October 25, 2025
Smithfield Council Delays Hearing On Controversial 1,147-Home Subdivision
SMITHFIELD — A public hearing on a proposed 1,147-lot residential development was unexpectedly postponed during the Smithfield Town Council’s September 16 meeting, following a last-minute request by the developer. The council unanimously agreed to postpone the hearing to its next regularly scheduled meeting on October 7.
The delay came without explanation and occurred in front of a large turnout of nearby residents, many of whom attended the meeting to express opposition to the proposed Bellamy subdivision.
The proposed development, submitted by Rock Towers Partners LLC, would bring 870 single-family detached homes and 277 townhomes to approximately 498 acres located near Wilson’s Mills Road, Turnage Road, and Lee-Youngblood Road. The site falls within Smithfield’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and lies near the Wilson’s Mills town limits.
Plans for Bellamy include a centralized private amenity center with a clubhouse, pool, sports courts, and a playground. The developers also proposed nine pocket parks of at least half an acre each, three of which would contain active playground equipment. Access to the site would be provided via one entrance on Wilson’s Mills Road and four access points on Lee-Youngblood Road.
On September 4, the Smithfield Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend denial of the developer’s conditional zoning request, citing inconsistencies with the town’s Future Land Use Plan, incompatibility with surrounding rural development, and concerns about increased traffic.
Although the Planning Board’s decision serves as a recommendation, final approval or denial rests with the Town Council. The unexpected delay has extended the timeline for a final decision, which now moves to the October 7 meeting.
The Bellamy proposal follows closely behind the council’s recent unanimous approval of Mallard Crossing, a separate 1,327-home development on Mallard Road east of Interstate 95. The scale of both proposals have raised concerns about the pace of residential growth in Smithfield’s rural outskirts.
Discover more from JoCo Report
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
POSTPONE IT INDEFINTLEY!!!!! STOP THE DANG BUILDING, you greedy people
@Save: Why do you think you (or anyone) should dictate what a land owner wants to do woth their own land? You Snowflakes libs make me sick! If you want to “save” the land, then you should have purchased it yourself. This government overreach (and snowflake complaining) must stop! #MAGA
I’m a Republican and I fully support stopping this as well. Why attack people with juvenile temper tantrums like you did? No wonder our state of society looks like it does when people treat people
Like you did.
@JD: You might be a Republican, but you’re no conservative if you choose to ignore the rights of actual landowners. Sounds like you’re a RINO. #MAGA
The meeting was postponed hoping the opposition would get discouraged and go away. Maybe the next one won’t get publicized so much and be forgotten.
Doing whatever you want with your land regardless of cost to others is not conservatism, it’s libertarianism.
I’m guessing you’re opposed to building codes, too. Builders should be able to build anything they want, hiding the defects and dangers, buyer beware.
There’s plenty of room east of Pine Level. The western half of the county is already beyond capacity, reducing standard of living.
I feel sorry for people living in this town. It is growing faster than people can adapt. The town is literally changing overnight. It can’t lead to anything good. Money doesn’t always buy happiness.
I’d rather cry in my BMW than on my bike
This development will make a mess for the future of Wilson’s Mills and Smithfield areas . Greed.
Enough is enough! Just stop already money hungry greedy people
I totally agree !
Everything built so far is crappy looking. Pure crap. Nobody adheres to the guidelines, rules, and restrictions. They submit plans and you give in all the time.
fix the falling apart houses in the middle of town first
If they approve it, they need to expand fire station 2 to hold more apparatus and staff. They need to add more police officers.
The biggest issue our roads and infrastructure have shown we are wayyy far behind. It shouldn’t take 1hr 15 to travel to work compared to what normally takes 30 min.
Save the farm land, save the farmers. Have some decency! Vote against this!!
There is a need for housing in the area. If Smithfield doesn’t allow it, the project will just go to the next municipality for its sewer needs. The Smithfield Planning Board really let show their lack of vision for the Town of Smithfield when they gave into the needs of the few who live along this section of Wilson’s Mills Road. Change is inevitable and much needed.
All this construction, everywhere is making me sick! Poor Angier is exploding as well and the roads can’t handle all the new incoming traffic!.
Pretty soon Earth is going to run out of oxygen if we keep tearing down trees and building more subdivisions! We also need farms that provide substinance to eat for survival. This farm has been in that family for more years than some can count. They could sell it and become very rich, but their love for the land and food provision is a much better plan! Please stop pushing out our farmers!
I do not know anything about this particular subdivision, but these town should not be allowing houses crammed so close together that a lawnmower can only go one way between the homes. I see neighborhoods like this in Clayton. No curbs, no sidewalks, and houses on top of each other. It looks terrible. For goodness sakes, spread them out. Smaller homes under $300K, no amenities, no HOA. The builder can build whatever, like a couple of small parks, and turn it over to the city. Keep it simple and affordable, but not so affordable that it gets trashed.
Johnston County has always been agricultural. Those of us born and raised here don’t want city life. They build all those homes then they’ll look to buy more farmland to build city amenities. My personal property tax doubled in Johnston County and in Princeton this year. Myself and many other older residents just can’t pay their taxes as is because of the build up of Flower’s Plantation. We as taxpayers should not to be taxed for rich people for their infrastructure. If you find a way for people that would be building those homes to pay for the infrastructure including more fire departments, police and all other services let them pay but leave lower income, retirees and disabled alone.
100% Agree! In addition, the homes are for the young. Very few have a master bedroom on the main floor. One floor plan does not have a full or 1/2 bathroom on the main floor.