Commissioners Review UDO Changes, Approve New Space For County Offices
SMITHFIELD, N.C. — The Johnston County Board of Commissioners received an update May 4 on efforts to rewrite the county’s Unified Development Ordinance, heard plans for a new behavioral health urgent care service, and approved several spending and infrastructure items during its regular meeting.
Planning Director Braston Newton said a committee made up of farmers, developers, county leaders and others continues reviewing the proposed Unified Development Ordinance line by line with the help of a consulting firm.
Newton said the group has already backed away from proposed restrictions on farm animals in subdivisions and is expected to support larger setbacks for homes in subdivisions. Debate continues, however, over the size of landscaped buffers developers would be required to install between subdivisions and neighboring farms.
The committee hopes to complete revisions by June before releasing the draft to the public. Under the proposed timeline, the county would host a public drop-in session July 16, followed by a Planning Board public hearing Aug. 18. Commissioners are scheduled to hold public hearings Sept. 9 and Sept. 21 before possible adoption of a new ordinance Oct. 5.
Commissioners also heard a presentation from Willow Health on plans to provide behavioral health urgent care services in Johnston County beginning in June. The service will operate virtually through phones, tablets and other connected devices.
County leaders said the program is intended to provide faster access to care for residents experiencing mental health crises and reduce long emergency room wait times.
The board proclaimed May 25 as Memorial Day in Johnston County. Commissioner Ted Godwin, a military veteran, read a proclamation honoring the 248 Johnston County residents killed in action during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Commissioners also asked the N.C. Department of Transportation to add several subdivision streets to the state maintenance system, including North Goodling Park Drive and South Goodling Park Drive in Goodling Road subdivision, Micro Township; Abingdon Farm Drive in Abingdon subdivision, O’Neals Township; Jackson Pond Drive in Jackson subdivision, Boon Hill Township; Stickleback Drive and Kingfish Trail in Wyncliffe Pond subdivision, Pleasant Grove Township; and Painted Horse Drive in Percy Place subdivision, Elevation Township.
The board scheduled a public hearing on the county’s proposed 2026-27 budget for 10 a.m. June 1 in the commissioners meeting room at the courthouse in Smithfield. Additional budget discussions are planned for May 18, June 1 and June 15.
Commissioners endorsed the 2026-27 operating plan for the county’s Housing Assistance Payments Program, which distributes federal housing voucher funding. The plan includes approximately $5.2 million for 619 vouchers.
The board also received a budget request from the Johnston County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, which is seeking $112,000 for juvenile diversion and alternative sentencing programs. State funding is expected to provide an additional $393,380.
Commissioners approved leasing the former Tucker Furniture building at 501 E. Market St. in downtown Smithfield. Part of the county’s Public Utilities Department and all of Technology Services would relocate to the nearly 18,000-square-foot building under a lease costing $214,836 annually.
The board approved budget amendments adding $53,821 in revenue to the Public Health Department budget and $24,091.70 to the Department of Social Services budget.
Commissioners appointed Art Watkins to the Firefighters Relief Fund Board of Trustees, representing the McLemore Fire District.
The board also authorized six fire departments to purchase tanker trucks at a combined cost of $579,227. The trucks, which are expected to take between 700 and 750 days to build, will go to the 50-210, Antioch, Bethany, Four Oaks, Micro and Princeton fire departments.
Commissioners took no action following a closed session on a legal matter.
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“Planning Director Braston Newton said a committee made up of farmers, developers, county leaders and others continues reviewing the proposed Unified Development Ordinance line by line with the help of a consulting firm.”
Well, if developers and county leaders are involved rest assured the citizens of Johnston County will be on the outside looking in. These county commissioners are incompetent financial idiots. This ridiculous cancerous growth has got to stop. it’s time for citizens to make their feelings known when you see these commissioners out in public.
It’s this kind of talk that gets people hurt Mr. Thompson and you should reconsider your recommendation. Disagreement with Commissioners should be reserved for open forums at their meetings, not on the street. No one should be afraid to appear in public and you should know better.
Behavioral health is only going to be virtual ???? what about people that don’t have access to those types of devices or know how to do that ? You are leaving them in the dark….again!
Nobody wants the UDO but they are determined to cram it down out throats.
Vote more of them out!
One of the commissioners was voted out of office due to his support of this nightmare.
The vote on adoption should wait until the new commissioner is sworn in.
How dumb can we be? The UDO was started before the Commissioner you are talking about was appointed to the Board. The reason he was voted out is because people like you are allowed to vote. There is a lot of **** going around JOCO.
Where will employees and customers park at the proposed new Tucker Furniture Building office site.