The Smith Hill planned unit development will include 167 single-family homes and 98 townhomes, with the completed development expected about in 2044, according to a detailed development plan submitted to Richmond’s planning department.
Smith Hill submitted a drainage plan and traffic study for one of two upcoming steps necessary for the development to proceed. The city scheduled presentation of an ordinance authorizing $8,660,000 in public-private financing during Richmond Common Council’s Monday meeting. Then, the Smith Hill petition for primary plat approval was scheduled for consideration during the Richmond Advisory Plan Commission’s Aug. 26 meeting, but it will be tabled until the 5:30 p.m. Sept. 23 meeting.
The financing plan includes $4,330,000 from the state’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative. That award requires a one-to-one public match that is planned to include $3,230,000 in tax increment financing revenues from the Richmond Redevelopment Commission and $1,100,000 in land value donated by Reid Health for the project. The donation replaces a $1 million payment Reid owed Richmond upon completion of land mitigation at the former hospital site along Chester Boulevard.
The financing is earmarked for infrastructure necessary for Smith Hill’s initial phase, which is planned to include 55 single-family homes, including 14 cottages. Any remaining money would cascade to infrastructure costs for the next phases.
After introduction of the financing ordinance to council, the Redevelopment Commission was scheduled Aug. 18 to consider adopting a resolution that authorizes using TIF funds as READI match money. The Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County also must conduct a public hearing and provide a recommendation to council about the funding ordinance. Council would then conduct a public hearing on the ordinance’s second reading, prior to voting.
Also in September, the plan commission would conduct its public hearing about the development’s plat plan. The development’s submitted site plan includes the 167 single-family homes in four lot sizes, plus 24 townhome buildings and five retention ponds on 79.65 acres south of Backmeyer Road between South 37th Street and Garwood Road.
The 167 homes would include 14 with minimum lots of 13,000 square feet, 48 with minimum lots of 9,750 square feet, 51 with minimum lots of 7,800 square feet and 54 cottages with minimum lots of 2,400 square feet. The filed plan does not mention whether any of the single-family homes would be rentals.
Development would begin with 55 home sites in 2027, then proceed to the townhomes in 2028. A third phase of 37 home sites is planned for 2030, with the final phase of 75 home sites beginning in 2036. Complete buildout is expected by about 2044.
A drainage plan with five retention ponds covering 4.7 acres was also submitted. Three of the ponds would control water discharge to the county-maintained Scott Ditch across South 37th Street. One pond controls discharge to the southeast and the last to the southwest.
The development plan includes three entrances along South 37th Street, two of which serve the townhomes. A fourth entrance connects to Garwood.
The traffic study by HWC Engineering estimates 161 vehicle trips entering (40) and exiting (121) the development during the morning peak of 7 to 9 a.m. It estimates 204 trips entering (124) and exiting (80) the development during the afternoon peak from 4 to 6 p.m.
The study recommends installation of a traffic light or construction of a roundabout at the intersection of South 37th and Backmeyer. It also recommends changes at two National Road East intersections: a southbound right-turn lane on Elks Country Club Road and northbound and southbound left-turn lanes on Garwood and Hayes Arboretum roads.
The detailed development plan, drainage plan and traffic study are available at Richmond’s online planning and zoning dashboard, wwn.to/smithhillplan.
A version of this article will appear in the August 19 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
