Residents of the Turnberry Place subdivision asked the Wildwood City Council on Aug. 11 to allow the neighborhood to keep the locked Stryker entrance closed or to permit an appeal of the department’s recent assessment that recommended removal.

Lauren Jordan, speaking for Turnberry Place, told the council the neighborhood has invested time and labor to maintain and beautify the closed entrance and that emergency responders have not reported access problems in 29 years. “We would like the opportunity to appeal the analysis made by Public Works,” Jordan said, and offered to fund and perform additional landscaping improvements if the city will help with paving or other road‑surface work.

Why it matters: The council has been developing a forward‑looking policy limiting gates or obstructions on public streets. That policy is intended primarily for new developments, but the city also committed to inventory and review existing closures to ensure they meet safety and access standards. Turnberry’s request raises questions about how existing neighborhood closures should be scored, whether the city should require removal, and what process neighborhoods have to provide additional information.

What happened at the meeting
- Public comment: Jordan presented a packet and a proposed plan for landscaping and said Turnberry residents would cover most beautification costs. She asked the city to delay removal and to let the HOA pursue an appeal of the Public Works rating.
- Public Works assessment: City staff reported the department had inspected closures throughout the city and gave Turnberry an assessment score (reported in the discussion as about 75). Staff said part of the council’s earlier direction was to notify affected HOAs and provide a chance to submit additional information that could affect scoring. Public Works said formal notification to the HOA was not yet completed and will be done in writing.
- Next steps: Council members encouraged the HOA to present additional evidence to the Administration and Public Works Committee and recommended bringing the item before that committee for full review. Staff said any change to traffic restrictions or any ordinance amendment would require a public process and, if needed, an update in the city budget to coordinate sidewalk or slab replacement work.

What residents asked for: Turnberry residents requested (1) formal written notice of the score and the department’s findings, (2) an administrative appeal opportunity or committee review, and (3) city assistance limited to pavement or concrete slab work while the HOA would fund beautification and bollards.

City response: Public Works said it will formally notify the HOA of the rating and the reasons, then accept additional documentation as part of the review. Council members suggested the Administration & Public Works Committee is the appropriate forum for a follow‑up hearing and encouraged HOA participation at that committee meeting.