Holly Springs Town Council Approves Pine Springs Upper School Development Plan
New Charter High School Set for 2026 Opening on Green Oaks Parkway. 120,000 square foot school will serve 1,000 students
Holly Springs, NC, Mar. 19, 2025 — The Holly Springs Town Council unanimously approved the Pine Springs Upper School Development Plan during its March 18, 2025 meeting, allowing for the construction of a three-story, 120,000-square-foot charter high school at 420 Green Oaks Parkway.
“This is Pine Springs Upper School. It is a charter high school that is three stories, well over 120,000 square feet. It has over 4,600 feet of vehicle stacking on the site,” said Grayson Taylor, Planner 3, Development Services.
The approval follows a previous PUD amendment, which rezoned the site from light industrial to an innovation institutional district, permitting school use.
Project Location and Zoning
The development site, situated west of NC 55, is part of the Holly Springs Business Park, an area typically designated for office, light, and heavy manufacturing uses.
“This PUD is Holly Springs Business Park. This business park does have specific use districts applied to it. This one specifically is innovation institutional, which came about with that PUD amendment back in December. This is similar to the light industrial district. However, they did add that schools are permitted with additional standards,” Taylor explained.
Traffic and Utility Considerations
The school’s impact on local infrastructure was a central point of discussion. Officials noted that water, sewer, and road improvements were accounted for in prior planning phases.
“There is existing public water infrastructure located within Green Oaks Parkway. An existing sanitary sewer crossing the property… The project proposes to tie to these existing facilities and extend them throughout their site to serve the proposed development,” stated Catherine from the town’s utilities department.
The developer also committed to several traffic improvements based on a traffic impact analysis (TIA):
Extending an existing turn lane
Restricting driveway access
Adding a dedicated right-turn lane
Funding a pedestrian accommodation project
“A traffic impact analysis, excuse me, was completed with the previously approved PUD amendment and concluded that several improvements were necessary to help mitigate the traffic impacts to the surrounding area,” Catherine added.
Planning Board Review and Concerns
During the February 25, 2025, Planning Board meeting, board members voted 7-0 in favor of approval, with one recusal. However, they raised concerns regarding EV parking locations, staggered start times, and traffic safety near the school site.
“Applicants stated that they currently have EV spots and EV-ready spots within the plans. Applicants stated they have 15 EV spots and 45 EV-ready spots based off of 300 parking spots they have planned for,” reported Tom Urquhart, Holly Springs Planning Board.
Board members also inquired about staggered school start and release times to ease congestion.
“Applicants stated the start-release times have not been established yet,” Urquhart said.
Additionally, concerns about speed on Green Oaks Parkway were discussed, particularly regarding a blind curve near the site.
“Planning board also inquired as to whether there is a concern by the developer about the speed of traffic coming around the blind curve on Green Oaks Parkway and whether there are any speed mitigation measures planned for that curve. Applicant indicated there were not any concerns about speeding around the curve and that speed mitigation measures such as speed bumps would not be permitted,” Urquhart added.
Despite these concerns, the Planning Board recommended approval of the plan.
“The Planning Board voted in favor of the recommendation 7-0 with one absent and one recusal, recommending the town council approve the development plan with staff-recommended conditions and to forward the Planning Board action report to the town council,” Urquhart concluded.
Public Hearing: No Opposition Raised
A public hearing was opened during the town council meeting, but no residents signed up to speak.
“We'll open up the quasi-judicial public hearing. And since we didn't have anybody sign up for it, we'll go ahead to close,” announced Mayor Majewski.
Final Vote: Resolution 2509 Approved
Following the public hearing, the council formally voted on the resolution.
With no opposition, the motion passed unanimously.
What’s Next? School Opening Targeted for 2026
With council approval, Pine Springs Upper School is moving to the construction phase. It aims to open for students in Fall 2026.
“This is a school, once built, [that] will serve 1,000 students in grades 9 through 12, approximately 100,000 square feet. We will have a dedicated student parking lot, as you've probably seen that in our site plan,” said Bruce Friend, Head of School for Pine Springs Preparatory Academy.
“Staggered bell times also to help with student drivers and the separation of traffic in the mornings and the afternoons. We'll have outdoor spaces for student activities, pedestrian connectivity to Greenix Parkway, preservation of natural areas, and environmental impacts limited to those already constructed,” Friend added.
With all necessary approvals, developers expect to break ground later this year.