Paul Pawlowski, Partner Field Questions on Sports East Fitness

MATTITUCK, NY - Residents voiced their concerns and support for a proposed new sports facility in Mattituck Monday night.

Partners in the Sports East Fitness project Paul Pawlowski and Joe Slovak, along with Suffolk County Legislator Al Kruspski, and Bob DeLuca, president of the Group for the East End, were guests at the forum, organized by the Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association and held the Mattituck American Legion.

Plans for the indoor-outdoor private sport facility include indoor tennis, an indoor swimming pool, multi-sports fields, pickle ball courts, a gym, rock wall, yoga, batting cages, a locker room and an organic juice bar.

The plan is Pawlowski’s third for the site, located on Route 25 across from the old Capital One building: First, he pitched a plan for workforce housing on the land. Last year, he proposed a second concept, which would have included stores and affordable apartments on the section of the parcel fronting Main Road, with a goal of preserving 17 of the 21 acres, and a gazebo.

Pawlowski withdrew that application in September after residents turned out to voice fierce opposition to the zone change, citing concerns over traffic, density and quality of life. He said last night this current plan is his last and he's "not doing anything else" on the parcel should the plan not get approved.

The ZBA must determine if Pawlowski's plan is eligible for special exception to allow for the project to proceed.

“The end result is a healthier community,” Pawlowski said, of the proposed sports facility. “Yes, we have great schools and sports; however, this would create a sports environment outside of school for all ages.”

In their opening statements, Slovak said he's a former teacher and head tennis coach at Laurel Links Country Club who knows firsthand the benefits of sports recreation. "It made me the person I am today."

The new, private club would be inclusionary, aimed for individuals from "birth to 100," he said.

In some facilities, kids play and leave, but Sports East Fitness would encourage seniors to interact with young people, he said, lauding the benefits of intergenerational engagement.

"I realize this is not a perfect situation in some people's minds," he said, of the plans. Quoting Vince Lombardi, he said, ""Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."

Pawlowski, a Mattituck High School graduate who's been a developer for more than two decades, said if the project gets the green light, "it will be done right, with respect and with everyone's input." The parcel, he said, will not sit vacant.

Pawlowski gave an overview of the site plan. Because the building is large, 550 feet long,he said the goal was to tuck it behind the trees with setbacks so people driving by see woods and members of the club out playing on the fields and tennis courts. "This is a large building but we feel it will disappear and you'll barely be able to see it," he said.

"Our main goal here is to promote indoor sports during the winter months," he said.

Signage would be minimal, he said. "This sort of property is a destination for the community. We don't need a front road sign that's massive. People will know where this is."

The plans feature no night lights, just minimal lighting to keep the parking lot safe and navigable. Curbing and sidewalks will be installed, as well as a safety fence on the field to keep kids off the parking lot.

Septic plans

"Every drop of water on the site is self-contained,'" he said, reminding of his promise to install an alternative septic system that reduces nitrogen. He said the BioClear system has been considered.

If he'd pursued plans for a subdivision as of right, the flow per day would be 13,000 gallons. The sports and fitness facility would see a flow of only 3,000 gallons. "The impact on septic is greatly reduced," he said.

The reason for a stand-alone steel building, Pawlowski said, is so that it can remain cost effective. "We can't create a massive 'Architectural Digest' building," he said. The building proposed has a warranty for years so maintenance will be assured, and the site would never become an eyesore. He said the building would appear similar to white horse barns seen around the North Fork.

The partners have been discussing solar panels with PSEG, Pawlowski said.

Inside, Pawlowski said the facility would be all one one level, with a 7,000 square foot gym and a 25 meter swimming pool. The entire space would be ADA compliant, he said.

The new facility would create 40 to 50 new jobs and add tax revenue to the area. "We are privately funded and are not asking anyone for assistance," Pawlowski said. Normally, when a town builds a sports facility, they seek grants and funding, much like SYS in Southampton.

Most important, as a parent, Pawlowski said his goal is to provide an healthy option for residents.

A crowd with questions

Mattituck resident Althea Travis asked ithe pool was ADA compliant, with ramp access into the pool for those with compromised mobility. Pawlowski assured the entire facility was ADA compliant and the pool was heavily regulated; the pool will be warm with a seat lift.

Doris McGreevy of Mattituck asked the length and depth of the pool; Pawlowski said it's 25 meters, or 82 feet, and no more than five feet deep, as well as six lanes.

"I wouldn't call it Olympic," she said.

Pawlowski said the aim is to cater to the recreational swimmer.

Another resident asked if the seven acres would encompass the entire project on-site; Pawlowski said it would include everything.

When asked if Pawlowski had considered donating the remaining acres on the parcel, he said he had not considered it.

He said he's proposing non-disturbance buffers around the perimeter that would remain in perpetuity by covenant, so that the club could not expand.

"It would be limited to that exact site plan," Krupski said; DeLuca said if some expansion should be attempted it would be actionable by Southold Town.

DeLuca said one of the values of the process is that law allows residents to take a substantive look at reasonable alternatives, such as residential subdivisions, and place the two buildout scenarios side by side.

Water concerns

Kevin McAllister, of Defend H20, asked why they were considering BioClear and if other systems had been vetted. "I would argue in this day and age and with the impairment of our waters, we should strive for the highest achievable levels of de-nitrification," he said.

Pawlowski said they'd told the planning board that they were willing to consider any system that could be approved by the Suffolk County Health Department; the process, he said, is still "premature" countywide. BioClear, he said, could handle the minimal amount of flow required; some other projects require much more flow and would not be suitable for the sports facility. The cost for the system they're considering is $100,000, triple the price of a standard septic system, but that's not the issue, Pawlowski said. "The question is if the flow works, so you're not constantly maintaining with ammonia.

DeLuca agreed the flow needs to be constant or else the system needs to be fed ammonia. "It is an engineering issue," he said.

Of the roughly five systems the county will now consider, Pawlowski said no calls were returned. "It's not easy. You say you want this, then you go down that road — good luck."

Krupski concurred. "It's a changing world in wastewater treatment right now." The county, he said, is hesitant to advocate one system because next week another might pop up on the market at half the price. "It's changing that quickly." Currently there are 19 pilots across Suffolk County.

Membership questions

Pawlowski said the club is definitely private, with membership required. Each individual including children, would need their own membership. The cost would be approximately $50 per year, with tiered plans and family plans available.

Sports teams will be internal, for members only, he said.

Traffic issues

Pawlowski confirmed a traffic study had been done. The western entrance will feature a turning lane and exit east and west, with the easterly exit only allowing a car to turn right.

The partners will pay for all new striping.

A county sale?

Julie Ampeer said a while back, Pawlowski, when pitching his second proposal, was asked if he would consider selling the parcel to Suffolk County, to preserve the hardwood forest and groundwater recharge area. "At the time, you said 'absolutely,'" she said.

Krupski, sitting on the panel, was the "perfect person" to discuss that option with, she said.

"Something came along," Pawlowski said.

"I came along," Slovak said.

Krupski handed Pawlowski his card. The county has funding now for land preservation, he added.

Doris Aiello of Mattituck was enthusiastic about the plan. "I love, love, love it," she said. There are teenagers in town with "absolutely nothing to do. Idle hands are the work of the devil."

And, with Suffolk County ranking highest statewide in heroin overdoses, a sports facility would give kids a healthy alternative.

Another locale?

Denise Geiss asked Pawlowski said she liked the plan, but not the location and asked if he'd consider building on commercial property. Pawlowski said he doesn't own any other parcels; Geiss suggested he sell the Route 25 property to the county and could then consider other spots.

Other questions involved dropping off kids.

Slovak said professionals would be on-site so kids could be dropped off before school, with bus service to school. Local teachers have expressed interest in working after school and during the summer, he said. Kids would never be unsupervised, he said. Children ages kindergarten and up would be welcomed, he said.

Amper then asked if the proposal in a residential zone got a special exception by the zoning board, would that open up the door for other clubs, such as BJ's, to also apply for a special exception as a club in Southold Town?

Pawlowski said his plan was falling under a membership as a health facility.

Hours of the business would be 5:30 a.m. to 10 pm., with outdoor sports only during daylight hours.

Another resident also asked if Pawlowski would ever apply for not for profit status, effectively taking the business off the town's tax rolls. Pawlowski said he'd entertain the notion but has no plans currently. He reminded that the project was asking for no public funding.

The facility would have no loud music, tents, or parties outside, Pawlowski said. By law, no more than 300 people are allowed inside, but he said he doubted there would ever be that many at once.

Holding up a newspaper with headlines about the heroin crisis, Slovak said. "This might not be a perfect situation and i don't know if a perfect situation exists, but I do know this is good for our community. If it saves one person from heroin or drug addiction it's helpful."

Krupsk urged residents to stay involved.

"Poor planning over time destroys communities. The earlier you start the process the better it ends," DeLuca said.

"We definitely came to this as Mattituck residents, not as developers. The positives outweigh the negatives tenfold. We hope to have your support," Pawlowski said.