Planning board recommends mixed‑use future land use for Kpark property; ordinance forwarded to council

The Village of Wellington Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of a village‑initiated future land use map amendment that would change the 71.28‑acre property known as Kpark from community facilities (with a 5.3‑acre commercial pocket) to a mixed‑use designation, clearing a step toward rezoning and master‑plan applications by a prospective buyer.

Tim Stillings, planning department staff, told the board the property sits at the southwest corner of Strickland Way and State Road 7 and ‘‘is approximately 71.28 acres. Currently has a land use designation of community facilities for the majority of it, and commercial for a 5.3 acre portion ... This proposal is to change that to a mixed use land use.’’ He said the village previously purchased the site in 2003, later leased it for farming, and entered a purchase‑and‑sale agreement earlier in 2025 with a related buyer that plans rezoning, a master plan and site plan after this land use change.

The staff report, entered into the record, evaluated comprehensive plan goals and policies and cited a market study by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council recommending flexible mixes of uses. The report also said future developers would be required to provide parkland and civic dedication based on population estimates or pay in‑lieu fees, and that a school compatibility determination from the Palm Beach County School District would be required for any rezoning or master plan, potentially triggering offset obligations for school impacts.

Board members asked about transportation, walkability and preservation of green space. Stillings said Wellington’s traffic engineer concluded the land use change does not alter roadway level of service compared with existing uses, but that a detailed concurrency traffic analysis and coordination with Palm Beach County would be required for later development applications. He also said regional transit planning — work by the Transportation Planning Agency and a separate feasibility study by FDOT — could influence future transit connections along the State Road 7 corridor.

Questions about park dedication centered on how much land a future development would need to set aside. Stillings explained the village’s standard: roughly 5 acres per 1,000 residents generated by a development. Using an example figure discussed by staff (about 500 residential units), he said that would equate to roughly 1,500 residents and a requirement of about 7.5 acres of parkland plus 1.5 acres of civic land; if the property cannot accommodate required acreage, developers may provide in‑lieu payments or privately owned but publicly accessible open space, with the village granting partial credit in some cases.

After a brief public hearing with no speakers, a board member moved to approve PZ0368 (ordinance number 202504 for Kpark) and the motion passed by voice vote with no opposition. Staff and board members noted minor clerical corrections to the staff report would be made before the item proceeds to council.

Further zoning, density calculations and roadway access details will be determined during subsequent rezoning, master‑plan and site‑plan applications; staff said the mixed‑use designation allows a floor‑area‑ratio of 0.5 and a residential density of up to 22 units per acre, and that an overall master plan would apply the density across the full 71‑plus acres if the applicant seeks a PUD/master plan for the entire site.