The Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce

Southampton Town Unveils Plan for Southampton Aquatic and Recreation Center (SHARC) in Westhampton
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Supervisor Linda Kabot and members of the Town Board have worked closely with the Board of Southampton Aquatic Recreation Center (SHARC) on PLAN C — A plan to consolidate the Westhampton Community Center project with the SHARC project onto Mill Road in Westhampton.

Town officials and SHARC representatives have embraced a
new location as a more viable setting that will allow for quicker implementation of this regional facility and greater cost-effectiveness for the taxpayers.

Using Community Preservation funds, the Town is working with
the Bauer Family to purchase a subdivided tract of land located adjacent to the Westhampton Beach Elementary School on Mill Road in the unincorporated hamlet of Westhampton. The Town and SHARC are working in partnership to acquire the Bauer Property within the next few months and utilize the bulk of the property for parks and recreation purposes. One acre of the tract will be purchased with general municipal funds for construction of the new Westhampton Community Center. A private-public partnership will be pursued between the Town and SHARC
for shared public use of the recreational facilities and programming space.

The consolidation provides a financial benefit to SHARC since
$3 million has already been approved in the Town's Capital Budget for the Westhampton Community Center project, and shared parking facilities and activity spaces will allow for cost savings and greater efficiencies in government service delivery. The Westhampton Community Center project also has community contributions for site enhancements such as park benches and decorative lighting fixtures.

By consolidating the two projects, the Town will build one
parking lot and other common infrastructure to serve both
buildings which can be connected to provide shared space for meetings, events and recreational programming.

The aesthetics of the community center will enhance the site
while providing access to the larger structure housing the indoor pool and ancillary recreational amenities. (1)

There is ample room on the Bauer Property for both the Westahmpton Community Center and the SHARC indoor pool complex and combined parking facilities. Outdoor recreational space will include multi-purpose courts and other site amenities.

The Westhampton Community Center with its planned drop-in youth center makes an ideal companion to SHARC at this location. Seniors, veterans, and other community members will interact making this an intergenerational facility, consistent with the Town's Comprehensive Plan's goals and objectives.

The location is more accessible to school children by walking or biking with sidewalks and street lights already in place. Mill Road already has a 20 mph speed zone in place in the vicinity. It is a safer location and there are less logistics for bus transportation from the school district. Families from Remsenburg-Speonk, Quogue and East Quogue are part of the Westhampton Beach School District's community of families with more proximate and convenient access. Public bus transit stops are located on Mill Road and the site assemblage is proximate to downtown Westhampton Beach where nearby restaurants and shopping exists.

In addition to the sports fields recently constructed by the Westhampton Beach School District on the former Hite Property, the Town has expansive fields at Hampton West Park in Westhampton Beach and plans are under way for development of more sports fields on a 10 acre Town-owned tract in East Quogue located on Damascus Road. A consolidation plan for SHARC and the Westhampton Community Center allows for enhanced public access within walking distance of the school and central business district and avoids duplication of recreational facilities.

The Bauer Property is subdivided into four lots with a common driveway easement in place — SHARC has the opportunity to purchase one lot and proceed as a non-municipal project and have an agreement for shared parking with Town and School. The Town intends on moving forward expeditiously with construction of the Westhampton Community Center on the adjacent lot with frontage on Mill Road with the possibility of constructing a breezeway to connect to the SHARC pool facility, when it is completed at a later date.

Since the Bauer Property is disturbed land that previously was used for farming and greenhouses, the Town's park development at this location diminishes the need for clearing large amounts of natural vegetation unlike the Old Country Road location. The Old Country Road location still provides opportunity for a future park setting, but a passive park with more natural features consistent with the scenic qualities of the area.

With consolidation to the Mill Road site, the community will
receive the benefit of the facilities more expeditiously. There is
no need to wait out the lengthy Board of Health process for development right transfers and modification of covenants on the property on Old Country Road which were filed as part of the cluster subdivision of Mill Pond. (2)

Town Officials and SHARC representatives assert that there is greater community support for the indoor pool and community center as a combined project, particularly so that the facility's ground-breaking could be accomplished quickly. The Town is prepared to commence work on the Community Center this year, immediately after the closing of title to the property. This portion
of the consolidated project is fully designed already, but further engineering will be needed for a new site plan to conform to the new site. (3)

During the construction phase, the old American Legion
building (presently the Westhampton Community Center) could continue to be used for meeting space for other community
groups and for office space for RSVP, a specialized senior outreach program. Final disposition of this Town facility will be subject to further discussions with interested community members, as well as any park development of the nearby Town-owned property purchased through the CPF program. This site, which spans from Montauk Highway to Mill Road, is presently wooded and buffers adjoining residences from the busy 7-11 and post office. Opportunity remains for a walking trail and memorial gardens to be developed.(4)

On Friday, February 1st, Southampton Town Supervisor Linda Kabot and SHARC President Walter Stockton were joined by
other Town Officials and SHARC representatives at the Town Board Work Session where new conceptual plans were unveiled. Community members were given the opportunity to comment
and help shape the project.

(1) If confronted with financial constraints, SHARC may pursue
and outdoor pool as Phase I project, followed by Phase II to roof such facility after establishing a working agreement with a private sector
fitness center operator for financial solvency and infusion
of capital dollars as part of a long term lease. The business plan
for SHARC is still in formation.

(2) Mill Pond subdivision is the development tract that yielded the
17-acre parkland donation to the Town several years ago.

(3) The community visioning process involved with the Westhampton Community Center project had included discussions of the possibility of a consolidation with SHARC and construction in "mirror image" on other properties, including the Old Country Road site, the Bauer Property, and other larger land tract on Montauk Highway in Westhampton.

(4) The Town will explore further how the Mill Road property presently hosting the former American Legion building may be declared surplus
for the proceeds to be used for the enhanced capital project of a consolidated Westhampton Community Center and SHARC recreational facility. A thorough review f the covenants, restrictions, and other documentation will be completed. The United States Postal Service may take interest in acquiring some portion of the Town-owned property
where the old American Legion building is situate for future expansion needs, particularly since parking is limited at the existing post office.
Plans to revisit the adjacent CPF parcel will also be considered for
passive enhancements to allow for connection to the historic
Westhampton Cemetery and Veterans Memorials.