Wildwood officials will reject a plan by The Villages to build nearly 800 new homes north of County Road 466A unless that plan is amended, Mayor Ed Wolf said Friday.
“It’s not going to be accepted in its present form,” he said. “I guess the ball is in their court.”
The plan was unveiled two weeks ago during a workshop at the Wildwood City Hall. A development application has not been submitted.
At the workshop, the mayor said he would prefer a mixed-use development and that the current plan fails to meet Wildwood land development regulations standards, including sidewalks and trees.
He also expressed concern that the influx of new residents could control the city commission since single-member districts were voted down in the last election.
A mixed-use project called Trailwinds was announced for the area three years ago, but nothing was built.
The property is within the Wildwood city limits since The Villages is unincorporated. Wildwood would provide water and sewer services and maintain some of the roads.
The proposed Villages development would include 785 villa and designer style homes on 222 acres of a 300-acre area known as the Beaumont/Trailwinds property across from Pinellas Plaza.
Adjacent to current Villages homes north of County Road 466A, it also would include a golf course, recreation center and a commercial parcel. The Villages would seek an exemption from Wildwood’s tree ordinance.
Wildwood would collect more than $3.6 million from the development in tax revenue, water and sewer billing and impact fees for water, sewer, parks and recreation.
But Wolf said any development on the property must benefit Wildwood residents.
“We wouldn’t want anything unless it’s good for us now or in the future,” he said. “It’s definitely got to serve the citizens of Wildwood.”
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