Judge rules in favor of Village of Freeport over control of Cleveland Avenue Field
The dispute between the district and the Village of Freeport arose in 2021, when the district argued it had an irrevocable right to use the field for its own purposes.
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A New York state Supreme Court judge ended a years-long battle of the Cleveland Avenue Field in Freeport, ruling that the Freeport Union Free School District does not have a permanent easement over the field.
The dispute between the district and the Village of Freeport arose in 2021, when the district argued it had an irrevocable right to use the field for its own purposes.
Freeport Village attorney Howard Colton says the village issues a license to the district to use the property.
"It's not an ownership interest in the property,” he said. “It is purely just a license to utilize the property, and a license can be revoked at any time."
As the battle over control of the field played out in court, many community members worried the village may redevelop the field. With control over the field now in the village's hands, village officials tell News 12 the village has no plans to redevelop it.
"The school district has a license that the village has granted it to operate and to continue to do what they're doing with their sports activities and whatever activities that they want to do on Cleveland Avenue Field,” said Colton.
Karen Dillinger, of Freeport, said she still worries about the community’s future access to the field.
"There's usually games and there's usually leagues, family games and neighborhood games. So, you know, I don't want that to have to change for the kids,” she said. "I feel bad for kids. If they want to play on a Saturday or Sunday are they going to have to start paying for it?"
Freeport School Board Attorney John Gross tells News 12 that the board will decide on whether to appeal the judge's decision at the next school board meeting.
