadway section was considered by this plan. Another recommendation from the 2014
study related to combined driveway cuts for multiple parcels was also discussed. As a result, an alternate
option for designing combined driveways was incorporated into the recommendations of this plan. Additionally,
elements to consider in the development of a design vision were reviewed with citizens, and meeting partici-
pants selected the more appropriate options for developing this section of the corridor with an urban form. This
information is presented on the following pages and served as the basis for the site-specific development vision
prepared for each development focus area.
8
Peters Creek Parkway Corridor Study (2014)
The City of Winston-Salem completed a Corridor Study of Peters Creek Parkway from Salem Parkway/US
421 (formerly Business 40) to I-40 in 2014. The project studied the feasibility of a “road diet” for Peters Creek
Parkway, reducing the number of automobile lanes from six to four and adding amenities that would enhance
the overall appearance of the corridor. Amenities include landscaping, improved pedestrian facilities (sidewalks
and pathways), and accommodations for bicycles and transit.
This Peters Creek Parkway Growth Corridor Plan builds upon the recommendations of the 2014 Corridor Study
to propose design guidelines for future development/redevelopment along the corridor.
The study proposes a conceptual roadway design with four lanes, a wide landscaped median, sidewalks on the
east side of the road, and a wide multi-use path with landscaped areas for pedestrians and bicycles on the west
side of the road. The reduction to four lanes from the current six lanes creates the opportunity to narrow and
shift the roadway within the right-of-way to add the pedestrian and multimodal facilities described above. This
concept is the centerpiece for the design recommendations for the built environment in this plan.
The 2014 plan’s conceptual design proposes a parallel service drive between the Peters Creek Parkway right-of-
way and the multi-use path for accessing parking lots for individual parcels. This concept was discussed with
participants and an alternative is proposed in this plan (see following page).
9
Alternate Option for Combining Driveways
Illustration of proposed concept for combining driveways from the 2014 Peters Creek Corridor Study
Example of buildings setback from the sidewalk with open space in the front
• Locate buildings along the street edge with minimal setbacks and locate parking areas to the rear or side of
the building.
• Design intersections with buildings or open space framing them.
• Include building cut outs at corners for areas of activity such as outdoor cafes or plazas.
• Include open space/plazas between buildings along the corridor.
• Recess building entrances to create front door spaces.
• In larger parcels such as shopping centers, locate additional buildings at the street edge to improve the
streetscape and create an urban feel.
• For smaller parcels with parking to the side of the building, design parking not to occupy more that 50% of
the street frontage.
• Use shared vehicular access driveways to access multiple properties.
• Use cross-access easements to allow properties to share a single street access.
12
Office Retail
Gas Building Building Auto Repair
Station Shop
13
street wall and a better enviroment for pedestrians.
and aesthetic value.
Building
No Setback
Sidewalk
Street
Building
5 - Foot
Setback
Sidewalk
Street
15
Building
10 - Foot
Setback
Sidewalk
Pedestrian-friendly streets have buildings close to the street Street
and parking areas located to the side or rear of the building.
This creates a sense of enclosure that makes a more 10’ setback 10’ setback 10’ setback
comfortable environment for pedestrians.
20 - Foot
Setback
Sidewalk
Street
• Use of shared drives and cross-access easements connecting properties at the rear.
• New buildings facing Peters Creek Parkway to take advantage of the multi-use path.
• Buildings with minimal front yard setbacks.
• Building entrances facing Peters Creek Parkway.
• Buildings accessed directly from the multi-use path.
• Parking located to the rear of buildings.
• A corner plaza is shown to highlight the importance of the corner.
• Additional buffering along Peters Creek.
16
West Salem Shopping Center
The West Salem Shopping Center shows a potential development concept for a larger parcel along the corridor.
This site is identified in the North Section Design Strategy as a key development site due to its size and poten-
tial to impact the redevelopment of the corridor. Again, the site plan elements selected by citizens were applied
here and illustrate the following:
• Underutilized surface parking area could be turned into additional building sites. If the remaining parking
on site was needed to meet the existing building parking requirements, a rezoning of the property to the
Pedestrian Business (PB) zoning district could be requested to take advantage of the flexibility it offers for
parking calculations.
• Maintain three access points into the site.
• Locate new buildings closer to the street edge and emphasizing the entry points.
• Break up parking areas into smaller sections.
• Create a green area next to the proposed sidewalk along Peters Creek Parkway.
• Provide pedestrian connections through parking areas.
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E. Other Areas Studied
Site Next to Volvo Dealership
The 2014 Peters Creek Parkway Corridor Study
recommends considering the purchase of this proper-
ty on the east side of Peters Creek Parkway South of
the Volvo Dealership for a public park. This idea was
brought up for discussion at the meetings by citizens.
WEST SALEM
SHOPPING The site is currently vacant and was used previously
CENTER for rock extraction, with remains of that operation
scattered throughout the area. The site can be
accessed off Peters Creek Parkway through a narrow
opening next to the Volvo Dealership. A main feature
of this site is a wooded hill fronting onto Peters Creek
Parkway which limits visibility into the site and
makes it feel isolated. This isolation is increased by
the lack of development surrounding the site.
VOLVO
There are two public parks in close proximity to this
site, Granville Park and Washington Park. For all the
above reasons, this plan recommends not considering
the purchase of this site for a public park unless the
property to the east and (less likely) the Volvo site are
developed with residential land uses. The reason for
this recommendation is that residential uses nearby
will bring activity to reduce the isolation of this site
Figure 14. Site Next to Volvo Dealership and make it feel safer for users.
• Improvements to Salem Parkway/US 421 (formerly Business 40) and to its interchange with Peters Creek
Parkway
• The location of the area, which could be improved to become a gateway into the downtown
• The area is mostly in single ownership, which is uncommon to find in an urban environment
• The proposed multi-use path along Salem Parkway/US 421 (formerly Business 40) which connects Baptist
Hospital to the downtown area
• The proposed multi-use path along the western edge of Peters Creek Parkway
• The potential to include a mixture of uses at this location
This plan does not recommend that the land use at this location be changed. However, if the Planning Board
and City Council determine that the proposed land use recommendations for this area need to be re-evaluated in
the future, this plan recommends examining this site using a dedicated process where all interested parties could
collaborate on a potential redevelopment alternative for the site. Such a process would not take place unless
directed by the Planning Board and City Council.
20
CENTRAL SECTION
A. Existing Character I-40
The Central Section of Peters Creek Parkway
is bounded on the north by I-40 and on the
south by the Stafford Village Boulevard
Activity Center (Walmart) (see Map 7).
21
B. Design Strategy
There are no major road improvements proposed for the Central Section of the corridor. Among the issues iden-
tified by meeting attendees were building appearance and traffic congestion. The Central Section Design Strat-
egy (see Map 8 on page 23) recommends studying a key site within this section of the corridor to illustrate the
potential suburban-form development of a large tract of land.
22
I-40
PARKLAND
HIGH SCHOL
BREWER
CROSING
23
PARKLAWN
MEMORIAL
PARK
SOUTH
PARK
LOWE’S
HOME IMPROVEMENT
WALMART
Citizens prepared a list of the key elements to guide the design process for this focus area. Additionally,
elements to consider in the development of a design vision were reviewed, and participants selected the most
appropriate options for developing this section of the corridor with a suburban form. This information is
presented on the following pages and served as the basis for the site-specific development vision prepared
for the development focus area.
• Locate buildings away from the street edge and locate parking areas to the front or side of the building.
• Include open space/plazas between buildings along the corridor.
• Recess building entrances to create front door spaces.
• On larger parcels such as shopping centers, locate smaller buildings closer to the street to give a front
face to the development behind parking areas.
• For smaller parcels with parking to the side of the building, design parking to occupy no more that 50%
of the street frontage.
• Use shared access driveways to provide vehicular access to multiple properties.
• Use cross-access easements to allow connections among properties that are sharing a single street access.
• Include pedestrian connections between the sidewalk and the front building entrance.
• Install crosswalks between parking areas and front building entrances.
• Locate sidewalks closer to the interior parking lot edge instead of the corridor for increased pedestrian
comfort.
25
Goodwill building Shoppes at Oliver’s Crosiing
26
Medium-sized building with good site design Medium-sized shopping center with good site Restaurants with outdoor seating add interest
elements for a suburban site: sidewalk along design elements for a suburban site: sidewalk to the area and create more lively places.
the street connected to sidewalk system along the street connected to sidewalk system
on-site, bus stop, limited parking to the front on-site, coordinated access points, limited parking
of the building, prominent entrance, loading to the front of buildings, buildings located around
and unloading to the rear. a parking court, limited signage.
CORNER TREATMENT
Building
Sidewalk
Missing sections of sidewalks
Street
in the planning area should be
Sidewalk close to the street completed before adding
Waffle House - Pizza Hut area sidewalks to other areas.
Building
Parking
27
Street
Building
Street
Sidewalks along the suburban part of Peters Creek Parkway are located at various distances from the
street. These illustrations were prepared to show citizens the different options available for future sidewalk
construction and the implications the location of sidewalks have for pedestrian comfort and safety.
APPROXIMATE
Building BUILDING SETBACK
Parking 48’
Building
Parking 66’
29
Multiple rows of parking in front
Two rows of parking in front of the building Double row of parking in of the building increase the building Parking can also be located
front of the building setback from the street to the side of the building
30
Figure 20. Central Section - Site Concept
31
SOUTH SECTION
A. Existing Character Walmart
The South Section of the Peters
Creek Parkway Corridor is bounded
on the north by the Stafford Village
Boulevard Activity Center (Walmart)
and on the south by the Davidson
County line (see Map 9). The South
Section is designated as Suburban
Neighborhoods (GMA 3) in Legacy’s
Growth Management Plan.
32
B. Design Strategy
Currently, there are no major road improvements proposed for the south corridor section. Citizens identified
building appearance, traffic congestion and vehicle speed as the main issues for this section. The South Section
Design Strategy (see Map 10 on page 34) recommends looking at a key site within this corridor section to illus-
trate the potential mixed-use development of a large tract of land with a suburban form.
• Using the Shoppes at Oliver’s Crossing as a potential example for new suburban commercial development
in terms of building
and parking relationships.
• Extending the Peters Creek
Parkway median landscaping into this corridor section.
• Building sidewalks to connect adjacent neighborhoods to the corridor.
• Studying the potential for
extending the multi-use path
proposed for the north section into this section.
• Creating pedestrian connections to the proposed South Fork Muddy Creek and Leak Creek Greenways.
• Improving the general appearance of the corridor with street trees and additional landscaping.
• Retaining the Wilshire Golf Course for open space in the area.
33
WALMART
WILSHIRE GOLF
CLUB
OLIVER’S
CROSSING
• Locate buildings away from the street edge and locate parking
areas to the front or side of the building. No more than two
rows of parking should be located in front of buildings.
• Include building cut outs at corners to accommodate features
such as outdoor cafes or plazas.
• Include open space/plazas between buildings along the
corridor.
• Recess building entrances to highlight front door spaces.
• On larger parcels such as shopping centers, locate smaller
buildings closer to the street to give a front face to the devel-
opment behind parking areas.
• Use shared access driveways to provide vehicular access multiple properties.
• Use cross-access easements to allow connections between properties that are sharing a single street access.
• Install crosswalks between parking areas and front building entrances.
• The illustration boards for the south corridor section are the same as those for the central corridor section
and can be found on page 26.
35
D. Design Vision
Vacant Site Across from the Shoppes at Oliver’s Crossing
The design vision for this vacant tract of
land across from the Shoppes at Oliver’s
Crossing was prepared to show how
new commercial and multifamily land
uses could be developed with a suburban
form. The site plan elements selected
by citizens were applied to this concept,
which illustrates the following:
36
Figure 22. South Section - Site Concept
37
PETERS CREEK PARKWAY CORRIDOR PLAN
Summary Recommendations/Guidelines
The following information summarizes the main site plan elements used to illustrate the site concepts for each
section of the corridor. Some site plan elements are unique to the north section of the corridor while others may
be applied to all three sections of the corridor. Additional illustrations are presented here to explain the concepts
more in detail.
North Section
Building Placement
The location of buildings should be one of
the first design considerations in the north
section of this corridor since building loca-
tion plays the crucial urban design role of
defining the character of the street.
38
Street Edge for Larger Properties
Underutilized parking areas should be turned
into additional buildings when feasible. For
larger parcels such as shopping centers,
locate additional buildings at the street edge
to improve the streetscape and create an
urban feel.
39
All Sections of the Corridor
Driveway Locations
Curb cuts located too close to one
another can create conflicts with
pedestrians, traffic hazards, and
street congestion.
40
Parking Placement
Surface parking should be located so it
does not detract from the pedestrian Continuous building along
experience. Parking that faces the street street frontage
reduces the level of activity and interest
for pedestrians.
41
APPENDIX A: Kickoff Meeting Citizen Comments
North Section
Likes Design Opportunities
• Being able to cycle in the area • Proximity to downtown and opportunities to
• Existing restaurants – Mr. Barbecue extend development down Peters Creek Parkway
• Potential for development • Retain affordable housing on West 4th Street
• The history in the area • Potential for comprehensive development on
• Good pedestrian traffic West 4th Street since most properties are in single
• There are positive businesses here ownership
• The corridor is a gateway to the downtown area • Retain the large tree in front of house at 1142
• The section of Peters Creek that was daylighted Bank Street
• Easy access to retail • Redevelop the Budget Inn property at the intersec-
• Visual appearance of buildings tion of Academy Street and Peters Creek Parkway
• Add a grocery store and coffee shop in the West
Concerns Salem Shopping Center
• Difficult to walk – need more sidewalks • Need more neighborhood serving businesses like
• Dangerous to walk in area drug stores, banks, etc.
• Difficult to cross Peters Creek Parkway • Explore connecting Ardmore with Diggs-Latham
• Speed limit, should be reduced to 35 miles/hour Elementary School with a pedestrian bridge
in the urban section • Bring buildings closer to the street, particularly
• Need to improve public transit and have more area around Link Road
covered bus stops • Provide safe pedestrian crossings and crosswalks.
• Budget Inn – needs improvement • Lower the speed limit in the urban area of Peters
• Crime or perception of crime in the area Creek Parkway
• Downtown area creeping into residential neigh- • Look at Peters Creek as a green ecosystem with
borhoods, protect the West 4th Street area from creek buffers and a healthy creek
development • Use permeable pavement to reduce stormwater
• Lack of sit down restaurants, drugstore, and runoff
basic services • Redevelop Marketplace Mall
• Too many fast food restaurants • Improve Parkway Plaza Shopping Center
• Flooding in the area • Add covered bus stops along the corridor and add
• Area needs improvement cut outs along the road for bus pick-up
• Need to have a better environment to stimulate • Create separated bike lanes and look at bus rapid
businesses transit
• Car dealerships don’t serve the surrounding
neighborhoods
• There are some bad businesses here
• Lack of pedestrian bridges
• Need to create a natural buffer along creeks
• Parkway Plaza Shopping Center is a disgrace
• Pawn shops
42
Central Section
Likes • Too much development
• Landscaped median with Crepe Myrtles on • Lack of crosswalks for pedestrians
Stafford Village Blvd • The series of roundabouts on Clemmonsville Road
• Easy access to major highways • Lack of maintenance throughout the corridor
• Roundabouts on Clemmonsville Road
• Area diversity Design Opportunities
• Area not overly developed with commercial uses • Need green space, possibly pocket parks
• Area’s convenience • Connect sidewalk sections, people will use them
• Northern section of Old Salisbury Road when available
• Make sure there is pedestrian access to Peters
Concerns Creek from adjacent neighborhoods
• Amount of traffic in the area • Keep commercial traffic on Peters Creek Parkway,
• Lack of directional signage, need better markings not in residential neighborhoods
to direct people to where they need to go • Need nicer looking buildings, nicer development
• Safety concerns overall with good site planning
• Traffic backing up on Clemmonsville Road during • Need landscaped parking lots
school drop off/pick up. • Add street trees/landscaping along the corridor
• Potential additional traffic from future commer- • More upscale restaurants
cial development on the West side of Peters Creek • Need design standards for new development and
Parkway south of Clemmonsville Road need to require green space
• The visibility, speed, and length of the access • Need good suburban development that includes
ramp onto Peters Creek Parkway south of quality landscaped buffers, pedestrian access,
Clemmonsville Road nicely designed buildings that are setback from the
• Lack of through streets making connectivity street. Example: Oliver’s Crossing
difficult, too many cul-de-sacs
South Section
Likes • Lack of lighting and sidewalks for pedestrians
• Existing building setback for Oliver’s Crossing • Not enough paths for cyclists
development, good coordinated access • Not enough right-of-way mowing
• All the new growth in the last few years including • Lack of sit-down restaurants
Walmart, Lowes Home Improvement, etc.. • Need to utilize empty lot across from Walmart or
• There is still some green space left other suitable site for a Starbucks or other business
• The open space of Wilshire Golf Course to attract more diverse clientele
• Traffic light coordination which allows for good • Lack of greenways
traffic flow
• Variety of housing types Design Opportunities
• Cell tower “tree” – could be decorated for the • Nonexistent beautification along roads, do more
Holidays plantings along medians. Plant Crepe Myrtles
or other low-maintenance plantings south of the
Concerns Speedway gas station.
• Absence of green spaces and walking trails • Opportunity for more development from Bojan-
• Lack of park and ride lots gle’s to the Davidson County line
• Amount of trash dumping between Walmart and
Davidson County line – need littering penalty
signs
43
44
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
City of Winston-Salem
Allen Joines * Dan Besse Jeff MacIntosh
Mayor Southwest Ward Northwest Ward
Lee Garrity
City Manager
*City Council Representative for portions of the Planning Area
*Project Leader
45
Peters Creek Parkway Growth Corridor
City-County Planning Board
Telephone: 336-727-8000
Email: [email protected]
Web site: www.cityofws.org/planning