Wellington, Florida

Land Development Regulations
   

For the newly incorporated Village of Wellington , Duncan Associates translated the Palm Beach County code, which had previously governed development, into municipal regulations reflecting the scale and issues of the much smaller and more homogenous jurisdiction. The geographic area of the Village is largely based upon the Wellington Planned Unit Development (PUD) approved in the early 1970s. With the exception of lacking an identifiable town center, the Village contains many aspects of a traditional neighborhood development: a clearly defined road network with a hierarchy of streets, a variety of neighborhoods, a broad mix of housing types, a limited number of community-serving commercial centers in walking distance of many residents, and low density agricultural and equestrian uses surrounding much of the Village. The overall intent of the project was to retain the best and most applicable portions of the County’s voluminous code, eliminate unnecessary requirements and integrate new code provisions that recognize the realities of applying the regulations in a municipal context. Extensive provisions regarding agricultural activities, industrial uses and airports were proposed for elimination. New provisions included implementation of the Village’s complex comprehensive plan, architectural and site design standards for new buildings, protection of the community’s vital equestrian character and determining vested rights for existing developments within the PUD. The project has not been completed, precipitated in part by staff changes and an overwhelming development pressure, including such items as South Florida’s newest regional mall, extensive housing developments, annexation and extensive litigation based on land use and environmental considerations.