Council approves Local 70 annexation and two major subdivisions; endorses East Coast Greenway feasibility study

The Town of Smithfield Town Council on Feb. 19 voted to approve a package of land-use and planning items, including the voluntary annexation of the Local 70 site, preliminary subdivision approval for the Local 70 residential project, and preliminary approval for the Buffalo Road subdivision, and unanimously endorsed a feasibility study for the East Coast Greenway route through Smithfield.

Why it matters: The approvals clear major steps for two large residential developments that will add hundreds of housing units and require multiagency permitting, new public infrastructure and homeowner associations. The greenway endorsement helps county and state partners pursue grants and influence future DOT project design that could include trail accommodations.

What the council decided - Local 70 annexation (Ordinance): Smithfield Growth LLC petitioned to annex 85.85 acres south of M. Durwood Stevenson Parkway. The council adopted Ordinance 55-23-2025 (as recorded in the meeting) to annex the described territory immediately. Staff advised the new area will be served by existing town utilities, trash/yard pickup and will fall inside the town's fire district; a pump station is planned to tie the development into the town water system.

- Local 70 preliminary subdivision (S-24-8): The council approved the preliminary plat for the Local 70 residential development (mixed product: single-family lots, townhomes and apartments totaling 627 dwelling units on the larger project parcel). Approval was conditioned on construction drawings meeting UDO/PUD requirements and additional items including HOA declarations, landscaping and lighting plans, aeration of storm ponds, and that the apartment portion come back for separate site-plan review.

- Buffalo Road preliminary subdivision (S-24-7): The council approved the preliminary plat for the Buffalo Road subdivision, with the staff-recommended conditions carried forward from the conditional-zoning approval. The applicant and town staff confirmed wetlands on the site and described the permit path with state and federal regulators.

- East Coast Greenway feasibility study (Johnston County): Johnston County Parks requested the council's endorsement of a feasibility study that identifies a likely 3.9-mile route through Smithfield as part of the East Coast Greenway/Mount Sisseton Trail. The county said the study strengthens grant applications and helps ensure DOT considers trail accommodations when rebuilding bridges. Council voted to endorse the study (motion and second recorded; vote: all in favor).

Votes and procedure: Each motion received a second; where roll-call tallies were recorded the minutes show unanimous or majority support as noted in the meeting. The Local 70 preliminary plat and Buffalo Road plat were approved subject to the planning staff's list of conditions and subsequent construction-plan review. The East Coast Greenway endorsement is a nonbinding endorsement of the feasibility plan to support future funding and design requests.

What happens next: For each subdivision the council approved only preliminary plats and the annexation ordinance; developers must submit construction drawings, obtain UDO and state/federal permits (wetland/stream permits where required) and satisfy the stated conditions before building permits or recording plats. The council asked staff to continue close review of stormwater, tree-resource requirements and traffic impacts.

Quotes and sources: The minutes record the formal motions and that staff recommended approval with conditions; applicant representatives Donnie Adams (Becker Morgan Group) and Corey Mabus (Smithfield Growth LLC) and Jody Lydoff (Smithfield Growth LLC) addressed council during the subdivision hearings. Johnston County Parks representative Adrian O'Neil presented the greenway study.