Riverhead Islamic Center gains preliminary site plan approval from planning board

The proposed Riverhead Islamic Center gained preliminary site plan approval from the planning board last night. The site plan calls for the construction of a place of worship on a 1.24-acre site on Harrison Avenue, south of Route 58. It also provides for converting a single-family residence on the site into a home for the religious leader and the construction of two small additions to the house.

In other action at last night’s meeting, the planning board:

• approved a six-lot yield map for a residential subdivision on Sound Shore Road;

• classified as a type I action for purposes of State Environmental Quality Review Act a proposal to build 26 three-bedroom townhouses on property totaling approximately 3.8 acres on the south side of East Main Street opposite Millbrook Lane (876-916 East Main Street); the board also requested lead agency status for the review.

• set a July 2 (7 p.m.) public hearing on the site plan application of Plaza 58, to convert the former Edwards Sporting Goods store at 1352 East Main St. into four retail shops;

• set a July 2 (7 p.m.) public hearing on the site plan application to refresh and modernize the facade of the Target store located at 1150 Old Country Road;

• held a public hearing on the site plan application of Sons Riverhead LLC to subdivide the former Sports Authority store on Route 58 into three separate stores and add a loading dock to the rear of the east side of the building. One store, approximately 20,000 square feet in size, will be the new home of Planet Fitness, which is moving from its present location on Kroemer Avenue, developer Jeff Serota said. Dollar Tree will occupy another space, approximately 14,000 square feet in size, he said. The tenant for the third space is to be determined. Serota said he expects the new spaces to be ready for occupancy four to six months after the planning board grants final approval.

• held a public hearing on the site plan application of Mary Ellen Real Estate (Riverhead Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep) to construct a 31,225-square-foot, two-story auto dealership building for the sale and service of new and used vehicles at 1716 Old Country Road.

The board last night also discussed the following applications:

• Area Real Estate, developers of a proposed 7-Eleven convenience store on West Main Street; the board favorably reviewed revised building elevations;

• Fedun warehouse proposed for a one-acre site at 1281 Pulaski Street (southwest corner of JT Boulevard);

• Central Square at Wading River, re-filed proposal for a 52,612-square-foot shopping center on Route 25A east of the King Kullen shopping center; a site plan approval granted in 2012 has expired and the board, planner Karin Gluth and applicant attorney Peter Danowski discussed procedure going forward, including the extent of new environmental and traffic studies that may be necessary. The applicant objects to the planning staff recommendations that the application be classified as type I and that a new traffic study be completed.