Keep Surry Rural

09/21/2026

Though Virginia's governor is polarizing, Keep Surry Rural supports her office's push to ban nondisclosure agreements (NDA's) between localities and data center developers. Surry County Government signed a NDA with Green Energy Partners for the proposed data centers on Hog Island.

HomeLatest NewsGovernment Latest NewsGovernment Spanberger takes aim at data center secrecy but stops short of a moratorium By Craig Belcher September 20, 2026 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsApp Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 22 on Friday to kick off her data center regulation packag...

09/10/2026

What do YOU think?

Keep Surry Rural believes we can grow while preserving the agricultural heritage and rural character that make this County special. The Surry County Comprehensive Plan 2040 agrees.

But KSR’s having a position doesn't mean we have all the answers; nor does it make us RIGHT.

Recent conversations with people who see Surry's future differently have reminded us of something important: good planning requires listening to perspectives beyond our own.

What does rural preservation actually mean to YOU? Why is it important to you? And HOW do we do that?

How do we protect working farms and open land while still allowing families to build, subdivide property, and remain in or return to Surry?

Could there be better ways to concentrate appropriate development while protecting larger areas of rural land?

What unintended consequences should we be thinking about, when we attempt to guide (meddle with, some might say) private land ownership and property rights?

We want to hear from you—even if you disagree with us. And frankly, we recently heard the equivalent of “leave people the heck alone, and things will work out fine” as a strategy — and the speaker had a point. Shoot, the County predates our Country, and we’ve stayed rural for 300+ years.

We won't promise to agree. We will promise to listen, ask questions, and consider good ideas wherever they come from. And what we learn will become part of how KSR thinks and acts.

Keep Surry Rural is about healthy growth, just like a good garden or farm is about growth and choices that work for the long haul.

Let's have the conversation.

Keep Surry Rural

09/09/2026

"Ordinance 2026-02 - PC Ordinance Amendment 2026-01" sounds pretty boring. But it's important. THIS GRAPHIC SHOWS WHY ZONING MATTERS TO OUR FUTURE.

The Surry County Planning Commission unanimously voted in July to recommend a 10-acre standard for AR zoned land. This graphic shows what that means, vs. a 5-acre standard proposed by Supervisor Elliott on 9/3/2026.

The BOS is considering overriding the Planning Commission's recommendation, pushing back vs. what Planning Director Horace Wade has proposed based on their work. Please let your supervisor or planning commission know where you stand.

NOTE: AR zoning is "Agricultural Rural." Per our Planning Director, the purpose of the 10-acre standard in AR zones is to help "preserve Surry County's agricultural heritage" consistent with Surry County's Comprehensive Plan 2040, as we grow. It does NOT prevent more dense development in other zones, or future rezoning from AR, but it DOES use legal tools to preserve what the citizens of Surry County overwhelming want Surry to be. Keep Surry Rural

09/05/2026

In fairness to Surry County Government, and noting that data centers are generally incompatible with our rural character: the proposed data centers on Hog Island were approved using primarily the James River as a cooling source. Groundwater, per the application, was to be minimal (toilets & sinks). The question remains: is tapping into the river to cool data centers wise? What are the potential repercussions? Those questions are unanswered -- though Dominion Energy's nuclear plant on Hog Island already taps into the James River for its cooling water, and has for decades, without known or obvious negative consequences.

A state report finds Isle of Wight and Surry lack sufficient groundwater for a large data center, though Isle of Wight also has access to Norfolk-supplied water...

09/05/2026

At the most recent Surry County Board of Supervisors meeting, an important question arose:

Should Agricultural-Rural—AR—districts be subject to the proposed minimum 10-acre standard, or should the County move toward minimum 5-acre development instead?

KSR (Keep Surry Rural) STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE 10-ACRE RECOMMENDATION UNANIMOUSLY ADVANCED BY THE SURRY COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION.

The reason is straightforward.

As Planning Director Horace Wade explained, the purpose of the larger minimum acreage in AR districts is to help preserve Surry County's agricultural heritage. That is not simply a slogan. It is consistent with the direction established in Surry County's Comprehensive Plan 2040.

Importantly, the proposed 10-acre standard does not mean that every smaller division of property would be impossible.

As County Planning Director Wade and County Planning Commission member Coggin noted at the 9/2/2026 meeting of the Surry County Board of Supervisors, the amendment is to preserve Agricultural and Rural lands from development in densities inconsistent with what agricultural and rural living IS. The Surry County Comprehensive Plan 2040 states the intent of AR zoning is as follows:

“Rural preservation areas promote the continued use of working lands and protection of environmentally sensitive lands from more intense development. Residential properties in these areas accommodate residents who prefer to live away from towns in the more rural areas of the County.”

The 10-acre standard is not simply about telling property owners what they can or cannot do. It is a planning and growth-management tool. It establishes the County's general direction for Agricultural-Rural areas while preserving avenues for flexibility when individual circumstances warrant it.

The 10-acre standard does NOT mean that homes can’t be built on smaller, more affordable lots. More dense population IS allowed by other zonings – just not in AR zoned areas. For example, more dense population centers are allowed in the 3 towns (Claremont, Dendron, and the Town of Surry).

That flexibility matters.

Yet despite the Planning Commission’s unanimous support for the 10 acre standard, the Board began discussing whether they want to reduce the proposed 10-acre standard by 50%, to 5 acres.

Keep Surry Rural believes that decision deserves careful consideration.

The Planning Commission exists for a reason. Its members study these issues, hear public input, and make recommendations based on the County's planning goals. When the Commission reaches a unanimous recommendation, that recommendation should carry meaningful weight.

This is ultimately about the long-term character of Surry County.
Once rural land is divided into smaller and smaller parcels, those decisions can be difficult to reverse; and in the words of Planning Director Horace Wade, proper planning and zoning protects citizens who “thought they were buying one thing, and got another.” Development patterns affect the agricultural character of the County and shape its future.

Keep Surry Rural supports preserving our agricultural heritage.
We hope the Board of Supervisors will give serious weight to the unanimous recommendation of the Planning Commission and adopt the 10-acre standard for Agricultural-Rural districts like Prince George County is considering.

Growth and preservation do not have to be enemies. But growth should be managed thoughtfully.

Surry County already has a Comprehensive Plan. *

Let's follow it.

Keep Surry Rural

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* Adopted September 3, 2020; Amended May 7, 2026

08/29/2026

Surry County Government released (only when FOIA was used) the redacted NDA's signed with Green Energy Partners (data centers) and the YMCA. If you'd like them, we have them.

“A lot of times the board gets accused of not being transparent. A lot of times when our staff members are working, they are involved in an NDA with corporations that would like to do business with the county, so there are things that they are working on that we as board members and staff cannot give to the public as of the time when they are working on it. Before anything is done, we will be in a meeting sitting just like this, we will take a vote on everything that we do, and the citizens will know ahead of time. So we’re not trying to hide anything from anybody, it is the way things work. So, please know, I will give my complete honesty to the county, let you know, we’re not trying to hide anything from anybody, because we can’t do anything without the citizens knowing what we do, because it would take a vote here at this table before it’s done. So please get out of your mindset that we’re trying to hide anything from anybody, because we are not.” ~ Robert Elliott, former Chair, Surry County Board of Supervisors

Nondisclosure agreements covered up negotiations between a tech company and several local and state officials, surprising local residents. It's a tactic used around the country in data center deals.

08/18/2026

Long may the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry be a feature of peaceful Surry County. Keep Surry Rural.

HomeLatest News Latest NewsLocal Federal grant will replace Jamestown-Scotland Ferry vessel with low-emission boat By WYDaily Staff August 17, 2026 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsApp The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry’s Pocahontas crosses the James River between Jamestown and Surry County. A $68 million...