Smithfield council approves special-use permit for 17-townhouse Waddell project after traffic review

The Town of Smithfield council approved a special-use permit for Heritage Towns at Waddell, a proposed 17-unit townhouse development on 1.88 acres in the R8 zoning district, after reopening the public hearing to consider supplemental traffic analysis.

Town attorney Jason Wenzel asked council to accept a three-page traffic memorandum from Exalt Engineering as part of the administrative record. Exalt traffic engineer Jason Hamilton summarized the study, saying the road "can hold, accommodate up to 4,400 cars a day" and that the project is projected to generate about "72 total cars per day" with roughly "6 per hour" during peak times — "about 1 every 10 minutes." The council voted to enter the memorandum as an exhibit.

Neighbors and some council members pressed on left-turn safety onto US-301 and on narrow local roads. Resident Charles E. Sanders, who lives at 15 Waddell, told council that "turning left is hard because of Colleen Highway" and asked that the town consider how existing traffic and sightlines would interact with the new development.

Town engineer Bill Dreisler, who reviewed the memorandum, told council his professional assessment that the project "can be adequately supported by the existing transportation infrastructure" and that, on balance, the additional site traffic would be small relative to capacity.

After discussion and with five staff-recommended conditions on record, an unnamed council member moved to approve the special-use permit "with the 5 conditions based on findings of fact"; the motion carried, with Councilman Scott recorded as voting against.

The council recorded no additional changes to the permit; conditions will be part of the administrative record and the permit approval. The decision is administrative and procedural — staff will monitor implementation and any required infrastructure coordination as the project proceeds.