County leaders met with Rye”™s mayor Thursday to discuss the future of Playland but couldn”™t settle a turf dispute that has threatened to derail a proposed redevelopment of the park.
Westchester owns Playland, but it sits within Rye”™s borders. The city believes it should have approval authority over any proposed construction at the park, but the county believes allowing Rye to take the reins would set a precedent for all county-owned properties.
County Executive Rob Astorino, Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz and city Mayor Joe Sack met to try to clear up the uncertainty over a deal to turn over management of Playland to a nonprofit. Sack said the meeting hadn”™t changed the equation.
“We”™re at a bit of a stalemate,” he said, noting both Rye and the county seem unwilling to shift their stances on approval authority. A future meeting was not scheduled, but Sack said he and the county would communicate within a week to try to find some common ground.
“I”™m not entirely sanguine we”™ll be able to do it,” he said. “We”™re open to creative solutions, but really we feel it”™s up to the county to come up with suggestions.”
Sustainable Playland Inc., the Rye-based nonprofit chosen by the county to take over operation of the park, suspended its involvement in county”™s review of its management plan until legal uncertainties could be resolved. County lawmakers responded by indefinitely suspending their review of SPI”™s plan, which drew opposition for aspects such as the size of a proposed 82,500-square-foot field house.
Critics also expressed concern about the nonprofit”™s ability to effectively manage the park, having no experience in amusement park management and a limited financial track record. The group, which said it spent $600,000 on planning to date, formed specifically to bid on management of the park.
Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz, a Democrat, said he felt the meeting was constructive despite it lacking a “Camp David moment.” Kaplowitz said he believed the board was in the middle of the disagreement over who had authority, but that he was optimistic a compromise could be reached and that SPI would come back to the table.
“If and when they renew their interest, we”™ll pick back up again our review process,” he said.
Catherine Parker, a Democrat, was a member of Rye City Council until January when she was sworn in as county legislator. She said a letter from Rye asserting its authority may have been “the straw that broke the camel”™s back” for Sustainable. “Honestly, I wonder if this doesn”™t spell the end of SPI,” she said.
Sack responded by saying the city”™s actions were not an attempt to derail an improvement plan for Playland. “I think we”™re trying to make it better and stronger,” he said. “If she thinks that, then she”™s a lot farther from the Rye City Council than three months.”
