ABERDEEN — The Aberdeen Town Board met Monday, February 27, with various property matters on the agenda.
The board was presented with two annexation petitions, one by Willow Birch, LLC, for 0.58 acres of land located generally south of US 15-501 and east of US 1 South and an annexation petition by Coca-Cola Bottling for approximately 52.37 acres located west of Carolina Road and south of NC Highway 211, and they approved both.
The next piece of business brought before the board was a rezoning request by Pinehurst Country Club Realty to rezone 10 parcels of property located north of NC 5 Highway and totaling 919.8 acres from R-10, R-20, and Light Industrial to a planned development zoning district.
“Pinehurst last appeared before this board 23 years ago with a vision for a new golf village, multiple courses, shopping, and hotel, but that project was canceled in 2001 after the events of September 11,” said Pinehurst Resort President Tom Pashley. “The Pit Golf Links opened in 1985 and thrived for decades as a bold alternative to traditional golf offerings in the area. It closed in 2010 after the Great Recession as interest in golf was waning. Twice, golf was conceived and operated on this land, yet uncontrollable factors made those visions unsustainable. But we all know what they say about a third time.”
“In Aberdeen, on this site, we have a wonderful opportunity to start from scratch and incorporate the type of variety that attracts today’s traveling golfers. We have no desire to build the 2,500 homes that are allowed with the current zoning; rather, we envision a combination of golf courses, short courses, golf cottages, and facilities that celebrate the beautiful land and showcase the unique history of the site.”
According to the submitted plans, the golf courses and resort is projected to take 10-15 years to fully build out, but the first course is projected to be finished by 2024.
Following the public hearing, the board approved the rezoning request, paving the way for the development.
The town board then approved an agreement with Partners in Progress for the spending of $200,000 of public monies for the purpose of economic development, including property acquisition, property development, and other related improvements to the property known as the Iron Horse Property located off of Highway 211 and Carolina Road.
The property will be cleared of trees and will have a road built through it in order to attract potential buyers.
At last month’s meeting, Partners in Progress Executive Director Natalie Hawkins described the property as “the best industrial land that we have in Moore County.
The board then approved a budget amendment in the amount of $3,400 for a zero-turn mower for the planning department and approved the reduction of the speed limit in Fairway Cove Court from 25 mph to 15 mph.
“It’s a traffic circle, basically one big loop,” said Police Chief Carl Colasacco. “I went out there and looked at the loop, and it is very tight, and there are also no sidewalks. So I think the 15 mph speed limit would be sufficient for that area given that it’s a tight roadway and that there’s no access to sidewalks.”
The Aberdeen Town Board will next meet March 27.
