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Council approves Phase 3 of Southern Pines comprehensive plan; Councilman urges grant‑funded historic‑district survey
Summary
Council approved phase 3 implementation projects for the 2040 comprehensive plan on Feb. 10, and Councilman Curtain pressed for a grant‑funded update to the National Register/local historic district survey and a community focus‑group process to balance preservation with property rights.
The Southern Pines Town Council voted Feb. 10 to approve Phase 3 implementation projects from the 2040 comprehensive plan. The vote included a placeholder (item 7) that directs staff to pursue evaluation and protection of historic resources, including review of National Register and local historic district boundaries.
Councilman Curtain described the need for an updated, data‑driven historic‑district survey and urged the town to pursue state and federal preservation grants to fund the work so local taxpayers would not bear the bulk of the cost. “I believe this survey update should be funded predominantly through state and federal preservation grants, minimizing the burden to our local taxpayers,” Curtain said, and asked staff to convene focus groups of property owners, historians and preservation advocates.
Planning Director BJ Grieve and staff said the town would provide assistance to community groups that secure grants, and that the town has previously used an Underrepresented Communities (URC) grant to survey and nominate properties in West Southern Pines. Grieve also said the local 10‑block downtown historic district (adopted under zoning) and the larger National Register district are distinct designations and can overlap, adding complexity to any update.
The council approved the Phase 3 project list by voice vote. Council members asked staff to return periodic status updates, and Councilman Curtain suggested a three‑to‑four‑year timeframe for a deliberate survey program that would include community engagement and funding pursuit.
What happens next: staff will assist community groups as they pursue preservation grants, provide status updates on Phase 3 implementation, and bring recommendations back to council as grant opportunities progress.
