Town Council Rejects Buffalo Ridge Subdivision

After two and a half hours of negotiation with developers about specifics of their proposal, the Smithfield Town Council voted 4-3 Tuesday night to deny conditional rezoning of 140 acres of mostly cleared farmland on the west side of Buffalo Road for a 210-lot residential subdivision labeled as “Buffalo Ridge.”

The council’s reservations about the project ranged from smaller lot sizes to architectural standards for the envisioned single-family dwellings. During a public hearing prior to the council’s discussion, residents from nearby Bradford Park voiced alarms about roadway traffic and storm-water flooding.

Voting against approval of the plan: Travis Scott, who several times voiced opposition to proposed lot sizes as small as 6,000 feet, along with Marlon Lee, Steve Rabil, and Roger Wood. Voting in favor: David Barbour, John Dunn, Sloan Stevens.

During the public hearing, Rick Buckner of Bradford Park’s Cobblestone Court objected to the proposal’s housing “density,” noting that “the market is being groomed by investors and developers” who want to build subdivisions with lots smaller than the minimum 8,000 square feet normally allowed under the town’s zoning rules. “What is the maximum amount of houses, the maximum amount of population that Smithfield can support?” Mr. Buckner asked.

The relatively new Conditional Zoning classification in play at Tuesday’s meeting has opened the door for negotiations leading to smaller lot sizes as a trade-off for exceeding minimum town standards for amenities like sidewalks and street design, recreation facilities and open spaces.

That’s the procedure that has delayed the council’s approval of another large subdivision proposed for wooded acreage across Buffalo Road from the project rejected Tuesday. First brought before the council in January, that plan asks for 222 single-family lots on a portion of 139 acres adjacent to Bradford Park and Smithfield Community Park. Postponed several times since then, it’s now scheduled for reconsideration by the Town Council in July.

Meanwhile, the council last month approved a mixed-use plan that includes 209 single-family houses on lots as small as 4,200 square feet. That decision also came after lengthy give-and-take between council members and developers. That plan has commercial and industrial components along with apartments and covers 164 acres on both sides of Durwood Stephenson Parkway east of Booker Dairy Road.

Council adopts rule requiring paved driveways

From now on, new residential driveways within both the town’s limits and Smithfield’s ETJ (Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction) must be paved with either concrete or asphalt or some other comparable solid surface.

Planning Director Stephen Wensman presented the new rule in response to an uptick in “infill” construction of new houses on lots in the older sections of town.

He said the town’s Planning Board had requested an exemption from the rule for properties within the ETJ areas, but Town Attorney Bob Spence advised against such “splitting” of the town’s zoning regulations.

In response, the council amended the new rule to make it clear that commercial, industrial, and agricultural operations are not covered by the regulation. As a result, new driveways up to 50 feet in length must be paved from now on, and those driveways may not take up more than 50% of a dwelling’s front yard.

Councilman Scott cast the only vote against the new rule.

– The Smithfield Weekly Sun