Mount Airy council adopts amended zoning map, removes several South Main Street parcels from rezoning

The Mount Airy Town Council voted to adopt Ordinance 2025-3 with a table amendment that removed several South Main Street parcels from the proposed rezoning, council members said during their June meeting. Council members debated whether to allow several parcels to change from residential or neighborhood-professional designations to limited commercial or community commercial.

The ordinance was before the council as a broad update to the town zoning map. Council President (unnamed on the record) moved to adopt the ordinance with red-line edits that removed many contested parcels; Councilmember DeMoter (spelled in the record as Demoter/DeMoto) proposed and secured a table amendment to strike four South Main Street parcels from the rezoning list (partial parcels 14-22, 14-20-3, 14-20-8 and 14-20-9). The motion was seconded and the council proceeded to discussion and a roll call vote. Multiple council members voiced “Aye” in favor; a single “Nay” was recorded during the roll call on the table amendment.

Why it matters: The zoning map and master-plan changes would alter the long-term allowed uses along South Main Street, affecting downtown character, development pressure and property owners’ rights. Supporters said rezoning would enable needed business expansions; opponents warned it could erode the traditional look and residential buffer along Main Street.

Discussion and background: Public comment included Dr. Guy Cappuccino, owner of La Bella Medi Spa at 1304 South Main Street, who said he requested rezoning because the current neighborhood-professional classification prevents him from expanding a rear parking lot. “We can no longer have enough parking for my staff,” Cappuccino told council members, describing repeated engineering and zoning efforts to find alternate solutions.

Neighboring resident Bill Ranzehoff said he supported the business but opposed broader rezoning, warning of “creep” from commercial uses into the town’s historic Main Street character. Council members and staff described prior attempts to resolve parking through variance or other administrative routes and said the town’s current zoning language limited options without a text amendment.

During debate, Councilmember Kelly and others emphasized balancing property owner requests against residents’ wishes and the master plan’s long-term vision. Several council members called for reviewing and harmonizing the town code so future zoning updates yield the expected outcomes.

Outcome and next steps: The ordinance with the adopted table amendment (removing the four South Main Street parcels listed above) was approved by the council with recorded aye votes and at least one recorded nay related to the table amendment. The redlined ordinance and the remaining map changes will stand as the council adopted them. The council also noted that a change to the zoning ordinance text remains an avenue for owners who seek different allowances but warned that a text amendment would affect all properties in the district, not just one owner’s lot.

Community reaction and context: Speakers at the meeting noted the ordinance had evolved after planning commission review and public workshops. Several council members urged residents to participate in commissions and workshops if they want to influence future zoning and code changes.