Legacy Update: Kernersville

First known as Kerners Crossroads in 1817, the town of Kernersville was incorporated after the arrival of the railroad in 1871. Kernersville’s location between Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point and proximity to the Piedmont Triad International Airport has stimulated growth in this municipality. Rural farmland surrounding the town has been developed for middle-to-upper-income housing, and numerous large shopping centers have been built in the town. The direct transportation links to the surrounding cities and airport has helped Kernersville maintain and expand its industrial, office, commercial and residential base. The central area of Kernersville contains several key assets for a vibrant community: the downtown area, historic districts, affordable single-family homes and rental housing. The Town of Kernersville completed a strategic Plan in 1997, Kernersville 2020, to guide future development. The Town has reviewed and updated its Development Plan to make sure it meets the demand of a growing community.


What principles of the 2001 Legacy Plan have been incorporated?

• Creating Plans and regulations to assists in maintaining the small town atmosphere: Kernersville Vision 2020, Kernersville Development Plan.
• Preserving the special character and historic resources of our towns: Kernersville Historic and Downtown Overlay District.
• Identifying housing issues and opportunities to promote continued investment to address blight and public nuisances: Central Kernersville Study.
• Revitalizing older neighborhoods: North Main Street Area Plan, Phase I
• Encouraging mixed-use developments: Caleb’s Creek and Carrollton Metro Activity Center.
• Preparing detailed small area studies to provide direction for development: Various studies and plans.
• Implementing zoning overlay districts to transform highway strips and developments into unique places with high quality design: Creation of five Overlay Districts.
• Creating a bikeway/sidewalk/greenway network: Kernersville Pedestrian and Bike Plan.
• Making the community more livable: Kernersville Wayfinding Plan, Central Kernersville Study.

What Challenges Face the Community?

• Transitioning from a small town setting to an urban city with increasing limitations for expansion.
• Revitalizing existing developed areas and rehabilitating older neighborhoods to provide affordable housing and attract new investment.
• Enhancing Kernersville’s small town atmosphere through a vibrant downtown and “sense of place”.
• Providing a strong sidewalk network and developing a greenway network.
• Building on Kernersville’s unique identity to attract high quality development.
• Coordinating with the Heart of the Triad regional plan on Land Use and Transportation issues.
• Sustaining a strong commercial and industrial base.
• Maintaining a Transportation Capital Improvement Plan that establishes the expenditure amount of tax dollars for specific road improvement projects.