Meritage Homes is seeking approval to rezone a 30-acre site in Wellington, Florida, for a proposed 206-townhome development. The homebuilder, based in Scottsdale, Arizona and led by Phillippe Lord, has submitted applications for rezoning and master planning to local authorities.
The proposed project covers six lots at addresses on Velazquez Road and Rembrandt Road, located near Lion Country Safari. Each townhome lot would range between 1,800 and 2,100 square feet. The Wellington Planning and Zoning Board as well as the Village Council will need to vote on the proposal; however, no meeting date has been set yet.
This development is part of a trend where rural parts of Palm Beach County are seeing increased redevelopment activity focused on housing complexes. These areas remain among the few in South Florida with sufficient land for larger residential communities.
Westlake, incorporated in 2016 as Palm Beach County’s newest municipality, is another example of this growth. Master developer Minto Communities acquired the 4,000-acre Westlake site in 2013 and has since secured approvals for thousands of homes along with commercial space, educational facilities, and emergency services infrastructure.
Palm Beach Gardens also features significant development with Avenir, a master-planned community spanning 4,800 acres at Northlake and Coconut boulevards. Avenir is approved for nearly 3,900 residential units—primarily single-family homes—as well as a hotel with 300 rooms, extensive medical office space, retail space totaling 400,000 square feet, and a large nature preserve. Landstar of Coral Gables serves as the master developer for Avenir.
Another notable community near Wellington is Arden. Covering about 1,200 acres and approved for up to 2,300 homes, Arden promotes an “agrihood” lifestyle centered around its five-acre farm where residents can cultivate their own produce. Lennar has spent more than $226 million acquiring homesites within Arden.
