Council Postpones Vote On Industrial Rezoning

SMITHFIELD – The Smithfield Town Council postponed a decision on a controversial rezoning request, Tuesday night.

Clarius Partners LLC of Chicago, Illinois petitioned the Town of Smithfield to rezone a 75.6 acre tract of land on US 70 Business West from Residential-Agriculture and Highway-Entrance Commercial to Light Industrial. The property is across the highway from Saint Ann Catholic Church.

The applicant had submitted a concept plan for Clarius Park, a warehouse distribution development they hope to build. It was also described during the public meeting as a “trucking distribution-type warehouse.”

The site is just inside the Town of Smithfield’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The back of the 75 acre site adjoins a new residential subdivision off Strickland Road in the Wilson’s Mills city limits.

Several residents said they had purchased homes in the subdivision within the past two years and had no idea an industrial-use was possible in the area.

Representatives with Clarius Park said the warehouse would add jobs, increase tax revenue, have a low impact on schools, police and fire, and minimal water and sewer demand.

After hearing from neighbors opposed to the plan, the applicant requested the Council postpone a decision on the rezoning request until the August 19 meeting.

Councilman Travis Scott said he was opposed to the project as presented.

The Town of Smithfield’s Comprehensive Growth Management Plan indicates the best used of the site is low-density residential. The Growth Management Plan would need to be amended if the industrial use is permitted.

The company plans to hold a neighborhood meeting with residents to discuss their proposed plans prior to the August 19 council meeting.

117-Lot Subdivision Preliminary Plat Approval
The Town Council voted 4-to-1 to approve the preliminary plat for Village of the Neuse, a 117-lot subdivision on Buffalo Road between Everette Lane and Holland Drive, just south of Smithfield Middle School.

The council had previously approved the 42 acre subdivision but not the preliminary plat.

The board stipulated a fence would be required along a property line with existing houses on Holland Drive.

Stadler Station Apartment Height
After a lengthy discussion the council agreed to change the maximum height allowance for an apartment complex that will be built at the corner of Peedin Road and Components Drive, near Carolina Premium Outlets.

Stadler Station received approval in November 2024 to build a 168-unit apartment complex.

Under current zoning, the maximum building height can not exceed 40 ft. To meet that code, developers said that would require them to build flat roofs on the apartment buildings, which is more expensive.

The council agreed to increase the maximum building height to 50 ft. to allow for a pitched roof for the apartment buildings.

The council briefly discussed how the Town measures building height and how that differs from the State Building Code determination building height.

Mallard Crossing
The Council postponed discussion of an amendment to the Mallard Crossing master plan.

On June 7, 2022, the Town approved the development, called Woodleaf at the time, for 2005 residential units on Mallard Road, east of I-95.

A new developer is requesting a reduction in the acreage of the major development because a solar farm has been removed from the site.

The revised 491-acre plan would reduce the number of residential units from 2005 to 1327. All 824 apartment units are eliminated under the revised plan.

The council postponed hearing the amendment until the August 3, 2025 regularly scheduled meeting.