Surry County adopts updated comprehensive plan emphasizing rural character, solar overlay and targeted growth

The Surry County Board of Supervisors on May 7 adopted an updated comprehensive plan intended as a five‑year technical revision to the 2020 plan. The board voted to approve staff and consultant recommendations after a presentation and public hearing.

Planner Will Tepols of Summit Design and Engineering told the board the update used county assessor data to produce a more current existing‑land‑use picture and revised the future land‑use map to add greater residential areas and two targeted nodes — Grays Creek and Bacon’s Castle Crossroads — intended to support mixed uses and local economic opportunity. "We included a solar overlay as part of the future land use," Tepols said, describing policies to align utility‑scale solar with agricultural uses and to require buffering and design standards so solar projects "meaningfully contribute to Surry's sense of place."

Board members praised the update for balancing preservation with potential growth. Vice Chair Hardy said the plan ‘‘captures our rural character while leaving room for economic development’’ and moved to adopt the document; Supervisor Elliott seconded and the motion passed by voice vote. Staff noted the draft had received 95 public comments during the review period and recommended further, more robust revisions be considered in five years if growth patterns warrant.