Three high-density housing projects are headed for Wildwood.
Special Magistrate W. Grant Watson gave a green light to all three projects at a meeting Tuesday of the Wildwood Planning and Zoning Committee, recommending them for approval by the city commission.
Wildwood Preserve will have 126 apartments along Powell Road at County Road 144. Another 120 single-family homes are planned at Triumph South, located about 600 to 800 feet south of County Road 462 along County Road 127. Riverstone at Wildwood could have more than 300 units southwest of the intersection of County Road 466 and U.S. 301 in Oxford.
A site plan for the nine-acre Wildwood Preserve was recommended for approval. The apartments will be north of the Citizens First Bank buildings on the east side of Powell Road.
The development will include four 24-unit buildings, one 22-unit building and four two-unit buildings surrounding a parking lot and storm water pond. A larger storm water pond will be at the south end of the property.
It will have 54 one-bedroom units, 37 two-bedroom units and 35 units of three or more bedrooms.
The special magistrate also recommended approval of a final plat for Triumph South if all outstanding issues are resolved. One issue involves an easement for an access road. Homes will be built on smaller lots to make them more affordable as workforce housing.
Starting price for the densely packed detached homes was expected to be $210,000. Wildwood commissioners approved the development more than a year ago and construction was expected to begin this year.
Watson recommended a plan amendment and zoning change for the Riverstone property from commercial to high-density residential, a designation that would allow up to 24 units per acre on 22 acres. But the developer requested a lessor amount of 15 units per acre.
“This project will serve as a transition between the more intense commercial uses along north U.S. 301 and east County Road 466 and the single-family development to the south of Oxford Oaks,” according to a staff report.