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Chair Pride urges clearer submission rules, board keeps preliminary-plan requirement for conditional uses
Summary
At a July work session the Smithfield Board of Supervisors reviewed a revised submission-criteria draft that removes obsolete zoning references, preserves a newly added requirement to file preliminary land-development plans with conditional-use applications, and delays any decision on sunsetting approvals.
Chair Jacob Pride said at the board's July work session that the township will finalize a pared-back revision to its submission criteria and keep a requirement that applicants submit preliminary land-development plans with conditional-use filings.
The change is intended to remove residual references to zoning categories that no longer exist and to speed processing by reducing paper submittals, Pride said. “I would still like to require preliminary land development at the time of a conditional use,” Pride said, arguing that having more detail up front helps the board impose meaningful conditions.
Board members discussed a previously proposed 'sunsetting' approach to conditional-use approvals but did not act. Several supervisors said sunset language must be written so it applies only where an approved conditional use is not implemented, not as a mechanism to force repeated reapplication for projects that proceed. One member warned against requiring applicants to reapply periodically, saying the board should be careful about timing and legal authority.
The board also noted the draft increases digital submissions and renderings to reduce manual processing delays. Staff and the engineer will continue revisions and expect to bring the clarified language back for further review in coming meetings; no ordinance vote occurred at the work session.
