Commentary on this story on Tuesday's Headlines Podcast .

The council plans to vote on the master plan at its next work session Tuesday, Aug. 22, because Councilwoman Virginia Fallon was out of town.

This was the third special meeting council has held to discuss the master plan for future land use and road development in the 19-acre "service district" on the edge of the Village Center commercial core.

If Fallon is unable to attend the next meeting, the council directed Village Manager Andy Wilkison to be sure to contact her to get her input on the final form of the plan.

The master plan includes a "view corridor" protection concept that allows commercial streetscapes and a plaza to be included along part of Rattlesnake Trail. It would allow a vista-like view from afar as the road comes from the southern end at Community Road next to the old firehouse over to the Village Arboretum.

The concept is to have a corridor free of structures taller than one story.

The plan also includes a roundabout in the middle of Rattlesnake in the area where the Hughes Supply Co. is located.

Raybould & Associates, consultants hired by the village to develop the master plan, recommended the northern access from N.C. 211 along Rattlesnake. That future corridor would connect the northern and southern ends of the NewCore area.

The final decision on that corridor would likely be up to a future council.

Mayor Steve Smith, who had previously favored using McIntyre Road, which is closer to the Traffic Circle, as an alternate northern access corridor from N.C. 211, said he would go along with the recommendation of keeping Rattlesnake as the future corridor. But he added, "We should have an alternative future corridor from the north."

The traffic is already there, said Councilman Doug Lapins.

"It's a matter of managing it," he said.

Councilwoman Lorraine Tweed added that the traffic is only going to increase.

The council agreed to sidestep the dilemma by adopting an alternative presented by village Planner Bruce Gould that leaves the decision of exact location of the northern entrance to NewCore for a later date.

The corridor to take vehicles through NewCore could ease congestion and allow for ease of travel and connectivity to the other parts of historic Pinehurst.

Even though some property in NewCore falls within the boundaries of a proposed Historic Preservation District being considered by the council, NewCore land development ordinances would take precedence over any conflicting historic district standards and guidelines in that area, Planning Director Andrea Correll confirmed.

The guidelines have already been recommended for amendment by the planning director to omit language in the historic district standards that would exclude town homes or similar construction from being considered a part of historic Pinehurst.

The council did add a motion, to be inserted in the final version up for a vote Aug. 22, to indicate that any structures or roads shown on the NewCore master plan may not necessarily be allowed as it is drawn.

The zoning and land development ordinances will regulate the land uses and the size, architecture and appearance of what will be allowed on specific pieces of property within NewCore. Some of those details will be included in proposed architectural and landscaping ordinances the council is considering for adoption.

The NewCore master plan will show proposed land uses and concepts, but zoning will be the tool the council uses to implement the various proposals.

"As long as you are able to comply with these standards, the types of things that you want to build on your (private) property are allowed (as permitted uses) when the zoning is in place," Gould said.

Smith suggested an hypothetical scenario involving commercial property on McCaskill Road in NewCore that is owned by home builder Ron Jackson, who has successfully sued the village over its zoning regulations. He asked what would happen if that valuable piece of property is to be used as a "view shed" or is in a long-range clear-view area and plaza that is to be kept free of buildings higher than one story.

Gould replied that existing structures would remain.

"If someone were to submit site plans for that property, we would evaluate it and refer to the ordinance," he said.

Smith said, "If you're the owner, you don't have to worry that the village is trying to flatten your roof."

Future development along a "view shed," if the council incorporates the requirement into the zoning ordinance, would require structures with lower building heights to be put on the property should the old one be removed.

Sara Lindau can be reached at 693-2473 or by e-mail at slindau@thepilot.com.