Council validates Blue Ridge urban-area boundary map used for road-design standards

The Blue Ridge City Council validated the city's urban-area boundary map, which the state uses to apply urban or rural road-design standards. City staff explained that the map’s hashed area designates road segments to be designed to urban standards; areas outside the boundary are designed to rural standards. Staff clarified the classification is limited to the corporate limits and does not change local building codes or the city’s two-mile extra-territory jurisdiction. Why it matters: the National Functional Classification designation guides how the state and municipalities design and fund roads; the urban designation can affect lane widths, sidewalks, curbs and engineering standards. Discussion and context: Staff framed the item as a technical, design-resolution matter rather than a land-use or building-code change. Councilmembers recorded a roll-call vote to validate the map. Outcome: Council validated the urban-area boundaries map; staff will forward the validated map to the appropriate state agencies as required.