Building Setbacks & Zoning in Surry County, NC (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Surry County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Surry County regulates yard setbacks district by district under § 154.006-15's dimensional table, but the Village of Rockford (VR) District, the county's historic form-based zone, carries its own rule in § 154.006-22(E): a context-driven front setback no less than eight feet and no more than 40 feet, keyed to neighboring buildings' average setback, plus a flat 25-foot rear yard.
Surry County Village of Rockford Setbacks
Some RestrictionsSurry County Code § 154.006-22(E)(1)
(E) Dimensional requirements. (1) As provided below, the following exceptions shall apply to the dimensional requirements found in this subchapter for the VR District. All buildings and structures in the VR District shall comply with § 154.006-15 as well as the following yard and height provisions: (a) Front yard. No building or part of a building, other than steps, open porches, overhanging ea...
Structure Height Limits
In Surry County's core residential zoning districts, RA, RE, RR, RL and RG, the Dimensional Table at § 154.006-15 caps building height at 50 feet, measured to the roof deck or the highest point of a pitched roof. Manufactured home parks are capped lower at 35 feet, while the business and industrial districts run higher.
Residential Building Height Limit, Surry County
Some RestrictionsSurry County Code § 154.006-15(A), (B)(4)
District Minimum Lot Sizes Minimum Yard Setbacks Height ... Area (sq ft Width Depth Front Side feet) Rear (feet per acre) (feet) (feet) (feet) ) RA, RA-C 1 acre 75 110 40 12 25 50 ... (4) Lot width shall be measured at the actual front setback line. Maximum building height shall be measured at the roof deck or th...
Lot Coverage Limits
Surry County Code § 154.003-02 defines lot coverage as the percent of a lot covered by impervious surface, but the base RA, RE, RR, RL and RG districts set no separate coverage percentage: development there is controlled through minimum lot size and yard setbacks instead. The only numeric impervious cap in the code sits in the Water Supply Watershed Protection overlay at § 154.017-12.
Surry County NC Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsSurry County Code §§ 154.003-02, 154.017-12(I)
LOT COVERAGE. That portion of the lot area, expressed as a percent that is covered by impervious surface cover. ... (I) 10/70 Rule. In addition to the development allowed under the table above, new development and expansions to existing development in non-critical watersheds may occupy up to 10% of the protected area with up to 70% built-upon area on a project-by-project basis, when approved as...
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