Nicole Bennett, AICP, was nominated by her fellow planning commissioners and appointed Chair of the Raleigh, NC, Planning Commission. She was first appointed to the Commission by City Council in 2020 and is currently serving her third term. A Community Impact & Resilience Strategist for VHB, Nicole will bring her 30 years of leadership in planning and advocacy to this key advisory role.
The Raleigh Planning Commission helps shape the city's growth and development programs. As Chair, Nicole will guide recommendations on topics including the Comprehensive Plan, land use, and zoning issues.
Nicole brings statewide experience integrating health and equity into transportation planning for the North Carolina Department of Transportation and Department of Health and Human Services, as well as advancing equitable development and anti-displacement policies through the South Norwalk Community Development Plan. On Raleigh’s Planning Commission, she has helped shape Missing Middle, Equitable Development Around Transit, and Transit Overlay District policies. She also led the addition of equity analyses to rezoning reports, a tool in use since 2020.
At VHB, Nicole is currently supporting the City of Raleigh’s Comprehensive Plan Update, where the team is developing a detailed Community Inventory Report and interactive dashboards. This work focuses on inventorying existing data, identifying key metrics, and addressing data gaps to align the new plan with goals of racial equity, housing accessibility, and sustainability.
“Nicole is embedded in this community, and has a wonderful reputation among public and private sector leaders not only in the Raleigh but across the Triangle Region and beyond,” said Reggie Scales, Managing Director of VHB Raleigh. “Her close collaboration with city staff on the Comprehensive Plan Update has positioned her for this new role as a true partner and extension of the city.”
Learn more about how VHB is transforming communities in the Carolinas, or connect with Nicole on LinkedIn.
