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Council approves small buffer reduction at Tyler’s Ridge with expanded plantings to preserve key pines
Summary
Council approved a special-use permit to reduce a 30-foot landscape buffer and 50-foot building setback on a commercial parcel called the 'pizza slice' at Tyler's Ridge after staff and applicant negotiated a compromise that preserves several mature trees, removes invasive understory, and requires new perimeter plantings.
The Southern Pines Town Council approved a special-use permit Aug. 12 to modify buffer and setback requirements on Lot 9 of the Tyler's Ridge development — the triangular, commercially developed parcel staff calls the “pizza slice.” Planning staff and the applicant presented a compromise that reduces the former 30-foot required undisturbed buffer in a narrow band in order to preserve two mature hardwoods and five longleaf pines that would otherwise be endangered by work on the site.
Planning staff and the applicant said the original 2011 conditions creating a 30-foot buffer were intended to separate commercial development from at least one adjacent residential homestead. With that adjacent parcel now commercialized as part of subsequent phases, staff argued the strict separation was less essential and that the current compromise — planting the cleared area north of the lot to the UDO’s buffer standard while protecting existing select trees — provides better long-term screening and compatibility.
Council adopted a condition requiring the area identified on the applicant’s exhibit (the yellow-circled cleared area) to be planted to the UDO buffer standard (Section 4.3.0.4) outside of vehicle‑use/perimeter clear vision zones. Staff said the planting formula will be verified at site plan review; the applicant agreed to retain the specified trees and to add perimeter planting and understory cleanup.
Outcome: SU-01-25 approved with the added condition that the yellow-circled area be planted to the UDO buffer standard, and staff will confirm plant counts and clear-vision requirements during site plan review.
