Wildwood committee reviews senior-housing proposal for Manchester Road site

The Development and Review Committee on Feb. 12 reviewed a proposal to build senior-oriented housing on about 10.5 acres on the north side of Manchester Road in Wildwood. Department of Planning staff summarized site features and the petitioner described a mix of attached villas, duplexes/fourplexes and a three-story building with surface parking and a potential shared access to the adjacent Old Pond School property.

The Planning Department presentation said, “Just a few quick facts about the site. Site is just over 10 acres in size. The petitioner is proposing 114 units on the property. It is orientated towards senior living,” language presented by planning staff during the meeting. Jacob Engel, the petitioner’s representative, described the layout as a multibuilding plan with “one 3‑story building that includes 48 units” plus villas and small multiunit buildings around the edge of the property and said the project would likely be developed in “2 or 3 phases.”

The committee’s chair and the mayor (recorded only by title in the transcript) said the villas are a strength of the proposal for Wildwood residents seeking to downsize while…