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By Jim Buice

For the Clemmons Courier

So just what is a “walk audit?”

Actually, with transportation needs remaining in the spotlight in Clemmons, the village council heard a little more in Monday night’s meeting about a different approach to make the town safer and more walkable for the community with four walk audits scheduled twice on Saturday, March 15, and again on Saturday, March 22. 

In information distributed to residents, a walk audit is described as “an assessment of the walkability of pedestrian access of an external environment. Walking audits are often undertaken in street environments to consider and promote the needs of pedestrians as a form of transport.”

Doug Moore, the planning and community development director, stated in a council meeting in February that the village “realized the survey method is not working very well. And no one wants to hear an hour or hour and half presentation. So we’re trying to do something where we actually engage people.”

Moore said that the April-May timeframe will be hectic in the midst of three transportation projects — Village Transportation Plan Update, Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan and Safe Streets for All ADA Transition Plan — and two development projects — UDO Update and U.S. Route 158/Clemmons Road Overlay District.

The walk audit meetings on Saturday, March 15, will be held from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. starting at the Winston-Salem Montessori School parking lot, 6050 Holder Road, and from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. starting  at the Clemmons Library parking lot, 6365 James Street.

The meetings on Saturday, March 22, will be held from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. starting at the Morgan Elementary School back parking lot, 3210 Village Point Drive, and from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. starting at the parking area along Synergy Way behind Atrium Health.

Council member Bradley Taylor said he thought “this is a great opportunity for community feedback. It’s not a survey, but being able to come out and actually take a walk for an hour or so to see physically our infrastructure or lack thereof. This is something new that I haven’t heard about.”

The walk audits will be followed by a Transportation Summit on Thursday, April 24, from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Clemmons Library “where residents can learn about upcoming projects that will impact your daily commute, neighborhood streets and community safety. You’ll also have the chance to share your thoughts and help shape the future of transportation in Clemmons.”

In another item on the agenda, Mike Gunnell, village manager, said that Clemmons had been informed by DOT and the City-Council Planning Department that they received a sketch plan for a private school that is located across from Holder Road and is totally in the county.

“Schools are permitted on that tract within the county,” Gunnell said. “It will only have to go to planning board review. It will not have to go through the (county) commissioners. I just wanted to make you aware of it. We’ve got our stoplight project there, but we’re only funded for design and right of way, and not for construction. I think that the school is anticipating that the light will be there by some means.”

Also in Monday night’s meeting, assistant manager Amy Flyte reported that a Minimum Housing and Unsafe Building Code (Chapter 150 of the Village Code of Ordinance) violation regarding the property at 2911 Parkhurst Drive last fall has been resolved.

“That one was sold to new owners on Feb. 21,” she said. “They have been out there every day with numerous dumpsters cleaning that property up. They have indicated that they will be repairing the home for resale.”

Flyte also provided an update that the village had put in an order for a bench to be placed along the greenway near the fishing pier to honor the late Warren Kasper’s contributions and legacy to the town.

Kasper, who opened a law office in Clemmons in 1980, sat on the council and later served as the village’s attorney for about 30 years. He passed away on Feb. 13, 2025, at the age of 73.

In other items, Lynette Fox, events coordinator, said that bulk pickup in Clemmons will be held the week of March 17 on the west side of town and March 24 on the east side.

Also, Fox said that Clemmons Community Day will take place on Saturday, April 26, alongside the Clemmons Farmers Market at the Jerry Long Family YMCA.

Mayor Mike Rogers read a proclamation that Forsyth Creek Week would be March 22-30.