Plans for the proposed East Forsyth High School are taking shape, though it could be years before anything gets built.

The Forsyth County commission voted 5-0 to approve a sketch plat, or blueprint, at Thursday night's regular meeting.

Plans for the school call for a 212,500-square-foot structure with 741 parking spaces on 87 acres off Jot-Em-Down Road.

The board voted to approve the plan with a joint traffic study between the Forsyth County school system and the county engineering department.

Getting approval of the application was a necessary step in the eventual construction of the school, which spokeswoman Jennifer Carraciolo said the district doesn't have money to build yet.

"Right now, we're looking at our numbers, and the school isn't needed until 2013," she said, adding that the system's current 1-cent sales tax funded the five schools opening this fall.

School Facilities Planning Coordinator Tim Amerson said the initial plan was to use data from the Lambert High School traffic study for the East Forsyth plan.

Commissioner Patrick Bell, in whose district East High would be located, said he was worried the traffic studies were not compatible.

"This area may be a little different than where Lambert is located," Bell said. "It's got different traffic concerns."

In the end, the board approved the measure after reaching an understanding with Amerson that a separate traffic study would be conducted later if needed.