The Rye City Council's decision Wednesday night to advance the construction of an artificial field at Nursery Field has sparked debate within the community.

The vote, passing 4-2, moves the project forward without an additional environmental review.

Earlier discussions had highlighted the proposal put forth by a group named Let the Kids Play, offering up to $3 million for the replacement of the current natural grass field with a synthetic turf.

This plan has raised concerns, notably among residents residing near the field on Milton Road.

Among the council members, the mayor voted in favor of the project, stating, "I believe, in general, we have found good, safe answers to the people of Rye to the massive issues we've been looking at since 2019.

In addition to advancing the field construction, the council also voted to progress to the design phase of the project, indicating further steps in its development despite the controversies surrounding the proposal.