The new Smithfield Youth Council leadership was sworn in at Wednesday night’s city council meeting. Brent Perez, youth council mayor; Jacob Low, mayor pro tem; Matt Dewey, treasurer; Liz Olsen, historian; Garrett Mantz, councilman; and Whitney Baker, recorder stood before the Smithfield City Council while Dean Clegg, city recorder, read to them the oath of office.

Family and friends filled the seats, took pictures and then whisked them away after the ceremony for more pictures. The Youth Council consists of 26 youths (including the six leaders) who gain experience on how municipal governments work as well as do service projects for the city throughout the year.

Public roads

The amended Planned Unit Development (PUD) ordinance passed with changes to road requirements for all future PUDs. These changes require all PUDs to install 50-road right-of-ways with two sidewalks, 4-foot planter strips (for snow removal storage) and 26-foot wide pavement from curb-to-curb.

All roads in PUDs are required to be public and will be maintained by the city — both for snow removal and pavement maintenance. Private driveways will be allowed where they are not longer than 150-feet and serve only four homes or two multiple family units.

Yard setbacks from the street are set to a minimum of 20-feet from the sidewalk. This allows a car to park in the driveway without hanging over the sidewalk.

Land divided

Donn Goode received approval to divide his land into three parcels. “I’m tired of mowing it,” said Goode as he was making the request. The land next to his house will become a separate plot. Goode says he already has a buyer and wanted to move on it right away.