Supervisor Rich Lewis and the Portland Town Board voiced support for a potential development project at Sugar Hill Golf Course. P-J photo by Braden Carmen

PORTLAND — The Portland Town Board has an open mind when it comes to a development in the town on one of its prime pieces of real estate.

At the latest Town Board meeting, the Board passed a resolution expressing its support for a proposed data center to be located on the grounds of the former Sugar Hill Golf Course.

The resolution itself was vague, stating the Town Board “desires to express its general support for the concept of the project while reserving full consideration pending additional details, site-specific plans, and appropriate regulatory reviews.” Supervisor Rich Lewis stated the data center would house information technology infrastructure and network equipment.

The appropriate reviews were defined by the Town as “including but not limited to site plans, environmental assessments, infrastructure impacts, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.” The Town chose to voice its support after receiving reports of a planned project on the site, located along Route 5.

Located near the shoreline along Route 5, the property is valuable, but underutilized. Back in November 2024, the town of Portland voiced its strong opposition to an inquiry from New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation regarding a purchase of Sugar Hill Golf Course. The Town Board did not want to give up more property from its tax roll, with approximately 58% of its properties exempt from taxes at the time of the inquiry, including the sizable property utilized for Lake Erie State Park.

Lewis said at the time that losing the Sugar Hill property from the tax roll would result in more than $20,000 of taxes to be shouldered by the remaining taxpayers in the Town and the Brocton Central School District. Lewis said another avenue of development of the property would be much more beneficial to the Town.

In the resolution adopted at the recent meeting, the Board said it “looks forward to collaborating and working cooperatively with the developer to address any zoning issues, land use considerations, and other matters that may arise in connection with the proposed project.”