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The Villages
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Villagers by next year will be dominant population in Wildwood

Wildwood commissioners Monday night approved plats for 469 more homes in the Villages of Southern Oaks as the massive development continues its trek south of State Road 44.

The homes are in both single-family neighborhoods and villas in two areas near Warm Springs Avenue (County Road 468) and the Florida Turnpike.

Commissioners also discussed how the development is changing the complexion of their city. By next year, a majority of Wildwood residents will be Villagers.

The three neighborhoods and three villas will not include significant amenities, according to the plans.

With 104 homes on about 34 acres, the Southern Oaks Unit 39 neighborhood will be north of Warm Springs Ave. and south of the turnpike. Cliff Villas, with 56 homes on about nine acres, and Cade Villas, with 50 homes on about nine acres, will be in the same area.

Southern Oaks Unit 40, with 112 homes on about 35 acres, is south of Warm Springs Avenue and south of the turnpike. Chase Villas, with 56 homes on about seven acres, and Unit 41, with 91 homes on about 18 acres, will be in the same area.

The giant Villages development helped Wildwood set a record of 282 new home permits issued in February, according to City Manager Jason McHugh. Of those permits, 213 were in The Villages.

Commissioner Joe Elliott, who serves on a committee that is working to update the city charter, said the expansive Villages development means demographic changes for Wildwood.

By next year, he said Villages residents will make up 52 percent of the city’s population. That number will rise to 65 percent in 2022 and to 75 percent by 2026.

Elliott said the committee has looked at, but not recommended, alternatives such as having commissioners run in districts instead of at large or having the commission choose the mayor instead of electing him.

When it is completed, the Southern Oaks development could nearly double the size of The Villages, which has about 65,000 homes, if all permitted homes are built.

Last year, Wildwood added 5,664 acres to Southern Oaks, nearly doubling the number of permitted homes to 49,330. The number of permitted homes often is higher than the number actually built. Condominiums and apartments also are allowed in Southern Oaks.

Earlier this year, the Villages Land Co. submitted master plans to Wildwood for 1,620 acres of Southern Oaks.

The development also may include up to 11.2 million square feet of non-residential uses, such as commercial, and up to 1.4 million square feet of government or office space.

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