Town Center

Planning for the Town Center

In 1996, the City of Wildwood adopted a comprehensive master plan to provide a road map for the future growth of the entire community. A key element of that plan was the designation of a new Town Center. The intent of this designation was to provide the community with a dynamic mixed-use environment where people could live, work, and play, and provide the entire city with a focal point and stronger sense of community identity.

The Plan

As a result of this action, and later that year, the city engaged the firm of Duany Plater-Zyberk to prepare a Town Center Plan for an 820-acre study area centered at the intersection of state routes 100 and 109.

Following a planning process that culminated with a planning "charrette" (intensive multi-day planning session), the consultants presented the Town Center Plan in early 1996. Because of concerns expressed by property owners in the selected area for this new concept, the city next established a phase two planning process to address the concerns raised and modify the plan accordingly.

Phase Two

Phase two included the creation of a Citizen Advisory Committee to work with the existing Town Center participants, and numerous public meetings were held. The key results of phase two included a modified regulating plan identifying use designations, and the determination of specific permitted activities within each land use category.