The Pinehurst Village Council unanimously approved a NewCore master plan Tuesday, paving the way to go to the zoning phase.

Village planner Bruce Gould is to present a zoning and implementation plan for the 19-acre service district to the advisory Planning and Zoning Board at its next regular meeting on Sept. 7 at 4 p.m. in the Village Hall conference room.

NewCore is bounded by McCaskill, Magnolia, Commun-ity and Dundee Roads and the borders on the opposite sides of the street at Magnolia across from the Arboretum and on the north side of McCaskill.

The former service district has an unsightly hodgepodge of uses and zoning districts. The area was pinpointed in the 2003 Long Range Comprehensive Plan for Pinehurst to be redefined by 2008, according to public input.

The new plan includes a mix of uses including condominiums and multi-family units, retail, offices, open green areas and parking.

Raybould & Associates of Raleigh prepared the plan, working with a steering committee that included Councilwoman Virginia Fallon, who was absent from the meeting by permission. Work on the plan began last year.

"She was fine with the direction the council is going, and said, 'please go forward,'" Village Manager Andy Wilkison reported to the council.

Before the zoning can be changed, the council and Planning and Zoning Board must hold public hearings. Zoning changes will be needed to implement the master plan.

The village has said that it will be up to developers and private property owners to carry out the plan.

The adopted plan shows three alternate corridors to connect the northern end of NewCore with Community Road on the south. A decision will be made later on whether to extend Rattlesnake Trail, build a new road to the east of it or use McIntyre.

An east-west route extends Spur Road from Community Road to Magnolia, intersecting with McCaskill at a roundabout. The road extensions would divide NewCore into quarters and provide connectivity.

A "view protection corridor" marks a vista requiring clear sight paths from Community Road on the southeast to the Arboretum on the northwest at McCaskill.

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