Nov 2, 2016 11:20 AM

The Southampton Town Planning Board has deemed a draft environmental impact statement for a controversial tennis and day camp in North Sea adequate for public review.

At an October 27 meeting, the Planning Board scheduled a public hearing on the proposal for December 8 at 6 p.m. in Southampton Town Hall.

According to Planning Board Chairman Dennis Finnerty, after public input is collected and a final environmental impact statement is drafted and adopted, the board will issue a finding statement based on the public input. The applicant, Jay Jacobs—who owns the facility known as the Southampton Country Day Camp and formally as the Southampton Racquet Club and Camp—would still need to submit a site plan, which would be the subject of further public hearings.

The proposal calls for a change of use from “tennis club/camp” to a “tennis club and camp” on the 17.4-acre property near Little Fresh Pond. The minor rewording would permit all of the activities currently being offered at the facility, including a day camp as well as tennis, swimming and other sports, and would sidestep challenges in the courts from neighbors—mainly members of the Little Fresh Pond Association, who argue that the change of use will increase the number of campers, creating more noise and diminishing the water quality of the pond. Approximately 20 residents attended the October meeting to oppose the proposal, although there has not been any official public comment period yet.

Mr. Finnerty clarified that the day camp use is not the issue the board is considering, but rather modifications to the site, which is expected to include updates to the facilities, including a new septic system and bus lanes. He stressed that under the town code, there is no differentiation between a tennis camp or a day camp, and no limits on how many people can be at the facility.

“My feeling is that the town has to more clearly define camps in general,” Mr. Finnerty said. “I would like to see the Town Board amend the code to establish limitations of occupancy on day camps.”

He said the applicant has indicated a willingness to accept a limitation. The draft environmental impact statement is available to view online, at Town Hall or at the Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton, according to Mr. Finnerty.