The Rockingham County Planning Board met Jan. 13 and recommended approval of several zoning map amendments to be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners for final action in February.

Staff presented conventional rezoning requests and conditional‑use removals for multiple parcels across the county. The board voted to recommend approval of zoning map amendment 2025‑16 (straight rezoning to Residential‑Agricultural for a parcel near Shelton and Hillsborough roads), 2025‑17 (Quad Oaks LLC conditional‑use removal to straight Highway Commercial), 2025‑19 (rezoning at 195 US‑29 Business for highway commercial to allow a heavy‑truck sales lot), and 2025‑21 (corridor rezoning RP to RA). Motions were made citing consistency and reasonableness findings and passed by voice vote; staff noted the recommendations will be heard by the Board of Commissioners on Feb. 16.

Public comment was limited. For 2025‑17, neighbors expressed concerns about potential runoff and watershed impacts; staff noted the parcel is in the Dan River protected watershed and that limitations on built‑upon area apply. For 2025‑19, the applicant, Tyler Bryant, said he plans a sales lot for heavy trucks and expects operations during standard business hours. Board members questioned traffic, DOT access, and floodplain exposure; staff said only a very small portion of that parcel lies in a flood zone.

The board also reviewed prior special‑use permit orders from October and voted on them: a nursery/landscaping special use permit (2025‑11) was denied (vote recorded as 5–1); two wireless‑communications tower permits (Vertical Bridge) were approved.

All planning‑board recommendations are advisory; the Board of Commissioners will hold final public hearings and votes in mid‑February. Staff emphasized that planning board votes were based on the county land‑use plan and NC General Statute guidance for legislative map changes.