Town Board wrap:
Farm Country Kitchen suit settled, support for turtle rescue in Jamesport, Rugged Maniac race gets green light

A proposal to add small animal rehabilitation as a special permit use in the Hamlet Residential zoning use district drew support at a public hearing before the Riverhead Town Board yesterday.

Small animal rehabilitation — rabbits, squirrels, possums, turtles and birds— will be allowed where the activity is conducted by a N.Y. State DEC-licensed rehabilitator who lives on the premises. The code requires the rehabilitation area to be a maximum of 750 square feet and fully enclosed.

The code revision would put to rest a dispute between the Town of Riverhead and Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons on Manor Lane in Jamesport. The town code enforcement division in 2013 issued notices of violation to Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons, which is operated by licensed rehabilitator Karen Testa.

Speakers supporting Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons and the proposed code change included Ginnie Frati, executive director of the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center in Hampton Bays, Ken Zahler, former president of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, a Manor Lane neighbor of Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons and the owner of Stars in the Forest Wildlife Center in Riverhead.

“Our relentless development” has caused habitat loss and “caused wildlife to come into contact with human activity,” Frati said, advocating for the need for animal rehabilitators.

“Allow them to continue their noble work,” she said.

The hearing record was left open for written comments until July 28.

A second public hearing on a code revision that would waive all building, plumbing, electrical and other permit fees for residential septic/cesspool system upgrades made under Suffolk County’s septic improvement program drew no comment.

In other action yesterday, the town board:

• authorized a settlement of a longstanding legal action against the owners of Farm Country Kitchen on West Main Street, brought by the town for alleged violations of the zoning code;
• authorized a $23,000 consolidated funding grant application to New York State for the development of a formal strategic parking plan for downtown Riverhead that will document and analyze existing conditions, create a projection model showing future parking needs and identify the best methods through which the town can address its current and future parking needs;
• set an Aug. 15 public hearing on a zoning code change that would allow a drive-through restaurant in he Shopping Center zoning use district where a building permit has been issued for a movie theater on the same parcel;
• approved a resolution supporting the Town of East Hampton’s proposed amendment to federal legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration to reflect East Hampton’s 2005 settlement with the FAA regarding the town airport;
• approved the allocation of $6,000 for improvements to the Horton Avenue basketball court, including a permanent scoreboard;
• authorized an agreement with Long Island Sports Park at 149 Edwards Avenue to allow the “Rugged Maniac” race event to take place there on July 22 special event, conditioned on the agreement of the owners of the facility not to schedule any other events there for the remainder of this year, while a site plan application is pending before the town planning board;
• ratified the promotion of police officer Edward Carey to the position of detective grade III;
• approved the special event and fireworks applications for Jamesport Fire Department annual carnival, which runs July 19-22, with parade on July 19 and fireworks on Saturday, July 22;
• approved the special event application for Peconic Bay Medical Center/Northwell Health Family Festival Aug. 9 -12 in Wading River;
• approved the special event application for Polish Town Civic Association Polish Town Street Fair and Festival Aug. 19-20 in Riverhead;
• approved the special event application of Rugged Races Inc. to hold the Rugged Maniac 5K obstacle race at L.I. Sports Park on July 22;
• approved the special event application for the Riverhead Foundation’s 20th annual Run for the Ridley 5K race on Oct. 22.