When Cavanaugh & Associates PA, an engineering-consulting company, was asked in 2005 to help update and clarify the city-county zoning ordinances, officials with the company knew immediately that they faced a stiff challenge.
After all, the system hadn’t been streamlined since it was installed in 1995, and more than 150 zoning amendments needed to be coordinated for six municipalities in Forsyth County. Hundreds of hours of work outside the normal business week were in the offing.
But the company, based in downtown Winston-Salem, viewed the request as an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage in the local market and provide a needed service to the community, said Steve Cavanaugh Jr., the president of the company. It also provides planning and surveying services.

“The unified development ordinance revision project gave us a chance to showcase, locally, what we do well,” Cavanaugh said. “At the same time, we’re contributing something lasting and important to future development.”

The result is that each municipality in the county will soon have its own ordinance book, both hard copy and online at www.municode.com,  for keeping track of zoning codes in their jurisdictions. The updated system is expected to become available this month.

Cavanaugh - the company and the president - have been focused on expansion.

The company has added offices in Asheville, Raleigh and Wilmington. It has 70 employees, up from 45 in 2003. It has more than doubled its revenue from $3.2 million in 2003 to almost $8 million in 2006.

It has handled such varied projects as an environmental study of alternative-waste solutions for the hog industry in North Carolina, an underground stormwater retention operation in Lewisville, and civil engineering and site development for the Grove Arcade site in downtown Asheville.

“Ironically, the firm has been better known in other parts of the state, and has more publicity nationally and internationally, than here in its hometown,” Cavanaugh said.

But that’s changing, Cavanaugh said, because of its efforts with the zoning ordinances and because of its decision to participate from the ground up in a “green” office building on North Trade Street.
The company plans to move its headquarters in September from its office on 305 W. Fourth St. to a 12,000-square-foot space on the third floor of the new Traders Row. Walter Robbs Callahan and Pierce Architects also will move into the building, which has been planned to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification set by the U.S. Green Building Council.
“Were our two companies to move to a suburban location, a parking lot large enough for 80-plus employees and visitors would be required,” said Will Jernigan, the LEED-accredited civil engineer for Cavanaugh. “That would remove permeable land and add to the heat-island effect with paving.”

Cavanaugh, a coach with Twin City Youth Soccer Association, often makes his points through sports metaphors. “Both of these efforts hit a sweet spot for us,” he said. “They show a firm commitment to our community and to downtown.”

But Cavanaugh’s local involvement didn’t begin there. He is on the board of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership. The company has established a charitable fund through the Winston-Salem Foundation that involves the communities where it has offices. The company reimburses employees’ vacation time that is spent volunteering at charity activities or other charitable programs.
Employees can submit proposals for larger contributions for projects or organizations. The company has provided money to two programs so far this year - the Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem and Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership. It also plans to start a scholarship fund later this year.

“We’ve been blessed with our growth, through the lessons we’ve learned these 12 years,” Cavanaugh said. “We just want to continue to be a productive, contributing company to all the communities we serve.”

¦ Richard Craver can be reached at 727-7376 or at rcraver@wsjournal.com.

Steve Cavanaugh Jr. of Cavanaugh & Associates PA, in what will become his company's new offices on North Trade Street. (Journal Photo by Lauren Carroll)