A 300-unit apartment project is planned on the northwest corner of U.S. 301 and County Road 216 in Wildwood.
Special Magistrate Lindsay C.T. Holt recommended approval of a comprehensive plan amendment, rezoning and a developer’s agreement for Wildwood Place at a meeting Tuesday of the city Planning and Zoning Board. The City Commission may consider the project later this month.
Wildwood Place also will include commercial retail and offices along the highway in a future phase. County Road 472 lies east of the intersection.
In a four-page letter to Holt, an adjacent property owner cited traffic issues and she questioned Ryan Thompson, representing the developer, about those concerns.
The project would result in 3,003 daily trips and will require widening to CR 216 along with intersection improvements.
Holt said widening the county road should be handled by the developer while intersection improvements, planned for next year, would be done by Sumter County and the state.
Changing the zoning to R-4 and C-3 would allow up to 15 residential units per acre. About 25 acres would be designated for residential with the rest of the 34.8-acre property designated for commercial.
Wildwood Place would be one of several apartment communities along the west side of U.S. 301. It is north of PepperTree Apartments and the Twisted Oaks development, planned near the U.S. 301 overpass.
The project comes as Wildwood has been working to increase its sewage treatment capacity to meet growing demand. Last month, commissioners rejected a temporary moratorium on residential growth.
