Town temporarily changing disinfectant to improve water safety

The Southern Pines Town Council Tuesday considered a conditional use permit for a 1.1 acre parcel of land adjacent to Spartan Blades and located between West Wisconsin Avenue and West Iowa Avenue.

The development calls for four duplex-style buildings, each containing two townhomes.

The agent for the builder, KoontzJones Design, requested several modifications to the current zoning requirement. They consisted of modifying the front and side setbacks and providing a 6 ft privacy fence around a portion of the property. The driving force was to preserve a clump of trees on one corner of the property.

The current zoning requirements allow up to 11 units and require zero open space. The design presented to the council envisions almost 50 percent of the parcel to be open space.

Southern Pines Mayor Pro Tem Jim Simeon asked Bob Koontz, principle of KoontzJones Design, if the property developers had any plans to come back and request permission to add additional units.

“Adding additional units would be very expensive, and at this point, there are no plans for additional units,” said Koontz. When asked for a construction timeline, Koontz added, “I envision we will begin construction as soon as the necessary permits are issued.”

The council issued the conditional permit with the requested modifications, further stipulating any trees removed be replaced by two new trees of the same type.
 
In related business, the council heard a report from Assistant Town Manager Chris Kennedy concerning needed street repairs adjacent to the proposed development. A massive sinkhole on West Wisconsin Avenue is proving to be more expensive to repair than estimated. 

The town estimated repairs to cost around $100,000, but that turn out to be very optimistic. The town has put the project out to bid on two separate occasions, and both times the bids ranged from $180,000 to over 250,000.

According to Kennedy, the town is going to repair the street using town personnel and a rented trackhoe. The town has the expertise to complete the work, but it is going to divert resources from other projects causing a delay.

Kennedy estimates the work will be completed by the end of September. The cost to demolish the road was essentially the same as repairing it, so the decision was made to proceed with the repairs.

~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Local News/Government Reporter Chris Prentice.           Sandhills_Sentinel
Contact him at [email protected] or (910) 639-9303.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email