BETHEL — A proposed 28-home development on Horseshoe Lake Road took a procedural step forward Feb. 11 when the Bethel Town Board voted to authorize its attorney to draft a conceptual outside user agreement that would allow the project to connect to the town sewer system.

The proposal has been before the Planning Board for roughly two years, and is likely to continue several more months.

Developer’s attorney Jacob Billig described the project as “a relatively small project, 28 single-family houses.” He said the plan was scaled back from a significantly larger proposal and that wetlands on the property were reviewed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and approved.

Originally designed with a self-contained wastewater treatment facility, the developer is now seeking to connect to the town system. Billig highlighted the reduced environmental impact and said the town’s sewer engineer indicated there is “sufficient capacity.”

Town Attorney Ben Gailey emphasized the agreement would not bind the town.

“There’s no commitment by the town. There’s no authorization by the town,” Gailey said, describing the step as procedural efficiency. The agreement would be contingent upon Planning Board approval and paid for through escrow by the applicant.

Supervisor Dan Sturm said the Town Board’s role is limited to sewer infrastructure. “The one thing that we are concerned with is the sewer,” he said, noting that site plan review and environmental analysis remain under Planning Board jurisdiction.

The motion passed with one dissenting vote by Councilwoman Wendy Brown.

Public comment followed the vote, with several residents urging caution.

Members of the public questioned whether wastewater calculations fully account for bedroom counts and potential accessory uses, and whether recent drought conditions should factor into the decision.

Mary Ellen Seidelman urged the board to “wait to hear from the county and the comp plan to ensure we have water before we extend the sewer.”

The project is expected to return to the Planning Board on March 3.