In working out a compromise solution to the expansion of the Penick Home in Southern Pines, the Town Council has proved once again that a reasonable approach to land use — and the zoning that enforces it — works best.

The Penick Home, a retirement complex in the historic Weymouth neighborhood, wanted to erect a four-story residential building to house 103 new apartments. The imposing height of the structure created problems for neighbors, which the Council quickly realized.

The proposed building would have soared above all the others, practically casting a shadow over the Weymouth Center and its hallowed grounds. The nearly 50-foot-tall building would have blighted the pastoral parkland — popular with both equestrians and pedestrians — that surrounds the retirement center.

The Town Council wisely worked out a compromise solution. The council granted the conditional-use permit with the understanding that the developers would chop one story, about 10 feet, off the proposed building.

That will allow the owners of the retirement center to expand their offerings to its current and prospective residents. But it also keeps the size and scope of the complex in harmony with its next-door neighbors.

One fact that can’t be overlooked is that the Penick Home, as an extension of the Episcopal Church, enjoys a not-for-profit status. So it doesn’t pay any taxes. Yet those 103 new residents will demand a plethora of services. From fire and police protection to library and recreational opportunities, those new residents will benefit from town services without paying for them. While the Council members didn’t mention that fact in creating a workable solution for the Penick Home, they clearly weren’t motivated to change their zoning regulations to suit this application.

The whole situation reiterates the notion that developers will meet whatever zoning and land-use expectations are set, but rarely exceed them.

The Southern Pines Town Council and their administrators are to be congratulated for setting a good example for other municipalities to follow. More important, though, is the fact that they exercised sound judgement and a willingness to compromise to get the deal done.