Long-Range Plan Needs Your Support
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If you happened to miss it, I hope you’ll dig up Wednesday’s Pilot and read Steve Bouser’s wonderful column, “So Much to Love About Southern Pines.”
The editor eloquently reminds us of the little things, that when added together, make this remote slice of Eden so special — and worth preserving.
I’ve beaten this drum a couple of times before, but because we’ve another election coming up Nov. 8, it seems important to beat it again.
Southern Pines is feeling the pressures of growth and development. How the public responds to those pressures will mean the difference between (1) managing that growth in a sustainable way, so that as we grow, we preserve the things we love about Southern Pines, or (2) waking up one day to the startling realization that all the little things that we cherished about our community are gone.
The good news is, the public has already spoken on this issue in a clear and concise way. For it was the residents of Southern Pines, at the direction of the Town Council, who came up with our detailed, expensive and quite explicit long-range plan. It’s our plan.
In an extraordinary coming-together of Southern Pines residents, led by a 20-member citizen advisory panel, the plan got off the ground in October 2008. It included early one-on-one interviews with the Town Council and staff to help spotlight needs, public workshops, community questionnaires, photo exercises, informational booths at public events, newsletters, websites, and articles and letters to The Pilot. When the plan was complete, the council adopted it in November 2010.
The plan is “an outline agreement between residents and leadership, articulating and establishing expectations regarding key issues and town characteristics.”
Often referred to as a “vision” for our future, the plan acknowledges the pressures of growth, but clearly states from the outset that, “In Southern Pines, growth and economic activity are to be balanced with finite resources, and sensitive areas are to be protected from damage or fragmentation. ... Future development is envisioned to work, on balance to protect and enhance the aesthetic, biological, cultural, and utilitarian characteristics of the area’s natural environment.”
Regarding housing, for example, that means: “Much of Southern Pines’ charm, livability and pride of place comes from the traditional neighborhood layout and quality of housing stock. Preserving and building upon these characteristics is a town priority.” One has to wonder how the growing number of “cookie-cutter” apartment complexes, which wipe out great swaths of longleaf forest, fit with this vision.
In any event, the long-range plan is an exhaustive road map for how we have said we want to grow. My understanding of it is, that while it is not ordinance, or law, it is to act as a template for our Town Council to refer to as issues of growth and development arise, and that ordinances should reflect the vision as outlined in the plan.
Since the public has created this plan, it must understand that simply having the plan does not necessarily mean it will be implemented or adhered to. Maintaining what we cherish about Southern Pines is an ongoing process.
Whether it’s attending more open sessions at Town Council meetings, participating in presentations like that held at the Sunrise Theater on Tuesday to learn about possible DOT plans to construct a byway through Horse Country, or by understanding what the candidates running for Town Council stand for when you vote.
All of those running for council on Nov. 8 are decent and honorable folks, and their willingness to serve is commendable. They want the best for our community and understand that our physical environment is only as important as our relations with one another as friends and neighbors. Because that is the true essence of a small town community.
But if we are committed to our own long-range plan, which acknowledges growth, while preserving what we love about this place, then we must reinforce the plan by identifying the candidates for office who would best live up to, and be guided by it.
Geoff Cutler is owner of Cutler Tree LLC in Southern Pines and is a regular contributor to The Pilot and PineStraw magazine. Contact him at geoffcutler@embarqmail.com.
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Comments
AmericanModerator 1 year, 6 months ago
So Geoff, who do you think will live up to it? Which candidates? Go out on a limb -- no pun intended.
moonchild7 1 year, 6 months ago
As I watched one Historic home after another, in the past, be demolished to make way for parking lots and UGLY buildings I lost faith in the town's ability to govern, FOR THE PEOPLE, They were wrong then and seem to still be wrong when it comes to LAND PLANNING. Southern Pines will have to face the facts of being landlocked and to responsibly decide it's fate. By giving so many churchs in the downtown so much grass to asphalt, and so many homes to teardown, they blew it. Those churches TAKE away much more than they give and so now ticky tacky town homes and apts will be built to compensate. The truth hurts and will keep on hurting unless some very unique and broadminded individuals become council members and mayor.
geoffcutler 1 year, 6 months ago
Well, Mr. AmericanModerator, I'm glad you asked. There's an editorial policy that we columnists not endorse candidates in our columns, and I respect that. But as this is a public forum, I can't imagine why I can't answer your question here.
As I said in the column, I believe all the candidates have the best interests of Southern Pines at heart, but you got to ask yourself a question. If our community is dependent on things like the PUD or Tyler's Ridge to keep us financially afloat, and we're dependent on that type of development for a viable "tax base," then have we sold ourselves to the devil already?
There are three candidates who understand that the soul of Southern Pines is more than just a tax base, and would allow the CLRP to guide them. (See discussion of taxes in Sunday's Pilot editorial). They are Woodruff, Smith and Chris Smithson for Mayor.
geoffcutler 1 year, 6 months ago
Moon, I'm glad for once we're on the same side of the page. I think the poblem is larger than the space Churches are taking up, but one step at a time. What gets me is what a friend, whose very involved in town goings on, said to me once. People are so much more interested in the national picture, and don't get as involved with the local stuff. This election is critical, and I hope she's not right. But 2 comments besides mine? Maybe she is right..
Zoey 1 year, 6 months ago
No Maybes....She's right..
geoffcutler 1 year, 6 months ago
Zoey...expand! This is important.
Zoey 1 year, 6 months ago
geoff, The Pilot's comment section is a perfect example. A article pertaining to ObamaCare, the Illegals, or Terrorist will get 100+ comments. If you mention local water issues, annexations, wasteful spending, or long range plans, you'll top out at 7(current) posts. Live forums are no exception.
geoffcutler 1 year, 6 months ago
Okay...well let's change that for this thread. What's your take on this council election? Who do you like or not like, and why?
1SPLOCAL 1 year, 6 months ago
Thank you Geoff. I sat on the long range plan board and for over year we worked to put the voice of the people of Southern Pines into a document that would simplify the job of serving on town council. "What do the people of Southern Pines want us to do in a situation like this?" "Lets ask them by using the plan we adopted less than a year ago!"
It has been very frustrating to hear how things are zipping through council with little or no public input and a simple "we looked at the plan, but its only a guide". No one can be against some growth, but we are NOT on track with what we spent a year fine tuning. What do we have and what should we do with it? A simple question that was very hard to answer a few years ago and still not a gimmie. But we have given our leaders what they wanted, a specific answer to that question. I firmly believe that, as mayor, Smithson will be a far better steward of the public ideal than his opposition. Thank you for bringing a key point to light. People need to know that the plan is in front of our leaders at each meeting and that it is not to be diminished over time by dismissal and convenient interpretation.
Zoey 1 year, 6 months ago
I have no dogs in this fight. I choose not to live within any City Limits (or gated community). That being said, I agree wholeheartedly with 1SPLOCAL, "Smithson will be a far better steward of the public ideal than his opposition."
JER 1 year, 6 months ago
geoffcutler: Like Zoey, many who comment on the Pilot web site are not residents of Southern Pines and cannot do anything but offer suggestions. I like Southern Pines. I think its downtown area is a vibrant, charming and interesting place to spend time visiting. Many of the suburban streets have beautiful, well kept homes. My suggestion would be to maintain the status quo. Don't change anything. The biggest fallacy with capitalism is that it requires constant growth to survive. We have all been taught that we must continue to change and grow to be successful. Why? Keep doing what has been done. It is working. For those who want bigger, faster, newer, slicker... I'm sure there is a place somewhere that has just what you are looking for.