Smithfield council raises B-3 district height limit to 50 feet to match development needs

The Town of Smithfield Council approved an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance that raises the maximum permitted building height in the B-3 (Highway Entranceway Business) district from 40 feet to 50 feet.

Planning staff said the change aligns the town’s zoning practice with common development expectations and reduces conflicts between the town’s height measurement (average finished grade to highest point) and the North Carolina State Building Code (which measures to the midpoint of a pitched roof). Steven (planning staff) told council the amendment supports economic development and makes the code more workable for pitched-roof, three-story buildings that otherwise would be forced into flat-roof designs or more expensive construction.

Attorney James Todd, representing Brown Investment Properties, said the amendment enables the developer’s previously approved Stadler Station special use permit — a three-story multifamily project — to proceed with the pitched-roof architecture contemplated by the applicant without adding units or density. Architect Matt Ansley described the design trade-offs, saying that to meet the town’s 40-foot standard the project would have had to reduce ceiling heights and roof pitch or move to a costlier flat-roof solution.

Council discussion noted the amendment would apply to future B-3 development and that projects with multifamily uses still require special-use review. After a public hearing, council found the change consistent with adopted plans and adopted the ordinance amendment by motion and voice vote.