Wellington approves first reading of rezoning for 71-acre K Park mixed-use project, including Windgrove Academy

The Wellington Village Council on Jan. 27 approved on first reading Ordinance 2026‑06, rezoning about 71.27 acres formerly known as K Park to a Multiple Use Plan Development (MUPD). The unanimous 4–0 vote clears the rezoning step for a mixed‑use project that the applicant says will include Windgrove Academy (a private pre‑K–12 school), retail and restaurants, a 180‑room hotel and an option for up to 215 multifamily units split into two future phases.

Why it matters: the rezoning aligns zoning with a previously adopted mixed‑use land use and permits a coordinated campus that developers and school proponents say will deliver regional retail, dining, a hotel and a full K–12 independent school campus adjacent to established Wellington neighborhoods.

Staff and applicant details: Planning staff presented the master‑plan framework and conditions. Pod A (the institutional pod) is about 43.76 acres and is proposed for the school; staff reported Pod A would contain roughly 405,000 square feet of school buildings and a target full build enrollment of 1,750 students. Pod B (approximately 24.05 acres) was described as the commercial pod with roughly 410,000 square feet of retail, 105,000 square feet of restaurants (including about 20,000 square feet of outdoor dining), office space, and a 180‑room hotel. The applicant told council Phase 1 will emphasize the mixed‑use retail and restaurant program, with only a small amount of residential in the first phase (about 15 vertically integrated units above retail) and a conditional ability to add up to about 200 additional units in later phases if market conditions warrant.

Traffic and mitigation: Brian Kelly, the project’s traffic engineer, told council the traffic study was reviewed by village, county and FDOT reviewers and that the proposal meets local performance standards. The project includes substantial roadway improvements around the Stribling Way/State Road 7 intersection: additional northbound left turn capacity, added left and right turn lanes, and new/modified signalized intersections or roundabouts at several locations; the developer will construct turn lanes, widen roadways where required and fund specified off‑site improvements. A school traffic operations plan will require staggered start and dismissal times, a dedicated bus loop (with buses stored off‑site), and on‑site stacking lanes intended to prevent queuing on adjacent public streets.

Parking and monitoring: A shared‑parking analysis estimated peak demand at about 954 spaces; the applicant proposed approximately 1,023 spaces and several contingency mechanisms (valet, agreements with Life Church, and the possibility of future structured parking). Staff also added a 10‑year annual monitoring requirement to evaluate whether additional mitigation is needed.

Conditions and community benefits: As part of the rezoning staff and the applicant proposed a project standards manual that includes conditions for landscaping, street trees and public‑realm features. The developer must dedicate or pay for park and civic land (including a $94,000 payment to the school district noted by staff), contribute to median plantings along State Road 7 ($75 per linear foot), fund certain utility and lift‑station upgrades, and pay $600 per internal lot tree for any required tree the developer does not plant on site.

Neighbors and outstanding issues: Several neighbors, including Oakmont Estates representatives, signaled conditional support while pressing for a taller construction and privacy barrier along the shared boundary. Oakmont requested a 10‑foot wall; the project standards manual currently reflects a 6‑foot wall, and the applicant said they will continue discussions with Oakmont and explore alternatives such as enhanced landscaping. Councilmembers said they want the matter worked through before second reading.

Next steps: Council approved the ordinance on first reading by voice vote (4–0). The master plan, the project standards manual and the two conditional uses (the hotel and the school) will return for consideration at second reading, where remaining details, deviations and final conditions will be considered.

Quoted: Traffic consultant Brian Kelly said, “We meet the village traffic performance standards and the Palm Beach County traffic performance standards,” and school proponent Jeff Clark said the Windgrove project aims to “welcome up to 1,750 students on this campus, pre K to 12.”

Procedural note: Because the item is quasi‑judicial, staff administered the oath and collected party disclosures before hearing testimony and public comment.