The Village of Brookville has ordered the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center (JCC) to shut down Camp Jacobson, Ross M. Wallenstein, a spokesperson for the center, has confirmed.
Village officials informed the JCC that the summer camp must close because it does not meet the requirements of certain zoning laws. Hundreds of children attend the camp per year.
“After 14 years, the Village of Brookville is attempting to close down Camp Jacobson, leaving many families aggrieved and saddened,” Wallenstein said. “Sid Jacobson JCC is continuing to explore its legal options and is seeking alternatives to delivering a quality summer for its families and children where possible.”
Although the summer camp is not permitted, the community center facility remains operational.
According to court documents, the JCC’s zoning troubles began when it requested permits to expand in 2014. They were denied by the village’s zoning board in 2017 and appealed the decision.
Then a State Supreme Court judge issued an order also denying their request for special use on the property, which is zoned for “nonresidential uses which may not be excluded pursuant to the state and federal laws,” the court records show.
Later in the court documents, the reasoning given was that “the JCC’s camp operation is recreational, and not academic, in nature.”
A request for comment was not returned by the Village of Brookville.
