Southeast Planning Board Tackles Impact Of Big Sports Facility

SOUTHEAST, NY — The Southeast town Planning Board will hold a public scoping session about Proswing Sports Realty's Brewster Yards project on Monday.

At question is what should be included in the environmental impact statement that Proswing must undertake for its proposed sports facility on Pugsley Road. Read the draft scoping statement, filed June 21, here.

Proswing Sports Realty, Inc., seeks to construct a commercial recreation complex on 82 acres of land off Route 312.

The land, accessed by Pugsley Road and Fields Corner Road, was given to Proswing by town officials. In return, Proswing gave the town property it owned off Starr Ridge Road that is not accessible by road. SEE: Southeast Officials Prefer Baseball Facility Off Route 312

Already approved on Pugsley Road is a massive distribution facility, the Commercial Campus at Fields Corner, formerly known as the Northeast Interstate Logistics Center. That 328-acre site will hold a 933,100-sq.ft. warehouse center.

Its owners will be making major changes to Pugsley Road and Route 312, as hundreds of trucks will come and go daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. For example, Route 312 will be widened to four lanes from Pugsley Road to the intersection of Interstate 84 east and Independent Way. At Pugsley Road, turn lanes and a second through lane for eastbound traffic are planned. Pugsley Road will have left and right turn lanes (for trucks going to Route 6).

Proswing's project would include 5 Baseball, 4 Little League and 1 Multi-sport fields of synthetic turf and a recreation building for indoor sports and year-round use; three event rooms for rental to small groups for birthday parties and the like; an accessory retail component — food concessions and a pro shop.

Peak use will occur on weekends — 40 teams with 480 players, plus fans and staff, or up to 1,960 people in one day; maximum attendance at any one time is anticipated to be 264 players (264 families) plus 70 field staff and site staff, requiring up to 334 parking spaces. Weekday patronage is projected to be about 200 to 300 people per day.

Anticipated weekday usage will generate from 100 to 150 vehicles and weekend (peak) usage will generate 340 to 440 vehicles.

All-day and evening use is anticipated in summer and on weekends, and evening use will require lighting of the fields. "Changes in the levels of noise and illumination generated relative to adjoining properties and the neighborhood will need to be evaluated in the environmental study for the project," according to Proswing's Statement of Use, filed July 1.

One of the adjoining properties is Putnam County's Tilly Foster Farm and its restaurant, Tilly's Table.

A Westchester-based company, Proswing has a large facility in Mount Kisco.

The planning board meeting starts at 7 p.m. Monday at Town Hall, 1360 Route 22, Brewster, NY 10509. Click here to see the documents filed with the town on Proswing's Brewster Yards.