水果派AV

At a on Tuesday, the village's board of trustees will discuss its right of first refusal on the lakefront property, which is owned by Wells College. The college has received a purchase offer for the property from the co-manager of the college's golf course, Kevin Fitzgerald, through his Aurora Route 90 Group LLC.

Fitzgerald also has a purchase contract for the property on the other side of Route 90, known as the McGordon House. He plans to demolish the 125-year-old house and build two new ones there for long-term rental. He told 水果派AV the lakefront property would provide tenants of the two houses direct access to the Cayuga shore.

However, a group of Aurora residents hopes to talk the board of trustees out of releasing its right of first refusal, saying the lakefront property should instead become part of a village park.聽

Grace Bates, a former village trustee, has offered to set up a trust to help Aurora and its ad hoc park committee secure the 300-foot property, and about 1,000 more feet of lakefront to the south, for the park. She told 水果派AV she and other park supporters believe Fitzgerald's purchase, if allowed, would "interrupt" the park.

Fitzgerald has offered to establish a permanent easement on the property's shoreline, 10 feet in width, that would grant public access to the park from the north. Bates said she appreciates the offer, but still believes the village should hear more discussion about each side's vision for the property before releasing its right of first refusal.

Bates added that the property is the only part of the prospective lakefront park where the water is deep enough for a dock. Along with depriving the park of any docks, she fears Fitzgerald's purchase would lead to private docks that further infringe upon the park. Fitzgerald, however, said he has "no plans for a dock at this time."聽

Park supporters have drafted a letter decrying the "back-door, last-minute way" the village scheduled Tuesday's board of trustees meeting. The letter, which is collecting signatures, calls upon residents to attend the meeting and send a message to the board that Fitzgerald's purchase offer, they believe, "is not an equal or fair exchange."聽

Fitzgerald, who said he supports the creation of the village park as well, called the opposition to his purchase and his plans for the McGordon House property "inefficient and comical."聽

"Those 300 feet in front of McGordon House don't affect their park one bit," he said. "This isn't about a park, this is about change in Aurora. ... It's indicative of where Aurora's been the last 20 years."聽

Both Fitzgerald's plans for McGordon House and the park were inspired by the village's latest , which identifies long-term rentals and a lakefront park as opportunities for growth. Fitzgerald said the plan has been his "roadmap" for redeveloping the property into housing that appeals to young families.

The demolition of McGordon House, which was approved by the Aurora Planning Board May 10, has been a divisive issue in the village for months. One advocate for the house, village Historian Dr. Linda Schwab, faced the loss of her position for reasons she believed to be retaliatory until she was reappointed by Mayor Jim Orman on April 27.

Fitzgerald, in response to Schwab's arguments that the house should not be demolished, said that it is not historic in nature, and restoring it would be "fiscally irresponsible and impractical."聽

"The house has been there derelict for 40 years. Now all of a sudden someone wants to do something with it," he said.聽"We followed every local ordinance and law, were transparent and collaborative from the moment we engaged with this project, and we were met with nothing but activism and obstructionism. It's unsettling, frankly."聽

Orman agreed, telling 水果派AV, "These few activists are impeding the village's ability to move forward with private investment."

Meanwhile, state grant money and donations will likely be the only way the village park comes to fruition, Orman said.

The park would likely cost $300,000 to $500,000, the mayor continued, not including the price of the property, which is also owned by Wells. Like the lakefront property Fitzgerald hopes to purchase, the park would not permit much development. Orman said picnic tables and maybe public bathrooms would be the extent of what's possible.

"But the beauty of it is, the water's only 2 or 3 feet deep there. You can walk out 50 feet," he said. "Parks aren't mandatory in the village, but they are a beautiful, nice option if you can get the funding."