The discovery of traces of arsenic in the land at Westwood Country Club in Amherst has put redevelopment plans on hold.
Amherst town board member Mark Manna says the former golf course is not up to the standards needed to become a residential neighborhood.
Mensche Capital Partners, which owns the golf course and plans to redevelop it, must present a plan to the town board and the public to remediate the land.
"There's two choices - we could have a fenced off area that's not productive right in the middle of Amherst,
or we could have a clean field with no contamination from any arsenic that's put to good productive use" said Mark Manna a Town of Amherst Board Member.
The developers submitted a $238 million plan for the site in July that included a neighborhood with a center with shops and restaurants.