The Southern Pines Planning Board approved development plans for 12.62 acres on Feb. 17 for the expansion of the ACE Hardware store on the south side of Airport Road between Capital Drive and Lindbergh Place.
The approval includes an agreement to request letters from the Moore County Airport and Sandhills Community College on their positions of the proposal.
The expansion will offer a larger garden center and warehouse for offering more product. The conceptual development plan (CDP) calls for commercial, retail, restaurant and office use for the area.
Bob Koontz of Koontz Jones Design presented details.
In the CDP, there are two unique standards. One is a reduction in buffer plants near outdoor seating areas. The plan includes seating and patio areas in the buffer areas like at the IHop and Five Guys restaurants.
A second unique standard is a reduction in buffer plants where they plan a greenway trail connected to the community college and its horticultural garden.
The plan includes a 50-foot buffer between the community college and buildings and parking.
The parking lot areas will be inside the development, and to further aid in roadside attraction, buildings will use front standards for large windows facing the street.
The plans will be brought up at a future town council meeting.
In other meeting discussions, the board zoned five parcels of land, totaling 4.10 acres on N.C. Highway 22 in the Blue Farm development near Food Lion as residential.
Benjamin Stout Real Estate Services, Inc said that the Department of Transportation had already approved the driveways. The lots will use septic tanks and will connect to Southern Pines water.
The 4.10 acres were previously in the Village of Whispering Pines and zoned residential.
~Article by Sandhills Sentinel Journalist Stephanie M. Sellers. Contact her at [email protected]
Photo of ACE Hardware from Google Maps.