On Monday night, the Aberdeen Town Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to rezone property for the future Ten Pines subdivision, a development plan that will bring 305 new homes to the northern edge of the town’s jurisdiction.
Ribera Development, LLC, sought the zoning map amendment for Ten Pines, a residential subdivision planned for approximately 122.3 acres of land east of N.C. Highway 5 and south of Olivia Lane. The land sits at the northern edge of Aberdeen, bordering the Country Club of North Carolina and the community of Jackson Hamlet. Across Highway 5, the site faces a shopping center anchored by Food Lion and Sandhills Bowling Center.
The developer requested a change from one Planned Development (PD) zoning to another, a type of flexible zoning linked to specific project standards and uses.
The board’s decision follows a previous meeting in which residents strongly opposed the project, citing concerns about potential flooding, increased traffic on the already busy N.C. 5 corridor, and strain on school capacity.
Project Details
The approved plan eliminates the commercial space included in a previous, more dense proposal for the property that stalled in 2020. The original, 2019 approval called for about 370 homes and 120,000 square feet of office and retail space.
Engineer Sean Davis of Morris & Ritchie Associates, who presented the current plan, called the revision a “voluntary downzoning” because it cuts the number of housing units and removes the commercial components compared to a previously submitted design.
The current plan:
• Housing: The plan features 305 homes, including single-family houses and duplexes, with price points estimated to range from the high $300,000s to the high $500,000s. The duplexes will be age-targeted, featuring first-floor master suites.
• Amenities: The development will include a site for a religious institution and community amenities such as parks, a pool, and pickleball courts.
• Location: The land borders the Country Club of North Carolina (CCNC) and the Jackson Hamlet community near the Aberdeen-Pinehurst border.
“Ten Pines is envisioned to provide a variety of upscale housing types for the growing Sandhills region with a variety of amenities that will serve the anticipated homeowner’s needs,” reads the memorandum submitted to the Aberdeen commissioners. “We believe Ten Pines exceeds these goals and will create an excellent residential community with a mixture of home types planned around a variety of amenities to serve future residents.”
Addressing Community Comments
Commissioners reached their decision after minimal discussion and hearing Aberdeen property owners voice several concerns throughout the approval process.
Residents, particularly those near the CCNC, expressed worries about increased stormwater runoff affecting their properties. Developers maintained that the design would meet all state and town requirements and that the project’s engineer confirmed the proposed site drains in a different direction than the already-affected Cherry Hill area. The plan includes a 50-foot undisturbed buffer and conservation easement along the CCNC border.
Several residents also had comments, concerns, and opinions regarding growth in the area and how the sharp uptick in population will impact schools and public roads.
Worries about traffic on N.C. 5 have been vocalized several times at recent meetings. The main entry point to the development will be off Arnette Street, requiring the closure of the Olivia Lane railroad crossing. A traffic impact analysis indicates that ongoing road widening and improvements by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) along N.C. 5—including new turn lanes and a signal at Linden Road—will handle the increased volume.
Moore County Schools Assistant Superintendent for Operations Jenny Purvis confirmed that while local elementary and middle schools could handle new students, Pinecrest High School already operates over capacity. The developer noted the age-targeted duplexes would not likely contribute additional school-aged children.
Ribera Development stated in its proposal that it “has taken steps to ensure that any adverse impacts to neighbors, the environment, the roadway system, public infrastructure such as sewer, water, police, Fire/EMS, and parks that serve this site will be mitigated to the fullest extent possible.”
Additional measures proposed by the developers include:
• A larger-than-necessary buffer between the development and adjacent properties
• Responsible maintenance of protected watershed
• A well site will be dedicated to the Town of Aberdeen
• A “religious institution” to be in keeping with the town’s vision of mixed-use developments
• Amenities and recreation opportunities for residents within the development itself
Having passed unanimously, the development is now able to move on to the next stage in development.
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~ Article by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
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