WELLINGTON, Fla. — Wellington Lifestyle Partners is under investigation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for working on wetlands without a permit, according to officials with the federal agency's Jacksonville office.
The company, which is made up of several different investors, received approval from Wellington's Village Council to remove about 90 acres of land from the Equestrian Preserve Area, build houses where current showgrounds exist and then build new showgrounds.
People testified mostly against the project before it was approved.
Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it's specifically focusing on an area known as "Pod F" where developers plan to build an international arena with 3,000 seats with about 10 other rings for various activities and over 500 stalls.
Documents, which WPTV discovered on the agency's website, show the development is happening on 38 acres of wetlands and the permit expired in February 2023.
Jon Pempek, who is a project manager with the Jacksonville District's regulatory division's enforcement unit with the Army Corps of Engineers, said he issued a notice of violation in March after receiving a complaint. He said he wouldn't categorize the issue as serious.
"I don’t know that I would characterize it as a significant violation because they are enhancing the environment as opposed to disturbing the environment with fill," Pempek said.
He also said he would encourage more people to send tips about possible wrongdoing for investigation.
Environmental groups have previously expressed concerns about filling in wetlands on Pod F after people recorded video on the property showing protected species on the property like wood storks and snail kites.
John Fumero, who is an attorney for Wellington Lifestyle Partners, said the area is uninhabitable for protected species because old world climbing fern is on the property.
He said species are now coming to the area because construction has uncovered food like bugs and worms.
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According to state documents, Mark Bellissimo was the manager of Wellington Lifestyle Partners until he was removed as a manager in September 2023.
Paige Bellissimo-Nunez is listed as an executive vice president for Wellington Lifestyle Partners. State documents show Mark Bellissimo was named the registered agent of a company called Wellington Lifestyle Partners 2 until it added Doug McMahon, who is also listed on the first Wellington Lifestyle Partners, as manager in an updated filing.
WPTV contacted Wellington Lifestyle Partners at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and didn't hear back by publication. However, Pempek said developers told him they thought the regulation didn't apply after various changes in the interpretation of federal law.
"The permit expired and they thought it was no longer jurisdictional," he said. "I can see how they came to that determination, but we look at this before we take formal enforcement actions. … It was a very confusing time."
Pempek also said they are dealing with other developers who had the same issue.