Council continues Murray Hill townhomes hearing after concerns about tree loss and walkability

Southern Pines — The Town Council on July 22 continued the preliminary plat hearing for the Murray Hill Road Townhomes (MAPP‑025) to the council’s August 12 meeting, asking staff and the applicant to return with more detail on tree preservation, grading, stormwater and pedestrian connections.

Planning staff presented the 20‑townhome proposal and recommended two conditions including retention of trees that do not interfere with building footprints and a red‑cockaded woodpecker (RCW) study after a US Fish & Wildlife Service comment. Council members pressed for clearer commitments on which trees would be preserved, how grading and stormwater will be managed on this relatively sloped site, and whether pedestrian connectivity to a newly marked crosswalk on Murray Hill Road will be achieved with sidewalks or internal paths rather than asking residents to walk across grass to the crossing.

Applicant representatives explained engineering constraints (grading and fire‑access turnarounds) and said they would work with staff on minimizing tree loss where feasible. Council asked the applicant to consider moving the driveway for the retained single‑family house off Blue Jay Way (rather than Murray Hill) and to explore internal pedestrian connections between the new access lanes and the planned crosswalk.

Council voted to continue the public hearing to August 12 so staff and the applicant can return with updated plans and clarified commitments on tree preservation, stormwater calculations and pedestrian access.

Next steps: Staff will coordinate the requested technical information (RCW study scheduling, pre/post stormwater modeling, and a site plan showing which trees can be preserved) and the applicant said it will explore driveway repositioning and internal pedestrian links.