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Committee asks staff for more detail after Windsor Crest residents press for alley dedication
Summary
Windsor Crest homeowners told the Administration & Public Works Committee that private alleys used as primary access have not been accepted under the city’s public dedication policy; the committee voted to ask staff for more information about how Town Center rules and prior adoptions were applied to other subdivisions.
Wildwood’s Administration and Public Works Committee voted to ask staff for additional information about how the city applies its policy for public dedication of private streets and alleys after residents of Windsor Crest told the panel their alleys have not been accepted despite an ordinance that, residents say, intended alleys in Town Center to become public.
The committee’s request, adopted by voice vote, directs staff to report back on the circumstances around the public acceptance of Center Avenue and Evergreen Forest Drive and to clarify whether and how provisions of the Town Center update plan interact with the city’s existing dedication policy.
The request followed nearly 20 minutes of public comment from Windsor Crest residents. Vicky Roboleski, introduced herself as president of the Windsor Crest Homeowners Association, and said the HOA petitioned for dedication after the council amended the dedication policy in 2021 to include alleys in Town Center. Roboleski said Windsor Crest alleys provide primary access to homes and meet the HOA’s understanding of the ordinance, but that an inspection report characterized the alleys as “secondary access” and listed resurfacing as the primary deficiency.
Resident Jim VanEst said Windsor Crest has repeatedly cooperated with the city—signing over street lights, parkland and other easements in previous years—and asked the committee to finalize the alley dedication after what residents describe as years of delay.
City staff represented by Rick (city staff) and the city administrator told the committee the city does have a longstanding inspection requirement in the public dedication policy: when a petition is submitted staff inspects and presents a list of deficiencies that must be corrected before the city will take ownership. For Windsor Crest, staff said resurfacing was identified as the main deficiency; staff also provided a contractor’s estimate of about $137,000 to correct the deficiencies, according to testimony.
Officials pointed to recent examples where alleys and streets went through the same inspection process and were accepted—Main Street Crossing and The Meadows were cited as projects that completed inspection and were accepted after repairs were confirmed. Committee members repeatedly raised concerns about consistent application of the policy, and several members said the policy itself should remain in place while staff provides the requested factual review.
Ending: The committee directed staff to return with a report at the next meeting that explains the inspection findings and cost estimates for Windsor Crest alleys, documents whether and why the city accepted or funded work on other subdivisions (Center Avenue, Evergreen Forest Drive, Crestview), and clarifies how the Town Center master-plan language interacts with the city’s public dedication policy.
