The debate over a massive data center in Walnut Cove appears to have shifted priorities for some Stokes County residents.

Results from the county’s annual citizen satisfaction survey show zoning has become a bigger concern this year. Nearly a third of respondents ranked land use among the county’s most important issues, compared to a quarter last year.

County Manager Jeff Sanborn told commissioners Monday that satisfaction with both zoning regulations and enforcement fell this year.

“This is obviously a result of the public discourse regarding the data center rezoning," he said.

Despite the shift, Sanborn said residents’ overall feelings about the county remained fairly stable. About 39% of respondents said Stokes is moving in the right direction, down just two points from last year. And about 9 in 10 called it a good or excellent place to live.