Southern Pines Council Approves Major Rezoning
A proposed concept plan for the Knollwood Tract, 550 acres that adjoins Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club
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The Southern Pines Town Council Tuesday evening approved the rezoning for a major new development on the north end of town which could add a major hotel, more golf and significantly more shopping to the area.
The undeveloped land, known as the Knollwood Tract, is located near the intersection of U.S. 1 and N.C. 22. It is the same tract that was the center of a major confrontation five years ago when the proposed Pine Needles Village development was defeated.
The Bell family, represented by Kelly Miller, submitted a conceptual master plan on June 25. The plan was required as part of the family's application to rezone the land from Planned Development-Conditional District (PD-CD) to Planned Unit Development (PUD).
The Knollwood Tract is currently envisioned to include a 300- to 400-room hotel, an 18-hole golf course, up to 350,000 square feet of retail space, up to 100,000 square feet of office and commercial space, as many as 300 assisted living units, and up to 300 homes.
The Town Council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to rezone land allowing the project. Future development of the site will be reviewed as new projects are proposed within it. Council member Chris Smithson cast the sole opposing vote. He has been voicing concerns the last few weeks that the council was not taking its time to examine the overall proposal more closely.
"The question tonight is not whether this property should be developed to a fairly high intensity," Smithson said. "The question tonight is whether this property will develop in a way that is consistent with our adopted plans and in a way that benefits the property owner and the community overall.
"We don't have the information we need in order to make an informed decision in confirmation of that. I believe we should deny this application because there are too many unanswered questions and little as far as standards go to ensure that things turn out as intended.
But Town Council member Mike Fields said, "I just don't know that you can get a perfect plan at this stage, especially when there's no developer. I think it might become economically unfeasible if we put in too many regulations on it now. We need flexibility."
A group of downtown merchants had asked the council last month to conduct -- or have the developer conduct -- a study exploring the potential economic impact a new development would have on downtown. Council members last week rejected the request, saying such a study had never been required previously.
That merchant group, led by Tony Grausso, co-owner of Seagrove Candle Co., called the council's decision not to require the study "disappointing and perplexing."
Town Council member Jim Simeon said that, in the long run, the project "will be a positive addition to the town of Southern Pines. This will only enhance our reputation as a destination."
Mayor David McNeill said that, "I'm pleased with what I've seen so far. I believe this project can be a catalyst to attract more visitors, which should lead to more business downtown for our merchants and restaurants."
Kelly Miller, president and CEO of Pine Needles and Mid Pines, said the Bell family was "grateful" for the support of the council, Southern Pines Planning Board and "the citizens who are behind the project."
"We're excited. Now, we'll begin the work of trying to move forward with the project," Miller said. "We had discussions with some groups before submitting the application, but basically quit talking to everybody thereafter. We're going to revisit some of those conversations.
"We're hopeful we can come up with a great project for our community."
The results from Tuesday night's meeting occurred after press time for Wednesday's edition of The Pilot. See Friday's edition for full details and further coverage of the council's meeting.
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Comments
AFCHIEF 6 months, 1 week ago
Good for the Bell family. I'm sure someone will sue to stop this project
Studley 6 months, 1 week ago
I would like to ask Mr Miller if he is going to consider hiring back any of the employees he has laid off within the last 12-15 months at Mid Pines? Many of those employees were with that organization for over 20 years, 1 of which over 30 years, longer than he has been associated with it. I grew up with Mid Pines, as my whole family worked there, and we would see the same guests year after year, and it was like an extended family. I think it is a shame that he has gotten rid of so many of the staff that made it what it was for so long, a place for guests to come and relax, where they would see the same staff year after year, so he could hire younger staff for less costs. As a veteran of the United States, I see a value in the same folks being around for a while, they give experience over "new techniques", and I will take experience any day. It is obvious that Kelly doesn't consider "old timers" a very valuable resource, and dollars in his back pocket are his main concern. Good luck
hippiern 6 months, 1 week ago
smithson you are so full of yourself.
TooHot 6 months, 1 week ago
@hippiern - Agreed!!!!!!!!!!
JAP 6 months, 1 week ago
"We're exited......." Miller said.
Too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TF121 6 months, 1 week ago
YeeeHaaaaw! Excellent direction for the Town! Build and build and build! Grow that tax base! Hopefully “Partners in Progress” will quicken its pace, too, and accelerate its plan to make Southern Pines the retail hub of the region. Folks, drive just 60 miles north up Route 1 to Cary and have a look at what your lovely Town will look like in ten years time. Splendid development work there. Very well thought out. Terrific quality of life. As for our Town, I believe Morganton Road is next up on the slate, with nearly one MILLION square feet of commercially zoned land, ready and waiting for developers. Let’s get some more big-box retail in place there, soon. A 288-unit luxury apartment complex is set to begin construction next year. Nice local developers out of Fayetteville. We need all this to happen quickly, very quickly. Please give no thought to any downside. It’s all good! There is money to be made! Congrats to the landowners one and all! And, to, the Town Council, too! You should all be very proud of your work!
hippiern 6 months, 1 week ago
hey i will
coffecreme 6 months, 1 week ago
Wow... such a big undertaking in such a bad bad bad economy
Courseaire 6 months, 1 week ago
What visionaries - in addition to the increased number of employed during the development and building of this, when these are finished, the economy will have turned around - as promised by BHO.
JD 6 months, 1 week ago
Nice more construction and retail jobs for the masses.
Oldtimer31 6 months, 1 week ago
Studley, you got that right. I know so many former associates that were at Mid Pines for decades and are no longer there. I wonder who will work at the new hotel that is proposed. All of the talented employees with experience and reliability have been burnt by The current management that are only interested in the bottom line.
packwilleat 6 months, 1 week ago
Just another example of those evil wealthy old white people providing jobs and housing to the people.
ricksarno 6 months, 1 week ago
Reading the comments/letters in response to articles such as this is one of the most funny, entertaining things you can do.
packwilleat 6 months, 1 week ago
Rick ~ just give it time, I'll get better.
Thatcher 6 months, 1 week ago
Rezoning articles always seem to take a certain twist. Cheers!
Thatcher 6 months, 1 week ago
101jackson--You are correct! And I like your posts here. We need more folks like you. Cheers!
moconative 6 months, 1 week ago
101jackson- "We need more folks like you. Cheers! " Haha. Now, that is funny1 Newsflash: the election is over, your man lost. Now, stop all the crying about it and get on with life!
Thatcher 6 months, 1 week ago
moconative-- Who's crying? Cheers!
pcvsherri 6 months, 1 week ago
What's up with the comment - "you more than likely have some as family members anyway....." That sounds very ugly and racist. The comment made by the other poster was unkind, too.
Although I understand the Bell family has been a tremendous asset to the community, I am NOT fond of this project for several reasons - 1 - we have environmental issues related to deforestation, we have enormous drought issues that will only increase with area cleared for building, and the numbers of people that come will increase the water usage again. 2 - most of the people hired for construction are not Mexicans but they are from large, out of state companies so our locals will not benefit jobwise. 3 - most of the jobs left after construction are low wage jobs.
We will begin to look like Apex and lose what draws so many people from Fayetteville/Raleigh, etc. every weekend when we resemble them more and more. They do not come to shop at Kohl's and SteinMart. They come for the downtown shops and downtown feeling.
packwilleat 6 months, 1 week ago
Southern ~ you fail to see how you and your kind are enslaved to your party. But hell, look at it this way.... at least you have the opportunity to choose your master. Isn't it grand!!
clarabelle 6 months, 1 week ago
packwilleat - take a break already........ same ol tired shi# over and over and ...........
packwilleat 6 months, 1 week ago
Clarabelle ~ I'll take a break when people stop holding Obama up like the second coming of christ and stop blaming Bush. Bush, Clinton, Bush....... and all the way back to George Washington and every congress in between now and then have slowly usurped or just out right denied the people their rights. They believe in progress as well, but it's for their betterment.... not yours. We're doing everything every failed state has done over and over again. Wanna talk about tired shi#???? But as Samuel L. Jackson said............ Wake the Fuc* up!!!!
njc17 6 months, 1 week ago
Please stick to the subject. This is not about Obama, or the border war. This is about adding to an already glutted retail market and traffic morass. but the damage is now done. Let the games begin. But please folks remember EVERYBODY has a say. Smithson HAS the RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY to issue his objections. WE cannot be a rubberstamp society. As for the housing market, the Sandhills has a need for the middle range housing level for incoming military officer. The Sandhills has a need for lower range service housing for the service industry. Will this provide any of that?
JD 6 months, 1 week ago
Southern Pines/Pinehurst may grow to the point where affordable housing is available to all.
But if housing was affordable would it still be a resort area?
Courseaire 6 months, 1 week ago
Just make sure the affordable housing is built on the other side of the tracks so that it won't have an impact on the resort area.
Arestorer 6 months, 1 week ago
Courseaire; Maybe the Resort folks need to look at building another Taylortown...
Courseaire 6 months, 1 week ago
That could work - have one on each side of town to lessen the traffic flow.
njc17 6 months, 1 week ago
Dear friends please stop the incrimitive talk. Moore County, needs a new and fresh start. The golf industry will not be able to sustain the area forever. But until then as growth takes place, AFFORDABLE housing is REQUIRED. This is NOT slum housing nor cheap apartments. It is decent neighborhoods where young families can grow and be interactive. When there are the myriad of new restaraunts popping up throughout the Sandhills and the managements has to scour Lee, Hoke, Richmond and Cumberland County for staffing, because the service people have to find housing in these counties, some thing is wrong. But right now as th economy is slipping further and further away and housing sales are at a standstill nationwide , and not too good there either , as growth in any area needs to be reviewed for natural balance as well as viability, people like Chris Smithson are needed to give us a gut check. As Aberdeen struggles to reclaim their share of the retail game, as Pinebluff struggles to stay solvent, as Southern Pines struggles to maintain their charm and vitality, and as Pinehurst struggles to reclaim the downtown function the Omsted /Tufts dream , the planners of each municipality must look to the coordinated sustainabliity. And then bring Carthage, Robbins and smaller towns into the overall picture.
njc17 6 months, 1 week ago
hey, hey, SPUWS enough of that. The subject here is the planning board decisions and impacts. I have been on here for short time, discussing the impact of the Smithson call for further studies. Well I know it won't happen, the rest of the board has made up their mind, that's fine. I would thing back on the midland project by the eye clinic. That too was passed over a lot of objections, and has been dormant ever since, I suspect this will too. I have a great concern for the Midland Road area from Southern Pines to the Circle. That is a beautiful road and my concern is the impact of unchecked growth along this corridorwill increase the accident rate which is already high at the PeeDee road intersection. The State Highway department has already indicated a desire to remove the trees along the center of that road. That IS the charm of Midland. But as traffic does increase the reality of the alterations looms greater. I look at the retail at the Hobby Lobby center, I look at the retail at the herris Teeter by the airport, I look at the Food Lion Center at Whispering Pines and see so much unused retail space. I look at the struggles at Camellia Park and Olmsted , the expansion along 15/501, and the old Town & Country,I do see problems rising and soon.
Courseaire 6 months, 1 week ago
There is plenty of land south of town just off Rt 5 to build tenant houses and affordable apts. to service the resort that won't affect traffic in any way.
LimerickLaureate 6 months, 1 week ago
"It's very frustrating trying to work with Chris," Fields said earlier this week. "He's just not very good at compromise. When he doesn't get his way, he resorts to personal attacks and name-calling, and tries to embarrass his fellow council members." "My fellow council members have questioned my questions more than they've questioned the application,” said Smithson.*
ODE TO THE SP COUNCIL
There once was a man named McFields Who grew rich from promoting land deals His Partners in crime Relied every time On each vote he made free of appeals.
McFields is a savvy magician Who travels the road to perdition He pulls every string To make a deal swing To hell with what voters were wishin’.
McFields pitches PUD for the miller With help from a pilot non-biller They publish and shout Point fingers and pout “It’s Smithson, who’s grilling the miller.”
“It’s Smithson, it’s Smithson,” they bellow “He’s a thorn-in-our-side kind of fellow He just isn’t fine With us crossing the line Why can’t he just go to O-Hell-o?”
“It’s Smithson’s white papers and chatter Of details that don’t really matter He calls us unfair
Just because we don’t care About zoning rules and merchants’ patter.”
The merchants just wanted a study
On the retail impacts of what HE Was building out there Is 350K fair? Or would a study just muddy somebody?
“We’ve never required a study This request is insane and quite nutty It’s never been done” Cried this Sandhills’ son “And we’re not starting now, you can trust me.”
“We can’t let you muddy our buddy
With a study that may hurt his PUD. See, We promised the miller (A community pillar)
A muddy-free, study free, PUD spree.”
“Believe us. We know what we’re doing
Our opinions are based on our viewing Downtown is just fine So spare us your whine And let us pursue our reviewing.”
njc17 6 months, 1 week ago
Now SPUWS< Where have "they" said there was no room for affordable housing? Now I will say this, when we say affordable, this means affordable to buy, not projects. I have seen too many "projects" that are so poorly kept, rat infested, and uncontrolled as to meke them undesirable. All this being said, developers wants to buold homes where they can make a profit. small 1100 to 1800 sf houses are not profitable. This is the main reasin they are not really in the equation. I agree here that SOMEBODY needs to look into these developements and invest for minimal profit. There is that great a need.
njc17 6 months, 1 week ago
Can look at the Manly area, or the rte 22 corridor areas. There are places but again it's the profit. Habitat takes far too long to build at the rate that's needed and their pyrpose is more for the need fringe.