Editorial: Time for Wellington to decide on its future downtown

It seems like forever that the Village of Wellington has been toying with the idea of transforming its K-Park parcel into a fundamental building block of a downtown the village has never had. Faced with offers to develop the 70-acre site at Stribling Way and State Road 7, the council should vote to sell the land to the Related Ross.

It may be a controversial decision to some but a necessary step if Wellington is serious about dealing with its need for a vibrant downtown community. Right now, K-Park remains the village's best development tool to not only build a livable downtown that uses density to better stimulate the village's growth but also to spur needed changes to the nearby Mall of Wellington Green, a privately-owned parcel also needing a fix.

Wellington tries again for a downtown: How Wellington is growing: Related Ross. gets chance to turn K-Park into 'downtown area'

Earlier in the year, the village council voted to continue talks with Related Ross, giving staff direction to work with the developer to come up with a viable proposal. The village's decision to pass on a proposal by village resident Jim Ward, who wanted to buy K-Park for $54 million and build a mixed-use development on the site, was a good one. Related Ross has the resources and clout to transform K-Park and ultimately spur those wanted changes to the nearby mall.

Village negotiations with Related Ross continue but the onus is now on the council to take the needed vote. A vote to approve still gives the village the power to shape the final design of the development. The developer must still get the approval of the village planning board and a final vote from the council before construction can begin. That's a legitimate check the village has in working with Related Ross that gives residents the final say on the project.

Wellington's taken a long time on K-Park plan In an ideal world, the steps leading to the development of K-Park would have happened in a much different way. The community, knowing the potential value of the parcel, would have come together through a series of charrettes, community meetings and town halls to discuss what they wanted to see on the site and, more importantly, develop a realistic strategy to achieve it. Once consensus was reached, the village would have put out a request for proposals the process that would hopefully attract the right developer with the right proposal.

Instead the village finds itself in the awkward position of pushing for a development plan but still lacking a community consensus for the parcel. Some want to start the process all over, urging the council to scrap the plan in front of it by issuing a new request for proposals. Others want community meetings to discuss what should be on the site — how much and what type of housing, what kind of entertainment venues, green space, parking, bike lanes — legitimate questions raised late in the process.

In the real world, the village council faces a decision about a "village square" mixed-use development of low-rise buildings, bike trails and parks, 120,000 square feet of commercial office space and 500 apartments or condos.

The one complication, a private school that Related Ross insists should be included in the project, remains a sticking point that shouldn't be a deal-breaker. It's up to village officials to ensure that any part of the proposal meets the community's needs as well as those of the developer. The responsibility falls to the developer to bring in a school that meets the village's expectations. If they want the deal, they had better find the right school.

Over the past 15 years, the village has considered a Palm Beach State College campus, a baseball complex, a senior center community, an equestrian venue, a mixed use development with a botanical garden. The ideas came but nothing stuck. The decision should be easier now that the village has a workable plan and a credible developer.

"What Wellington is missing is Wellington's version of an urban experience," a Related Ross representative once said.

Choosing Related Ross may not please everyone but it's a necessary step toward a more dynamic Wellington.