Conservation of Island’s End Golf and Country Club in Greenport is Complete

December 13, 2019

December 13, 2019. SOUTHOLD, New York. After nearly four years of negotiations, Peconic Land Trust, The Island’s End Golf and Country Club, and the King and Turner families are pleased to announce the protection of 126.71 acres of land, collectively known as Island’s End Golf and Country Club. The protection was accomplished by the Town of Southold when the Town acquired the development rights on December 6, 2019.

The Town of Southold purchased the development rights on the property – 126.71 acres, for $5.138 million. Funding for the acquisition came from the Town of Southold’s Community Preservation Fund.

All of the waterfront and shoreline is now protected and the remainder of the property is restricted to recreational, open space or agriculture use. The King and Turner families along with the Island’s End Golf and Country Club will retain the ownership of the land, subject to the restrictions of the Southold Town easement. There are also two development areas that must remain attached to the properties, each of approximately four acres, that allow for limited development related to the preserved properties.

“This is an exciting purchase and a great opportunity. Not only was this the largest preservation project in the history of the Town program, it ensures that the last remaining public golf course on the East End continues to operate for all to enjoy. We are deeply grateful to the property owners and to the Peconic Land Trust. Without them, this would never had been achieved,” said Southold Town Supervisor, Scott Russell

“This is a great outcome, and something my father would be proud of and always hoped would happen,” said William King, Owner

“My late husband, Robert Turner, would be very proud that his father’s legacy will now continue to be enjoyed by the community that he so loved,” said Mary M. Pacinda-Turner, Owner

Catherine Chaudhuri, President of Island’s End Golf and Country Club said, “We at Island’s End are most grateful to the Town of Southold, Scott Russell and his Board; the staff at Peconic Land Trust, in particular Tim Caufield and Holly Sanford; and the King and Turner families. The Island’s End board and shareholders are thrilled our public course has been preserved!”

“All of us at the Trust congratulate the Town of Southold for staying the course and completing this historic land conservation project. For over half a century, Island’s End has provided a wonderful recreational resource for the residents and visitors to the North Fork. The conservation of this land – including all acreage along Long Island Sound and the mature wildlife habitat that is established within the fairways – is an extraordinary conservation outcome for all,” said John v.H. Halsey, President, Peconic Land Trust.

The benefits of the conservation are many for the community of Southold, including:

• Conservation of 126.71 acres of open recreational space
• Retention of employment opportunities for local residents
• Sustained offering as the only 18-hole golf course on North Fork open to the general public
• Continued use by local high school golf teams
• Preservation of original natural landscape with beautiful vistas
• Habitat for wildlife (i.e. Red Tail Hawk, Fox, Grey Horn Owl & Deer)

In 2016, the Peconic Land Trust began working with the owners of the land where the Island’s End Golf and Country Club is located in Greenport, NY, on the potential for a permanent conservation options for the property.

The land – 126.71 acres along the Long Island Sound -- is in split ownership between the King and Turner families (93.85 acres) and the Island’s End Golf and Country Club (32.86 acres). The Club has historically leased the 93.85 acres from the King and Turner family for the course, and was a semi-private club, providing golfing opportunities to the public along with its members.

About Island’s End Golf and Country Club

Island’s End Golf and Country Club was a recreational idea originally conceived by John Piccozzi, with the collaboration and leadership of Charles Cornibert, John LeBailey, Chauncey Hulse and Arthur Levin. The plans to make Island’s End Golf and Country Club a reality were put in motion in 1959.

Through a letter writing campaign informing other community organizations of the project as well as a donor “Tee Off” dinner, Island’s End secured the support necessary to begin construction in July 1960, opening for business in 1961. Initially a 9-hole golf course, designed by George Heron a PGA golf professional, in 1963 the course expanded to 18 holes. In an atmosphere of “private” clubs, Island’s End Golf and Country Club’s decision to be a semi-private club with public access provided a unique opportunity for the golfing community. The course was quickly embraced by the public.

The year 1965 saw even more changes at Island’s End. A driving range property was purchased and a tree planting program was instituted for several years. Eventually, 40,000 trees from the N.Y.S. Forestry Service were planted. This tree planting program was also the beginning of job opportunities for local high school students. In the late 1960s the course was accepted by the United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A.).

About the Peconic Land Trust

Founded in 1983, Peconic Land Trust conserves Long Island’s working farms, natural lands, and heritage. Since its inception, the nonprofit Trust has worked conscientiously with landowners, communities, municipalities, partner organizations, and donors, to conserve over 13,000 acres of land on Long Island. The Trust’s professional staff carries out the necessary research and planning to identify and implement alternatives to outright development. While working to conserve the productive farms, watersheds, woodlands, and beachfront of Long Island, the Trust is also protecting the unique rural heritage and natural resources of the region. For more information about the Peconic Land Trust, visit peconiclandtrust.org.

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Additional information and background on the conservation and property:

The Peconic Land Trust has worked with the landowners to assess various conservation options that could be applied with a goal of protecting the natural and scenic aspects of the property, while providing equity from the land to the owners and a viable future for this important community recreational asset.

Island’s End has been an important community recreational place for over a generation. With 800 feet of shoreline and a mature wildlife habitat (Red Tail Hawks, Fox, Grey Horn Owls have been observed making the land home within the 40,000 trees amongst the fairways), the golf course has welcomed generations of local residents, 2^nd homeowners, and visitors to the North Fork – and has been an important job creator for the community, as well as a public resource, including hosting local high school golf teams. Over the years the course has been maintained in an ecologically friendly manner, related to fertilizing, irrigation and equipment maintenance.

Through conservation, a significant reduction in future housing has been achieved (currently, zoning would allow for the development of 53 residences at full yield based on Southold’s Town Code).

What is a Sale of Development Rights/Purchase of Development Rights (PDR)?

A sale of development rights (generally in the form of a conservation easement) to a qualified organization or government entity protects land, or a portion thereof, from development in perpetuity. The landowner continues to own the property and retains the right to sell the restricted land or pass it on to heirs. The sale provides cash to the landowner and may result in a reduction of property taxes on the protected property. The proceeds of the sale, however, may be subject to capital gains taxes and remain as part of the landowner’s taxable estate.