Key Issues Discussed, Resolved for Summit Club Special Use Permit

Representatives for The Summit Club and North Castle officials agreed on several conditions last week for a special use permit to allow the golf course to operate and with public membership while 73 luxury residences are constructed.

The parties appeared to iron out details on a series of issues, most notably pertaining to maximum membership, noise and whether individuals can buy proposed guest cottages that are being planned for the golf course to attract people to stay for multiple days as guests of members.

A special use permit is required for a golf course to operate in North Castle.

Attorney Mark Weingarten, representing The Summit Club, said golf club communities around the United States, similar to what is being planned at the 156-acre site in Armonk, offer guest cottages that are maintained by the club but can be offered as investment opportunities. The stipulation they would adhere to is that only club members and their immediate family and guests would be allowed to use the cottages.

Listings on Airbnb or similar sites would be prohibited.

“If they’re in a position to sell these units to someone who wants them for an investment, I don’t know why this will be a problem as long as there are rules and regulations that require the golf club to operate it,” Weingarten said.

Some Town Board members were hesitant to have a person or entity own a cottage rather than the club to ensure that only members and their families and guests would use them.

Councilwoman Barbara DiGiacinto said she would have preferred the cottages be owned by the club or at least residents of the condos because there would likely be more incentive for proper upkeep and guest behavior.

“I’m just not sure that would not be problematic,” DiGiacinto said.

Principal partner Jeffrey Mendell said that in order to get construction financing, it would be more attractive to be able to pre-sell or pre-lease the cottages. Currently, the 10 two-bedroom cottages are not part of the approved site plan for the residences. The development team would have to return to the Planning Board for approval of the cottages, which would also have a refrigerator and microwave.

He said it would be “a non-starter” if the town required that the club own the cottages.

“I would like the ability to sell them to investors as long as the investor puts them in a rental pool with the management company for use by members and their guests,” Mendell explained to the board. “I think that’s what you guys are talking about, but to restrict my ability to finance them, I think that’s out of bounds.”

Supervisor Joseph Rende said members will be paying a hefty fee to join the club, and since they would want to comply with Summit’s rules, they were likely to abide by those rules.

“It’s not like an Airbnb where you have no control over who’s coming and staying,” he said.

Aligning with the club’s request, the board also agreed to cap golf membership at 350 and overall membership at 500. The extra members could be social members or tennis members.

Mendell said there are currently about 85 golf members. Once built, the 73 approved luxury condominium owners would also be required to have a membership.

There would be a maximum of 100 campers a day for the club’s summer golf camp, which would also include tennis, swimming, pickleball and other activities. Children and grandchildren of members would be permitted to attend.

One of the other key issues that was discussed last week was noise generation. The Summit Club agreed to a 9 p.m. cut-off for music and special events, an hour earlier than is stipulated in the town code. Most of the board agreed with that condition; however, Councilman Jose Berra said that could be too late for nearby residents.

He also said the original proposal was for no noise to go beyond the property lines. Weingarten responded it would be unrealistic to try and enforce that condition.

Most of the other issues included in the special use permit were resolved relatively quickly, including lighting parking and lighting. Originally, The Summit Club asked for the special use permit to allow for operation of the club and public use of the golf course to end on Dec. 31, 2029, or when the residences were built, whichever occurred first. But that was amended to be through October 2026 with yearly renewals after that.

The Town Board could vote on the special use permit at its next meeting on July 10.