The Press of Manorville & the Moriches Online Edition

Brookhaven Town officials are currently batting 0-2 in bids to bring ballfields to the Manorville area, but a new plan in the works might be the home run that town officials are looking for.

Glen Cove developer Irv Borenstein of Miller Realty Associates plans to donate 10 acres to the town for ballfields under the terms of a proposed 70-home subdivision in Eastport currently being considered by the town. The site is near Manorville, a community that has been clamoring for athletic park space for years, and is within the Eastport South Manor School District.

Mr. Borenstein, who is expected to submit a subdivision application to the town later this month, said the 10-acre donation is contingent upon the town approving the site plan with cluster treatment for the homes. Mr. Borenstein is also expecting to donate an additional 46 acres of open space to the town, so the subdivision can conform with land use requirements under the Pine Barrens Act. He said he does not expect the application to be expedited by the town because of the land donation.

“We’re trying to give back to the community,” Mr. Borenstein said. “I think it is something that most of the people would want. I think it is something that the people of Eastport South Manor could use.”

The 95-acre property lies within the Pine Barrens Compatible Growth Area north and east of Spadaro’s Airport in East Moriches. It borders Old Montauk Road and the Sunrise Highway North Service Road.

“The [open space] land that we are donating is located away from the houses on the [east side of the] property,” Mr. Borenstein said. “The land that we are donating for the ballfields will be toward the west of the property.”

In recent years, town officials have hatched failed plans to build ballfields in Manorville. Former Town Supervisor Brian X. Foley proposed a plan for ballfields on Chapman Boulevard in Manorville, and in 2002 town officials wanted ballfields on land at the Hanley Farm on Head of the Neck Road. They struck out with both proposals.

Still, 6th District Town Councilman Keith Romaine is hopeful that the current plan will work out. Mr. Romaine, who is running for reelection in November, has been in discussions Mr. Borenstein in an effort to convince him to donate land for ballfields since last year. The town has $500,000 set aside in its 2010 capital budget to build ballfields in the Manorville area, he said.

“If we get the 10 acres donated to us in 2009, then we could start [building] right away. I would make it so,” Mr. Romaine said. “But right now, we cannot start construction until January 2010.”

The 10-acre parcel can fit two all-purpose fields, two baseball fields and parking spaces for 100 cars, Brookhaven Planning Commissioner Tullio Bertoli said. The ballfield area would be located off the Sunrise Highway North Service Road, on the north end of the 95-acre property, he said.

Since Mr. Bertoli came into office last month, he has been working with the developer at the request of Mr. Romaine to retool the site plan to allow for 10 acres of ballfields.

“I think it’s a great plan that the town gets 10 acres of ballfields where we need it,” Mr. Bertoli said. “It’s a great asset to the town.”

Mr. Borenstein said his proposal seeks to cluster 70 homes on half-acre lots. Those homes would be grouped on the east side of the 95-acre property, he said. Mr. Borenstein said the proposal is consistent with the existing A-1 residential zoning for the property.

“I think that the community and the town will be anxious to get this as soon as possible,” Mr. Borenstein said. “So with that in mind, I would hope that all officials involved see that there is no reason to delay this.”

Eastport South Manor Sports Association President Ian Kessler hailed the plan, but cautioned that “we’ll be highly disappointed if this doesn’t go through.”

The sports association, which has been calling for new fields in recent years, has some 2,000 members and more than 100 teams involved in baseball, softball, football and lacrosse.

Mr. Kessler said existing fields are not enough to meet the needs of the growing sports association.

“Whatever they could get for us at this point would be great,” Mr. Kessler said. “Our biggest problem is we’ve got 750 Little Leaguers and a handful of fields. We’ve grown out of those fields at this point.”