August 17, 1994

Town of Evans officials have proposed a compromise to preserve the
waterside half of the last undeveloped Erie County-owned lakefront
property, a parcel that has drawn increasing attention recently.
    The town has called for dividing the 53-acre section near Sturgeon Point.
The half north of Sturgeon Point Road would be saved for future parkland or
possible expansion of the Sturgeon Point Marina.
    The half away from the high bluff lakefront, south of Sturgeon Point Road,
would be offered at county public auction for private development.
    "It gives us the best of both worlds," County Legislator Bert Villarini,
R-Hamburg, said Tuesday. "We are preserving a beautiful portion of county
property along our waterfront while at the same time offering part of the
53 acres for private development."
    Villarini said, however, that he is not pushing for development of the
south portion and that any proposals should be drawn very carefully, taking
into consideration the needs and desires of the area.
    Evans Supervisor Albert Chase said the five-member Town Board backs the
plan that he believes will be acceptable to town residents.
    Chase said he has not been able to understand the reasoning of some county
officials who in recent months have pushed to sell the land for private
development.
    "The whole thing is puzzling, why a handful decided there was such urgency
to do anything originally," said Chase.
    Villarini opposed the latest proposal by Gorski administration officials to
reserve only a 100-foot strip along a bluff, while converting the remainder
to public parking and to a large-scale subsidized low-income housing tract.
    An earlier Gorski administration proposal to raise an estimated $ 660,000
by auctioning the entire tract failed when the high bid was $ 26,000.
    Legislator Joan Bozer, D-Buffalo, questions any need to push ahead with
development.
    "Where is all the pressure coming from?" asked Mrs. Bozer, who said that
the land belongs to all the county's residents, not just those making
proposals. "What we have here is spectacular bluff, one of the outstanding
scenic sites in the county. I'm trying to get all these things together so
we can have a thorough look at this."
    Frank Parlato, a developer who emphasizes retaining a natural environment,
noted that the  53 county acres, acquired at foreclosure 60 years ago, are
surrounded by hundreds of undeveloped non-waterfront acres that are
privately owned.
    "It would be unconscionable to sell the county's waterfront parcel north of
Sturgeon Point Road," said Parlato. "If the county is hell-bent on doing
something with it now, at least we will be getting half a loaf."
    Parlato said that consideration of the limited development proposed by the
town board and Villarini still would require thoughtful study. "I don't
think there should be any rush to develop," he added.
    Villarini noted that diverse groups favor preserving the waterfront
including members of the Sturgeon Point Marina Advisory Board, Southtowns
Walleyes Association and area fishing and environmental organizations.
    Chase said that the town this year will make the final $ 90,000 payment on
its Sturgeon Point Marina which has been breaking even, with revenues
approximately equaling the cost of development and operation.
    While the 216-slip marina is rented to capacity, and the parking lot on a
nice Sunday is crowded with boat trailers, the town has not at this time
discussed expanding the marina, he said.
    "I think there are more people in Western New York with boats than with
places to put them," he said.