Southampton seeks consultant for controversial East Quogue golf course plan

The Southampton Town Planning Board wants to hire a consultant to figure out whether to further study the environmental impact of a proposed 18-hole golf course that is supposed to be part of an East Quogue luxury housing development known as The Hills, 27east reported. Board members are not convinced that changes made to the proposal, which has already spawned a series of lawsuits, would delay it as it undergoes further review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. Experts hired by both Southampton’s planning department and the developer behind the project, real estate tycoon Mike Meldman’s Discovery Land Company, insist the changes won’t spark any delays. Southampton Planning Board members want to find a firm that has not work for the town before and understands the relevant New York laws. “We need a fresh pair of eyes on it,” board chairman Dennis Finnerty. “No biases.” [27east]