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Legislative committee tables resolution to preserve Beagle Club property

BARBARAELLEN KOCH FILE PHOTO | Daschund Club owners released their dogs for filed trials at the Beagle Club's land in 2005. County lawmakers will discuss a $8.9 million deal to acquire the property for preservation.

The County Legislature’s Environment, Planning & Agriculture Committee voted to put off making a decision on a resolution calling for the acquisition of the 150-acre Beagle Club property in Calverton Monday.

The county is proposing to buy the land, located on the west side of Edwards Avenue south of Sound Avenue but north of Route 25, for $8.9 million.

North Fork Legislator Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) said the owners of the property had spent money to do remediation work in anticipation of selling it to the county.

He suggested the committee just vote yes or no on the acquisition, instead of tabling the resolution, and that they county change the way it handles acquisitions so property owners aren’t spending money before they know if the county will acquire their land.

Legislator Lou D’Mara (D-Huntington) said he supports tabling the resolution because there is other information he needs about the site before he can decide whether to buy it.

The resolution is expected to come up again at a future meeting.

Pam Greene, the county’s real estate director, said the money for the Beagle Club purchase is already in the county budget.

The Long Island Beagle Club, founded in 1932, used to train beagles on the property for hunting. In 2006, a developer was under contract to buy the land and create 73 clustered residential lots on the property. That proposal later fell through and the county has since taken steps toward acquiring the site.

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