The City of High Point retained CZB to update its comprehensive plan and set a strategic vision for the next two decades. High Point is one of three major cities in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region, alongside Greensboro and Winston-Salem, and its location and relationship to its neighbors meant it had to think regionally about its economy, housing market, and commercial development context. At the same time, plenty of what shapes daily life in High Point is entirely local. The question was what the right vision even looked like for a city that has to coexist, plan, and compete inside a busy, complex region it doesn’t control.
Setting an effective vision for High Point 2045 meant holding two realities at once: regional forces High Point could influence but not dictate, and hyper-local opportunities entirely within the city’s control. Balancing those two was the real work of the plan, not a side consideration.
The High Point community made it clear during scenario planning that it wants to continue to grow but it wants to do so differently – with a focus on growing inward. This new growth framework requires several key components working together. Higher density mixed-use Activity Centers will concentrate new development into a much smaller geographic footprint. The areas outside of activity centers will be guided by Place Types that convey both land use and character. Open Space Preservation will ensure that land will be there for future generations to enjoy, and high-quality Urban Design will help to create an urban form that all people can be proud of.
City Council adopted High Point 2045 in May 2024, giving the city a strategic vision for the next two decades that accounts for High Point’s place in a shared region without losing sight of what only local decision-making can address.
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