SMITHFIELD – Following a three hour public hearing, the Smithfield Town Council postponed voting on a request to rezone 138 acres of land for a proposed 222 lot subdivision.
Developers want to rezone property on Buffalo Road behind the Bradford Park Subdivision, just north of Holland Drive, to R-8 zoning, a zoning classification for 8,000 square foot residential building lots.
However, the proposal submitted by Adams & Hodge Engineering, indicates lot sizes as small as 4,200 square feet (42 ft by 100 ft). The property is owned by Guy and Ross Lampe.
During a neighborhood meeting, prior to making formal application to the Town, neighbors were unanimously opposed to any road connection from the proposed new subdivision to Parkway Drive. They also expressed concerns about the small lot sizes, drainage issues, and increased traffic congestion.
Councilman Travis Scott said during the Jan. 23 meeting the proposed lots were too small. He said lots in the adjacent Bradford Park were 10,000 sq. ft. and felt any new development needed to be consistent with adjacent existing properties. “It’s just too dense. It just doesn’t serve us.”
Councilman David Barbour said he felt the lot sizes were too dense for that area.
Councilman John Dunn added, “Personally, I wouldn’t want to live on a lot that small. People like small lots, but personally, it’s not for me.”
Mayor Pro Tem Roger Wood agreed. “The lot size is too small in my opinion… 4,200 (sq ft) is way to small.”
Mayor Andy Moore recommended developers provide photos of what homes would look like in the development. “Exactly what is going to be built needs to be presented to this council.”
Councilman Sloan Stevens remarked, “We’re at a point with the Town, how much of the growth can we take. This is high density in my opinion.”
Developers plan to donate 58 acres of the property to the Town for future use, but some council members and members of the public questioned if the land was usable since some of the property is located within both the 100 and 500 year flood plain.
Several residents in the Bradford Park subdivision spoke during the lengthy public hearing. All were opposed to the new subdivision. Bradford Park homeowners were very concerned about flooding and water runoff. Several residents said they already have to use sump pumps to remove water from their homes and yards and don’t want a new subdivision to add to their problems.
Mayor Pro Tem Wood made a motion to table the rezoning request until the March 12 council meeting to allow developers to return with a different plan, including larger lot sizes, architectural standards for the new homes, and to better address drainage concerns. The measure passed 5-to-1 with Councilman Scott voting against the postponement.
Finally “some” Government Entity getting the clue..too bad it isn’t (wasn’t) Johnston County Commissioners, NO MORE Building! Moved to JoCo for Peace and SECURITY! What a fool’s dream.SHAME!
I hear you. My wife and I also moved to the Cleveland area, and it was so peaceful and now forget it. Shame on me is right. Between the construction, the traffic and all the apartment buildings that has brought in so much crime, there needs to be a halt on construction at least till the roads, power grid, schools and water can pull ahead of the growth.
Sounds like Rebecca Flowers had something to do with the design.
And look how beautiful it is. 😍
Let me get this straight. It is required that you have at least and acre of land in order to have a single wide mobile home but this is alright? Seems like a double standard. Just saying.
Exactly!
I wish they would do as they are supposed to do!! Build homes that are the equivalent lot size to the average in the area! If it’s a 5mi radius of houses with 1ac-4ac lots, the. The new homes must on average have 2.5ac lots, or at least have 1ac lots! I grew up in the Cleveland area. I’m 41. It is unrecognizable! Most of wake and joco are from how they are turning all the rural areas to urban areas! nC is supposed to be “country” Clayton looks like freaking Cary and Raleigh! Wendell and Zebulon are the same! Hwy 70 in Clayton looks like Maynard rd or Cary parkway with all the new storage lots and small unoccupied strip malls! ITS DISGUSTING ! STOP SELLING YOUR LAND AND FARM IT!
Stop selling your land and farm it? You sound stu9id.
Sensible moved by the town council. If these dense developments continue to go forward, we’re gonna have a real problem in a few years. These kind of developments do not encourage long-term homeownership and maintenance.
East River is the same and I really regret being here, but now I’m stuck :/
Once again, the government telling people what they can and cannot build on their own land. Cam you be more un-American? All you progressive, big government lovers are what’s destroying this country.
The U.S. has always been a country of laws and rules governed by elected officials. That’s not un-American. You sound ignorant.
@Fred: No, ignorance is hoping that more and more government regulations will make your life better. The US is based on *INDIVIDUAL* freedoms. Re-read the Constitution, and you’ll understand.
No one is advocating for more government. You’re advocating for no government which is very ignorant. You change the rules and regulations by voting for people that have the same ideologies as you do. Clearly not enough people agree with you since your de-regulating representatives are not making the rules. That’s what America is about.
Meanwhile, in Flowers…
Anything less than a 50 foot lot width and 25 foot front setback is to narrow and to close to the street. Makes it impossible to park in the driveway without being on the sidewalk and not enough space between driveways to park in the street.