Riverhead · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Town of Riverhead public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Brownfield cleanup grant
North Shore Sprinkler Supply is legalizing paving, drainage and landscaping work done without town approval after a 2023 state environmental violation. The work is largely done and drew praise from the board for its appearance.
Indoor agricultural facility at 645 Grumman Boulevard
A 126,000-square-foot indoor growing facility is planned for 645 Grumman Blvd. in Calverton, with ten acres of pine barrens preserved. The board set parking at 121 spaces based on an expert workforce analysis.
Sandy Pond Trade Shops vs. Commercial Storage
John McAuliff questioned whether the approved 'trade shops' at Sandy Pond golf course were meant to allow contractor storage rental, arguing the large buildings hurt the site's aesthetics.
Petrocelli Master Developer Closing and IDA Benefits
A resident questioned whether a law firm representing both a developer and the town creates conflicts, and whether the Master Developer can actually complete the downtown project. It's a question of confidence in the town's biggest redevelopment effort.
Verizon tower at 285 Hubbard Avenue
A new 120-foot stealth tower is proposed next to homes and Fire Station 2. Staff wants landscaping to screen the tired Verizon maintenance yard and an FAA compliance report; the tower could later grow to 130 feet under the code.
Andersson Acres subdivision school district split
A revived ~70-acre subdivision across the LIRR tracks won approval of its 35-lot yield map and 33-lot cluster sketch plan, preserving just over 70% of the land and splitting between two school districts.
Baiting Hollow Golf Club cell tower flag debate
Elite Towers wants a 140-foot monopole on Sound Avenue, but the residential zoning doesn't allow it — a use variance is needed. Visual impact along the scenic corridor is the big question.
Walmart supercenter expansion at 1890 Old Country Road
Walmart wants to add a grocery section and about 27,000 square feet to its Old Country Road store, turning it into a supercenter with EV chargers and online pickup. The board wants the parking lot trees kept and a less boxy building design before the plan moves ahead.
Summerwin stop-work order update
The board gave preliminary approval to 16 clustered homes on 30 acres in Aquebogue, with two agricultural reserves and a ban on commercial cannabis growing there. Neighbors won protections on the right-of-way and open space, and the developer will pay $75,000 in parks fees.
RD Pilesgrove LLC subdivision restart at 3544 Sound Avenue
A 2008-approved, 12-lot clustered subdivision on 35 acres of farmland and woodland on Sound Avenue never got finalized, and its approval expired in 2009. The new owner must start over under today's stricter rules, including the 70% open-space preservation goal and possible workforce housing obligations — and neighbors will get a new public hearing.
Payment in lieu of parking (PILOP) program
Consultants propose letting downtown developers pay $18,000 per parking stall instead of building on-site parking, with the money locked into a dedicated fund for public parking — including the planned Roanoke Avenue garage. Downtown already shows a deficit of roughly 144 to 278 spaces at existing occupied apartment projects, and more development is coming.
318 East Main Street deli site plan and permit violations
Councilmember Waski wants steeper fines for owners of long-vacant downtown buildings, saying the $5,000 commercial blight fine has become a cost of doing business. A code amendment raising penalties will go on a future agenda.
Hampton Motors expansion at 300 Mill Road
A busy auto-body shop wants to add workspace and vehicle storage. It needs ZBA relief for setbacks, and the board cleared the environmental review hurdle so it can get there.
Planet Nugg cannabis dispensary access reconfiguration
A resident says the board's August approval of a weed-delivery dispensary next to his home was void — the building was over the 4,000 sq. ft. informal-review limit, no public hearing was held, and the license went to a different company. He's demanding a stop-work order and rescission.
JPD Calverton warehouse redevelopment
A longtime local broker wants to build a 3,900-square-foot warehouse on a half-acre Main Road lot where warehouses aren't allowed, arguing low water allocation makes other uses unfeasible. Tara Lane residents fear traffic and parking will spill onto their shared right-of-way.
Peconic Bay Medical Center maternity expansion
The hospital's maternity wing expansion and facade upgrade got town approval, with a resident-driven amendment requiring native, non-invasive landscaping. Neighbors also raised noise concerns about rooftop HVAC equipment.
First-time homebuyer down payment assistance
About $380,000 is available to help eligible first-time homebuyers in Riverhead through the Community Development Department, funded by developer fees.
Sound Shore Farms agricultural worker housing
A farm on Sound Avenue wants to convert an old building into dormitory-style housing for six farmworkers. It's a small, staff-supported project, but the board flagged a real question: how does the town actually verify the people living there work on that farm?
Wineton Farms subdivision and accessory structure question
A Jamesport farm family wants to split off an 11.9-acre lot to build a house, but existing accessory structures on the lot complicate approval because a lot can't have accessory buildings without a primary dwelling. The board and applicant are working toward a covenant or ZBA path.
Brother Bear Canna correspondence
The cannabis farm wanted an 8-foot deer fence and more paved coverage than the agricultural zone allows. The board said no, finding the community detriment outweighed the benefit — a win for the Calverton residents who packed the room.
Peconic Hotel Sale and Parking Garage
Completion of Town Square will create parking pressure downtown, and residents want to know who pays for a garage. Grant money is already allocated for a garage, paid parking rules are being drafted, and any bonding would sit in the parking district.
Calverton Aviation Litigation
The CDA is spending roughly $95,000 more on outside legal costs for the ongoing Triple Five lawsuit over the EPCAL property. A resident wants the dollar amounts spelled out in future resolutions.
Commercial signage and storefront design on the Old Country Road corridor
Two illuminated wall sign applications — Local Infusion and Pandora at Tanger — were before the board, and design reviews for the Northwell maternity expansion and Walmart were also scheduled. These reviews shape how commercial properties along the corridor look and function.
Harbes Orchard Estates subdivision preserves farmland and woods
The Harbes family wants to split a 10.67-acre parcel at 30 Halsey Road into four house lots while keeping the working orchard and wooded areas intact. The unusual flag-lot layout took 13 tries to get right, and the board will decide at a future meeting whether to accept the sketch.
Town Square Splash Pad
Resident Ron Harari pressed the board on the total cost of the town square project, the hockey rink subsidy, and aquarium tax benefits; the supervisor said he had not received the requested figures and pointed to the pending FOIL.
Calverton Industrial Subdivision (OSTAD) SEQR findings
Suffolk Cement Products wants to split 26 acres at the old sand mine into industrial lots, but steep slopes cut right through the building envelopes. Staff wants alternative sketch plans and won't finalize until the state signs off on mine reclamation.
Conversion of former spa/restaurant to HVAC business at 1175 West Main Street
The old Buoy One site gets a facelift for a heating and air conditioning business — repaving, marked parking, fencing and landscaping that make the long-nonconforming property less of an eyesore.
Town Square Hotel land reconfiguration
John McAuliff and Ron Hariri pressed for answers on the downtown hotel — the room count reportedly grew from 76 to 80, and they want to know the town's financial exposure and parking garage commitment.
Wading River farmland subdivision formalization
A 24.79-acre Hulse Landing Road property is being formally split into three lots to memorialize a Suffolk County development-rights purchase, with a future home planned on a 2-acre lot. Most of the land stays protected farmland.
Island Water Park (Scott's Pointe) amended site plan hearing
The board scheduled a public hearing on the water park's amended site plan at 5835 Middle Country Road in Calverton. Resident Kathy McGraw blasted the public notice as too vague, saying it doesn't make clear the park wants to add drift-car special events and pit bikes to the go-kart covenant.
Eminent domain takeover of 111 East Main Street
The town wants to seize the long-vacant former Sweezy building from the Long Island Science Center's owner to complete the Town Square. Supporters say it's the key to saving downtown businesses; opponents say the public purpose is vague, the cost unknown, and the process premature. No decision yet — written comments open 10 days, determination within 90 days.
Alleyway improvements near Main Street
A business owner wants to cover the flood-prone alleyway leading to the future town square, add drains and lighting, and fix ice problems on Main Street. The town will help set up meetings with the CDA and engineers to explore grant funding.
YMCA Redevelopment of the Former Armory
The board approved a letter of intent letting the YMCA pursue turning the vacant former state Armory at 1405 Old Country Road into a community wellness hub. Backers say it addresses senior fitness, youth programs and economic growth.
East End Arts campus relocation and flood mitigation
The historic East End Arts buildings on Main Street sit in the flood zone and need to be lifted and repositioned. The new plan creates a campus quad, future arts pavilion, accessible connector building, and flexible amphitheater space — all part of the broader downtown flood mitigation effort designed with the Army Corps of Engineers.