OBSERVER Photo by Gregory Bacon Micheal Coburn of Dewittville expresses concerns regarding the proposed Sunset View housing development at the former Chautauqua Point Golf Course.

DEWITTVILLE – A proposed multi-million million housing development at the former Chautauqua Point Golf Course is moving ahead.

During the Chautauqua Town Board meeting, the board officially recommended the project be examined by the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals in January. The zoning board can recommend for or against the housing development, at which point the project will return to the town board for final approval.

Supervisor Don Emhardt said the zoning board can make a decision as early as January or take multiple months to review the project.

In early December, a special Concept Committee met to review the Planned Unit Development (PUD), as required by the town law. The committee was made up of Emhardt, Councilman Tom Carlson, Councilman Scott Cummings, Zoning Board member William Titus and Zoning Board member James Hurley.

“All the committee did was look at the application and make sure it hits all the things that it has to have for the PUD and then passes it on to the town board,” Emhardt explained.

In August, Ellicott Development of Buffalo held a public information meeting about the proposed $70 million housing project, which is now being called Sunset View – a Chautauqua Lake Community.

There are three separate sections – one for single family homes, one for townhouses, and one of a condominium-style residential unit. Also on the property would be a restaurant.

Developers said the earliest things would start would be mid to late next year and it would likely take at least three years, possibly longer, to complete.

Before the town board voted to allow the project to go to the zoning board for review, a handful of neighboring residents spoke out with concerns.

Michael Coburn, who lives in the Villas at Chautauqua Point, said he believes there will be “overcrowding” on the development near the lake.

“The project’s proposed ‘resort community’ designation is problematic because it offers very limited lake access. Given the size of the development, serious consideration should be required to assess the potential impacts of the project’s limited access to Chautauqua Lake on neighboring communities, specifically Point Chautauqua, The Villas, and Chautauqua Lake Estates,” he said.

Colburn noted the development has 183 feet of shoreline and could house 194 residents. By comparison, The Villas’ 19 units have 800 feet of private lakefront. “It is insufficient for the applicant to simply inform property owners or guests that they will not have access to private lakefront amenities in these communities. Instead, a reduced number of units, a buffer zone rerouting the single-family homes off internal roadways would be beneficial to the adjacent communities,” he said.

Other concerns Colburn noted included construction hours, water quality degradation, and proposed short-term rentals.

Another resident from the Villas argued that the neighborhood should be consulted.

“You need to have collaboration from the residents that are part of this. It should not just be the town. It should be members of the community included in that because of the fear of the lake,” she said, expressing concern that Chautauqua Lake could be harmed by additional development.

After the town board voted in favor of permitting the project to go before the zoning board, the town hired e&b squared for engineering review. Ellicott Development is required to pay for the engineering firm. Town officials said the firm is not affiliated with Ellicott Development.

The town board also appointed the town as lead agency for State Environmental Quality Review.