Developer proposes Stone Mill–style luxury lots on Brown property; planners flag density and street-width issues

A developer representing Wayland Custom Homes asked the Wildwood Planning and Zoning Development Review Committee on March 6 to consider a planned residential development (PRD) for two parcels at the terminus of West Avenue that would replicate the nearby Stone Mill subdivision with large lots and side-entry garages.

The petitioner, Mike Whelan, said the project would include lots “in the 14 to $15,000 square foot range” with homes priced roughly “a million 5 to 2 and a half million” dollars. Whelan told the committee he would seek flexibility in lot layout to save trees and that his civil engineer, Mike Vanderheide, was available to address technical questions.

Planning staff said the parcels are currently designated in the city master plan as suburban residential and noted the master plan’s target density for that area is about 1.75 lots per acre. Staff told the committee the existing zoning is a non-urban residential district, which requires roughly three acres per unit, and that the applicant is proposing an R‑1 (one‑and‑a‑half‑acre) residential district with a PRD overlay to achieve the higher yield.

Vanderheide described the stormwater approach as a detention basin and a bioretention basin routed toward a natural low area in the northeast corner that will connect to storm sewer along West Avenue. “It lays better than Stone Mill as far as directing runoff,” he said, adding the design will incorporate curb inlets leading to basins rather than Stone Mill’s earlier curbless streets.

Commissioners and staff discussed density calculations and right‑of‑way deductions. The petitioner said losing two lots because of the right‑of‑way deduction would make the project financially infeasible; staff said they would investigate options such as private streets and possible waivers or overlay provisions. Staff also noted a public‑safety constraint: the Metro West Fire Protection District has adopted a new fire code that staff said will require streets to be 26.1 feet wide when it takes effect in May 2025.

Council member Cliff Albers asked whether the development planned for on‑street parking on both sides; Whelan replied parking would likely be on one side only. The committee briefly discussed typical garage/driveway configurations (side‑entry garages and larger driveways) and the potential tradeoffs of wider streets versus traffic speed.

No formal zoning change, regulating plan change or vote on the project occurred at the meeting; staff said they would return to the Development and Zoning Review Committee and the zoning review group with options for right‑of‑way treatment and any requested waivers. The applicant said he would wait for that guidance before investing further in engineering and lot layout.