The Whispering Pines Village Council voted unanimously at its regular meeting Tuesday to update the definition of exactly what is a swimming pool.

The new definition will outlaw the type of yard pools sold at stores such as Wal-Mart that are only a couple of feet deep. Swimming pools of any type are restricted in the village.

Some concerns were expressed that the new definition would outlaw Jacuzzis, but the council believes it has managed to avoid that.

The new definition of a swimming pool is a "manmade structure capable of holding water, over 20 inches in depth and over 36 square feet of surface area (six feet by six feet square or a 6.77 foot-diameter round pool)."

No objections were raised by the public.

In other business, Councilman Bob Zschoche told the council and members of the audience that the trees on Pine Dam had to be cut down because their roots were hurting the structural integrity of the dam.

"They are destroying the concrete, period," he said.

The announcement led to an exchange between Zschoche and a woman in the audience asking who was notified about the trees coming down.

"Who do you want me to notify," he said, "all 2,300 people in the village? We talked about this the last time we walked across the dam, and you didn't like it then."

The woman said that there are many trees around the dam in Southern Pines' Reservoir Park. She also asked if there was a plan for replanting the dam.

"I don't think climate-wise that December is the right time to plant," he answered, before saying that the garden club will be consulted about plantings.

"Why are you in such a hurry," she asked, "after years and years of delay?"

Another audience member stood to question the council, but Mayor Giles Hopkins said that interrogating the council would be inappropriate but the council would be glad to listen to statements of opinion.

The woman then said that she would speak with the council individually after the meeting.

Councilman Bob Bateman said in a report to the board that the village's finances are strong.

"We're in solid, actually excellent, financial position," he said.

The village plans to construct a new maintenance building near the police and fire departments on Hardee Lane, and it will likely pay for all or most of the state-mandated repairs to Cardinal Dam, which is owned by Whispering Woods Golf Club.

"Hopefully, we can do that with existing funds," Bateman said, "without raising taxes."

Matthew Moriarty can be reached at 693-2479 or by e-mail at moriarty@thepilot.com.