Summary
The board is refining its golf cottage proposal after public pushback: 600 sq ft units, max two attached, no restaurants/spas, no residency. Planner Bergman proposed rezoning four more golf courses (The Rock, Cherry Creek, the Woods at Cherry Creek, Long Island National) to RA-80 so all courses can use the cottage/TDR tool — a hedge against courses closing and becoming subdivisions of up to 83 houses each.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 10
- Last 30 days
- 2
Discussed at 2 meetings in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 20, 2026.
Impact analysis
Rezoning could theoretically add up to 111 net homes town-wide if courses close and TDRs are fully used, but is designed to keep courses viable instead.
Golf course owners get a survival tool; residents avoid school-district and traffic impacts of large subdivisions; tourism and local businesses could gain.
None identified at this stage; some residents previously feared hotel-style development, which the revised language addresses.
Mentions & discussions (9)
Town Board - Oct 20, 2026
The board adopted the DGEIS scope and accepted the draft environmental impact statement for creating a new Golf Course zoning district, with a SEQRA hearing to follow.
Town Board Work Session - Oct 15, 2026
The town is moving toward a new zoning district covering six golf courses that would allow 'golf cottages' funded by transferable development rights — supporting tourism while keeping residential density unchanged if a course closes. A public hearing is targeted for December 1.
Planning Board - Aug 20, 2026
The town is crafting a new zoning district that would let six existing golf courses build up to 18 tiny lodging cottages each, using transfer of development rights. The Planning Board is only an advisory commenter here — the Town Board makes the call after a full environmental review.
Town Board - Aug 4, 2026
The board started the environmental review for a new zoning district allowing golf cottages on six golf courses through transfer of development rights. Critics call it an amenity for the wealthy amid a housing crisis; planners say the footprint is tiny and the uses mirror existing zoning.
Town Board Work Session - Jul 30, 2026
The town wants to allow "golf cottages" on six existing golf courses through a new zoning district and transfer of development rights. Environmental review runs through the fall, with possible code adoption by December.
Town Board Work Session - Jun 11, 2026
A reworked proposal would let struggling golf courses add small rental cottages (600 sq ft max, 300 feet off Sound Avenue) to stay economically viable — without the density-doubling TDR bonus that raised concerns last time.
Town Board Work Session - Feb 26, 2026
The board is refining its golf cottage proposal after public pushback: 600 sq ft units, max two attached, no restaurants/spas, no residency. Planner Bergman proposed rezoning four more golf courses (The Rock, Cherry Creek, the Woods at Cherry Creek, Long Island National) to RA-80 so all courses can use the cottage/TDR tool — a hedge against courses closing and becoming subdivisions of up to 83 houses each.
Town Board - Jan 21, 2026
The town wants to let golf courses build up to 18 'cottages' (up to 1,200 sq ft, possibly attached) as a way to keep courses financially viable and preserve open space. Neighbors fear it's a hotel-in-disguise and want the 600 sq ft size from the comp plan back. Hearings stay open until Feb. 2.
Town Board Work Session - Jan 2, 2026
Two public hearings set for January 21 on town code changes — one on definitions, one on transfer of development rights — tied to the golf cottage proposal.
Related development
Golf course zoning use district implementation
Could open the door to cottage development at golf courses while steering growth through transfer of development credits; groundwater, traffic, and aesthetics will be studied.
Golf Course Zoning Amendments
The new zoning district would shape how golf course and related properties can be developed townwide; residents can comment during the SEQRA review period.
Golf cottage code amendments and golf course rezonings
The changes respond to public fears of hotel-style development and aim to keep golf courses viable — if a course closed, Cherry Creek's 166 acres could otherwise become roughly 83 houses, with the rezone potentially allowing up to 166 with TDRs.
We'll email you when it's on an upcoming agenda and when it's voted on, at most once a day.
The weekly brief for Town of Riverhead
What the council decided, in plain English — one email a week.
Free. Unsubscribe with one click any time. We never sell your email.