Controversial Development Rules Pass in Southern Pines

A new development ordinance approved Tuesday by the Southern Pines Town Council has some residents up in arms.

The ordinance creates a zoning for planned-unit developments, or PUDs, which allow developers to build homes, stores and offices inside a single high-density zone.

A group that opposes the ordinance said it would open the town to explosive development. Members called for a local development moratorium until officials could update the local land development plan.

A developer interested in building a PUD on almost 600 acres off U.S. Highway 1and other supporters of the new ordinance said the plan would give the town more control over what is built in a development than current ordinances allow.