A recent review instigated by Catskill Heritage Alliance may see Crossroad Ventures be forced to downscale part of their long planned Belleayre resort due to the zoning restrictions in the area.
Supreme Court Justice Richard Mott concluded that the plans for the $365 million dollar development submitted to the planning board by Crossroad withheld vital information regarding the use of the surrounding buildings included in the project.
While the courts found in favour of the additional dwellings comprising of conference centres and community meeting rooms, these have now been classed as an accessory of the planned resort, the same cannot be said for the substantial lodge which was to hold 27 timeshare units, along with another 8 duplex buildings spread across the proposed 740 acre development situated near the Ulster and Delaware county border.
The project split between the Wildacres Resort, planned to consist of a 250 room hotel with an additional 163 lodges along side the 18 hole golf course. The remaining land was to be used to house the Highmont Spa and Resort which was to include a deluxe 120 unit hotel with top class spa facilities, as well as the proposed timeshare units in question.
The ruling states the additional buildings do not fit the definition of a hotel, so should never have been approved by Shandaken and Middlefield buildings planning committee. This comes as a blow to the Crossroad Ventures project, which has been in the pipeline for nearly two decades. With a clause demanding the Planning Board obtain clarification from the Zoning Board of Appeals as to if the current plans meet the towns existing zoning laws.
The Chairwoman of Catskill Heritage alliance, Kathy Nolan was delighted with the outcome commenting:
“This is just one of the elements of the project that we have always found problematic.”
This set back to Crossroad Ventures plans, could see the company be forced to redesign a large part of the project or gain a variance order on the planning permissions from the zoning commission. Also still pending is a lawsuit questioning the environmental footprint of the project.
With the permissions holding up the commencement of this resort, the delays are looking to carry on into the foreseeable future or until all involved are in agreement moving forward.
For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk