A planned housing development on the site of a golf course in Wayne County has sparked controversy.
The frustration from the community was heard during public comment at the Aug. 21 Walworth Town Board meeting. The sentiments were heard by Walworth Town Supervisor Rick Johnson.
“From what we’ve determined … people are not happy. Absolutely not happy,” Johnson said. “They bought homes on the golf course thinking it will always be a golf course. When they found out the property had been sold to a developer, it created an immediate reaction in our town.”
The 202-acre golf course was sold in March to Windward Lake Homes, LLC for $1.45 million, according to county property tax records. William Calder is the sole principal for the LLC and the developer on the project.
The remainder of the property will operate as a nine-hole golf course, with the clubhouse and other amenities remaining open. Blue Heron Golf Club opened in 1987, developed by Norman and Nelson Leenhouts.
What would the housing development at Blue Heron look like?
The application from Windward Lake Homes would involve constructing 47 single-family residential lots on 31.6 acres of the golf course property. The project includes access roads and infrastructure including utilities, stormwater management and site grading.
“The purpose of this project is to meet local housing demands by providing new residential development opportunities within the Town of Walworth,” says a letter of intent from Passero Engineering Architecture sent on Aug. 15. “This action is driven by increased interest in suburban residential living in Wayne County and supports the Town’s long-term goals to promote responsible growth and enhance housing availability.”
The site plan submitted to the town planning board shows eight homes built on the existing Country Club Drive, with properties on what is currently the fairway of hole 18. Three more homes would be built north of the Country Club Drive intersection along Canandaigua Road. The remaining homes would be built to the west of Canandaigua Road on a connected road and perpendicular road to that with a cul-de-sac loop.
Calder said the homes are projected to start around 1,800 square feet and $550,000, along with some premium properties expected in the $800,000 to $1 million range.
“They’ll be very quick sales,” Calder said. “Most of these sales will be done within five to seven days. I’m sure there’ll be some oddities there, but we’re expecting once a home goes up for sale, it’s going to be sold within a week.”
The property exists within the town’s planned development zone, which is designed to accommodate large-scale neighborhoods in the town, including a mixture of residential and nonresidential uses.
Resident pushback to Walworth housing project
A Change.org petition with more than 2,000 signatures cites several concerns, including environmental impacts, ecosystem disruption, flooding and property appeal. The petition was started three months ago, and comments cite the course’s benefits from a recreational, historic and wildlife standpoint.
The financial situation of the golf course, which does not turn a profit and costs roughly $27,000 a week to maintain the grounds, was the driving factor in the housing development.
“It doesn’t generate enough income, just even to pay the bills, let alone provide a profit,” Calder said.
Calder said he understands the emotional side of the pushback from people living with the golf course as a backdrop.
“I really feel for them from an emotional standpoint, I definitely do,” Calder said. “But the people that are going to own these new homes and move into this area, it’s a beautiful area. They have every right to enjoy all that beautification, just as the people that have enjoyed it there for so many years.”
Building those homes will add to the town’s tax base, Calder said, and he plans to work with local builders and vendors on the project. He also said he won’t sell the development off to an outside entity.
The plans for the development do call for the removal of some trees and include the required 100-foot buffers from wetlands as mandated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
“We don’t plan on taking anything out of this golf course that isn’t totally necessary,” Calder said.
From the town perspective, Johnson said development is a sign that people want to move to the community.
“Housing is always a good thing,” Johnson said. “It’s just unfortunate the way this whole project has transpired from the beginning.”
The proposal is expected before the Walworth Town Planning Board at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 8 at the town hall. Files and documents from the Windward Lake Homes project are available on the planning board’s website, townofwalworthny.gov/planning-board-current-project-files.
Steve Howe reports on weather, climate and the Great Lakes for the Democrat and Chronicle. An RIT graduate, he has covered myriad topics over the years, including public safety, local government, national politics and economic development in New York and Utah.
