The Wildwood Historic Preservation Commission voted to endorse staff work to pursue incentives and protections aimed at saving the JP Connell House, a historic residence at the intersection of Manchester Road (Historic Route 66), St. Albans Road and State Route 100.

The endorsement came after Planning Department staff reported that a commercial developer identified in the meeting as JG Grewe said it holds the property under contract and wants to restore and reconfigure the parcel so the historic house sits on a much smaller lot while the larger remainder stays in agricultural use. The commission approved a motion to “acknowledge what we know at this stage” and to continue discussions; the motion passed by voice vote with no opposition recorded.

The preservation path staff outlined would start with a Historic Preservation Commission recommendation, then Planning and Zoning consideration and finally City Council action. Key steps include placing the JP Connell House on Wildwood’s local register and completing any rezoning and subdivision necessary to create a small parcel for the house and a separate agricultural parcel for the remainder.

Why it matters: the property was the subject of a demolition request to the city in 2024 by the then-owner, St. Albans Properties. Community members and local preservation interests have since explored alternatives. Staff called the current proposal “a golden opportunity” to preserve the structure while leaving most acreage as agricultural land.

What the commission heard and asked: staff said the site is roughly 15 acres and described an approach that would create a very small lot for the house (discussed ranges were roughly 3,000–5,000 square feet in examples given) with the remaining roughly 14 acres designated and assessed as agricultural. At the meeting staff noted a county tax-assessment example discussed by commissioners: a residential assessment rate referenced as 19% versus an agricultural assessment rate referenced as 12%, which staff said was driving the owner’s interest in a small-lot configuration to minimize taxes.

Commission members pressed staff on safeguards: whether creating a very small lot could leave the house boxed by incompatible development, how to prevent later rezoning that undercuts the historic setting, and how to preserve mature trees and yard character. Staff and several commissioners suggested options including:
- Using the historic land-use category in the city’s master plan to authorize incentives tied to preservation;
- Placing the asset on the city’s local register and using rezoning/subdivision conditions or an ordinance to specify allowable future uses (staff mentioned bed-and-breakfast, professional or general office, or museum/association office as examples);
- Employing a conservation easement around the house to preserve trees and the setting; and
- Drafting incentive ordinances that could include repayment provisions if agreed conditions were not met — staff cited a previous local ordinance that required repayment of waived fees when conditions were violated as precedent.

Next steps and direction: commissioners agreed to form a small working group to work with staff and the owner’s representative to flesh out parcel lines, draft potential easement language and develop the list of permissible uses that would be written into any rezoning or incentive ordinance. Staff committed to return with precise survey and lot-line proposals, draft incentive concepts, and a timeline for the Planning & Zoning and City Council steps.

Discussion versus decision: the commission’s action at the meeting was an endorsement to continue negotiations and to have a small committee work with staff and the owner’s representative. No final ordinance, rezoning, subdivision approval or formal designation to the city register was adopted at the meeting.

Speakers at the discussion included Planning Department staff (presenting the memorandum and process), the owner’s representative identified in the record as Ms. Gruy, representatives of the Wildwood Property Sanctuary who had previously engaged the owner, and multiple commission members who asked questions during the item.

What remains unresolved: exact lot lines and the final size of a lot for the house; the text of any incentive ordinance or conservation easement; whether City Council will approve rezoning and register listing; and whether the contracted buyer completes purchase and follows through with restoration.