Public Hearings: New Character Districts / Pinedene Design Guide Proposed

After months of gathering input from community residents, Planning staff and expert consultants have crafted amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). These amendments will create:

1. A “Character District” Overlay for the Downtown Transition Overlay district (excluding properties within the Historic District Overlay).
2. A “Character District” Overlay that updates the West Southern Pines Overlay district.
3. A Design Guide, as an addendum to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, for the “Pinedene” district.
4. None of these Character District Overlays nor the Design Guide change the underlying zoning of the three areas.

These proposed amendments will be discussed, with opportunities for public input, at:
Planning Board, October 24, 2024 6pm at the ES Douglass Center
Town Council, November 12, 2024 6pm at the ES Douglass Center

Downtown Character District.
The Downtown Overlay (Section 3.6.3 beginning on page 133 of the UDO linked below) will expand the area covered by the current Downtown Transition Overlay. Its text amendments will:
• focus on new commercial development in a way that enhances the existing character of the area. Elements of design include building materials, design approach, sidewalks, tree canopy preservation, building height standards, and articulation requirements for larger structures.
• not change any base zoning in the district.
• not apply to single-family residential development.

West Southern Pines Character District.
The area covered by the current West Southern Pines Overlay (Section 3.6.4 beginning on page 119 of the UDO linked below) will not change with this proposal, which is consistent with residents’ desires. Text amendments to the Overlay will:
• focus on commercial development, and direct its design to complement the existing character of the area. These design elements include building materials, design approaches, sidewalks, and tree canopy preservation.
• not change any base zoning in the district.
• not apply to single-family residential development. **

“Pinedene” Design Guide.
Planning staff and consultants from Inspire Placemaking Collective are proposing a design guide for “Pinedene.” This area is south of Morganton Rd, east of US Hwy 1, and west of the railway line. Pinedene was given its name on early Southern Pines plat maps and conceptual drawings. The area is ripe for future redevelopment, and to guide those future redevelopment plans, town staff identified a design guide as an ideal option. The guide will:
• act as an addendum to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. It further specifies design and vision for this district, as the Comprehensive Plan was too vague in practice for this area. To better inform potential developers, more details and concrete specifics became necessary.
• allow for flexibility while maintaining quality design. Many of the existing lots in the area are nonconforming to current development regulation, meaning they would require significant modifications to meet town standards – which are often too costly to move forward. Flexibility here means:
o finding a balance between the town’s vision and what’s economically viable for a potential redeveloper.
o promoting mixed-use structures, walkability, and an integrated green space network.
• advocate for using Conditional Zoning. The “General Business” zoning that’s applied to the majority of this district is often too inflexible, and this zoning tool will be helpful to achieving this area’s vision.
• not change any base zoning, nor include any regulatory UDO text amendments. This is a key difference from the Downtown and West Southern Pines Character District overlays; the design guide is a tool meant only to further specify vision of this part of the Comprehensive Plan.

These products exemplify strong and consistent community feedback to preserve the character of our town and its unique areas that began with the creation of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. That same community feedback has continued during public meetings on the creation of Character Districts in recent months. The amendments described above are the direct result of this feedback from the public.

Public hearings on the proposed text amendments to the UDO and the amendment to the 2040 Comprehensive Plan will be held during the** Planning Board regular meeting on October 24, 2024** and the Town Council regular meeting on November 12, 2024. All interested citizens are invited and encouraged to attend.