Commissioners adopt standards for Scenic Byway Overlay to clarify special-use permitting

The Surry County Board of Commissioners on March 17 approved an amendment to section 154.006-21(b) of the Surry County Development Ordinance that adds specific standards for special-use permits in the Souretown Mountain Scenic Byway Overlay District (SBO).

Adrian Gardner, Development Services Director, said the SBO was created when the county adopted the development ordinance in April 2023 and that the original SBO required special-use permits to be consistent with the Souretown Mountain Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan but lacked more specific standards. A steering committee appointed by the board met monthly and drafted the additional criteria. The planning board recommended approval, saying the amendment would provide clarity for applicants and guidance to the Board of Adjustment and would help preserve the rural and scenic character of the corridor.

Commissioner Eddie Harris, who moved approval, spoke in favor of the amendment’s modest protections and said he wanted to avoid being heavy-handed: “All we’re trying to do here is not be over, heavy handed or overreaching, but if we’re gonna have some modifications ... to protect the beauty that surrounds us and our views ... we ought to have a layer of extra protection,” he said. Harris also criticized a flashing neon sign at one fire department as an example of signage the overlay aims to limit.

The board unanimously approved the amendment and adopted a consistency statement that staff and the planning board prepared. Gardner said staff will include the new standards now as a standalone amendment rather than waiting for a larger omnibus cleanup amendment.