Whither the Woodmere Club?

As rumors continue to swirl about the future of the Woodmere Club, residents of Meadow Drive, near the golf course’s main entrance and first hole, are leery about what might become of their bucolic neighborhood.

Though no plans have been presented, a group calling itself Residents of Five Towns spread the word that more than 30 acres of club land would be purchased by a local developer who would build more than 150 single- and multiple-family homes on 60- by 100-foot lots. The targeted land is zoned Residence B, and is in the hamlet of Woodmere in the Town of Hempstead. No application had been filed as of press time.

A letter from Lee Israel, the mayor of Woodsburgh, to village residents included a proposal by an unidentified developer for 23 townhouses on a 2.2-acre portion of the Woodmere Club along the waterfront side of Railroad Avenue, which is in Woodsburgh.

Israel said that the village board had retained a planning consultant to review the proposed development and analyze its potential environmental, planning and engineering impacts. “Rest assured that the [village] board will continue to remain vigilant in addressing any development of the Woodmere Club property as well as any proposed use and its impact,” Israel wrote in the letter. “We welcome your involvement and participation in this process.”

A person with knowledge of the club’s plans refuted the idea that multi-family homes were part of any developer’s plan. “I can assure you the rumor does not match the reality of what we are proposing to sell,” he said. “There are a number of alternative plans to keep the integrity of the golf course and not impact the people of Woodsburgh.”

Maintaining the golf course’s integrity, this person said, means keeping the existing 18-hole, par-70 course intact. The club employs more than 100 people and, according to club officials, contributes to community-based charities through a foundation.

Residents of Five Towns spokesman Jeff Smith said that the group is looking to meet in the next week or two to plan members’ next move, and possibly meet with Woodmere Club board members. A petition posted by the group at change.org, which details its opposition to a large development project, had garnered 463 signatures as of press time.

Club officials said they were willing to meet with Residents of Five Towns. “Ultimately, we think there are other ways the club could be more profitable,” Smith said, “such as reducing fees for more people to play and added amenities like pay for play.”

Some Meadow Drive residents said they bought their homes because the golf course is right across the street, and would not like their view, or the ambience, spoiled. They also expressed concerns about a potential increase in traffic in an already congested area, a drain on resources, especially water, and possible flooding brought on by construction.

“It’s beautiful here, and we bought the house because of the golf course and we hate to see it go,” said a woman who identified herself only as Veronica. Her family moved to Woodsburgh from Queens over the summer, she said.

“It would definitely cause more traffic, and there would be less greenery,” said Hudi Aronowitz, a senior at Davis Renov Stahler Yeshiva High School for Boys in Woodmere. “We have a good view from here.”