Southampton Town Considers Artificial Turf For Hampton Bays Field

Several Southampton Town Board members said they are awaiting the results of a federal study before deciding if they should replace natural grass with artificial turf on a baseball field at Red Creek Park in Hampton Bays.

Town Parks Director Kristen Doulos recently made her pitch to board members, asking them to considering replacing one of the grass baseball fields at the park with a crumb rubber turf field. The turf would cost $118,116 to install, according to estimates provided to the town by the LandTek Group Inc. of Amityville, a general contractor that designs and constructs sports and athletic facilities.

The turf field, if approved by the board, would be financed using funds from the parks improvement line of the town budget.

Several school-operated fields on the South Fork already feature crumb rubber turf fields, though it was not immediately clear if the one proposed at Red Creek Park would be the first of its kind for the town.

Ms. Doulos said the turf was requested by Hampton Bays Little League officials and would help lower maintenance costs for the town, explaining that the drainage on turf fields is much better than traditional grass fields. It would also eliminate the use of fertilizers and pesticides, as well as help reduce the number of games that must be rescheduled due to flooding issues.

But Councilman Tommy John Schiavoni said he is wary of approving a field made of crumb rubber—recycled rubber from used tires—because of its potential health hazards to those who are exposed to particles that are emitted from the material.

“I’m philosophically opposed to crumb rubber,” he said during a recent Town Board meeting.

In fact, the councilman pointed out that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry are in the process of finalizing a report on the possible health impacts of crumb rubber fields. The results are expected to be made public in the next few months.

Mr. Schiavoni and Councilwoman Julie Lofstad said they would like to hold off on making a decision on the turf until having a chance to review the study’s findings. He also noted that the proposal is an expensive one, urging his counterparts to hold off on making a final decision until they can better ascertain if the recycled rubber poses a significant health risk.

“It’s not like you can go back to a natural field easily at all,” Mr. Schiavoni said.

Ms. Lofstad also noted the importance of putting off a decision until the study is completed. “I think it may be worthwhile to wait,” she said. “We’re spending a good chunk of money on this turf.”

Ms. Doulos said she is aware of the health concerns, adding that prior studies have concluded that the material does not pose significant health risks to those athletes who use the fields, especially if only for a few hours a week.

Board members tabled the resolution to approve the project on March 15, with Town Board members agreeing to meet with representatives of the LandTek Group before moving forward. Board members tabled the measure for a second time on Tuesday, noting that they have not yet had a chance to meet with company officials.

Whether or not to switch over to crumb rubber turf fields has been a hot-button issue in the area in recent months.

In December, Sag Harbor School District taxpayers overwhelmingly rejected a request to install the same type of turf field behind the Pierson Middle/High School. The proposition was soundly defeated, 1,106-135. Opponents of the crumb rubber turf also pointed to concerns about the chemicals that could be released into the air when heat breaks down the material.

Mr. Schiavoni was a member of the Sag Harbor School Board at the time of the debate.