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Smithfield council denies Powell Track preliminary plat after safety and traffic concerns
Summary
Council denied a quasi‑judicial application for the Powell Track preliminary plat (S‑24‑5), an 18‑lot subdivision on Swift Creek Road, following multiple resident comments citing dangerous road curves, concerns about traffic data and stormwater, and staff discussion of DOT thresholds and septic rules.
The Town of Smithfield council voted to deny the special‑use/subdivision request for S‑24‑5 (Powell Track), an 18‑lot single‑family preliminary plat on roughly 11.1 acres on Swift Creek Road in the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Planning staff outlined the proposal and five recommended conditions — including meeting UDO construction drawing standards, establishing a homeowners association to maintain sidewalks and mailbox kiosk areas, landscaping/buffering consistent with the UDO, and a 15‑foot street‑yard easement. Staff noted the project was below the town and NCDOT thresholds that would automatically trigger a full traffic impact analysis and that DOT had reviewed the driveway permit without requiring turn lanes for Swift Creek Road.
The applicant’s engineer, Jonathan Barnes of Dalton Engineering, confirmed the plan is a one‑phase project with 18 lots, curb and gutter, one sided sidewalk and an HOA to maintain the sidewalk and mail kiosk. Barnes said the owner/developer agreed to the draft recommended conditions.
Multiple residents urged the council to delay or deny the request, citing traffic safety and stormwater. One resident, William Fred McClure Jr., told the council bluntly: "That road is dangerous, folks... Until you get that full traffic assessment, you can't do it until that bridge is fixed." Another resident said traffic counts were skewed by a Veterans Day sample and questioned DOT’s lack of an additional study.
Council discussed the statutory quasi‑judicial standard and the need for evidence that the subdivision fails to meet legal criteria. After deliberation a motion to deny the preliminary plat was made and seconded; the motion carried by recorded vote (motion carries 3 to 1). The council did not list detailed findings on the record beyond the motion to deny. The denial means the applicant cannot proceed with the proposed plat as presented and may revise and resubmit or seek appeal.
