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Planning Commission recommends ET-district amendment adding flexibility, lighting and cultural-resource rules

Surry County Planning Commission · December 15, 2025

Summary

The commission held a public hearing and recommended approval of Ordinance Amendment 2025-02 to revise the Emerging Technologies (ET) zoning district, including accessory-use adjustments, a 500-acre minimum with waiver pathways, lighting standards tied to International Dark Sky guidelines, and cultural resource study requirements.

The Planning Commission recommended that the Board of Supervisors consider Ordinance Amendment 2025-02, a package of changes to the Emerging Technologies (ET) district that staff said clarifies permitted uses, moves certain previously by-right uses to accessory status, and adds standards for site management.

Mister Wade described a 500-acre minimum district size while adding a waiver process for projects that meet criteria such as adjacency to parcels zoned M-1, M-2, or ET and consistency with the comprehensive plan; he also told commissioners the board could impose reasonable conditions when granting waivers. On lighting standards Wade said the draft specifies exterior lighting must "be in compliance with the International Dark Sky Association guidelines and all lighting equipment shall have received 3rd party certification." The ordinance also adds circulation and construction management requirements and requires cultural resource studies as part of site-plan submission.

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