Town board wrap-up: April 5

The Riverhead Country Fair gained approval Tuesday of a special event permit application to hold the fair on the Peconic riverfront Sunday, Oct. 9.

The popular autumn fair, held on the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend since 1976, was canceled by COVID in 2020. Townscape, which hosts the fair, celebrated its 45th edition last year.

The town board unanimously approved the permit.

“It will be nice to have it back,” Councilman Tim Hubbard said.

The board on Tuesday also approved by unanimous vote a local solid waste management plan for the Town of Riverhead, covering the period 2020-2029. The board approved a draft of the plan last year after a public hearing and submitted it to the State Department of Environmental Conservation for approval. The State DEC reviewed the plan and in December requested certain revisions, which the town engineer completed, according to the resolution adopted Tuesday.

The draft plan projected Riverhead will reduce the amount of solid waste generated in the town to 4.9 pounds per person per day, from the 5.2 pounds per person per day generated in 2019. The state goals call for a reduction, by 2030, to 0.6 pounds per person per day, after recycling. Town officials said that was unrealistic. See prior story

The draft plan also called for hiring a recycling coordinator to oversee the town’s recycling program and increase recycling and waste reduction efforts in Riverhead through public education and outreach. It also called for implementing an organics recycling program for food wastes generated in the town.

The town board did not publicly discuss at a work session the revisions requested by the DEC. And a revised plan was not posted on the town’s website before Tuesday’s vote. The resolution states, as required by the DEC, that the town will implement the plan and submit biennial plan updates to the DEC.

In other action Tuesday, the town board:

• Approved an agreement with Netflix for filming in Riverhead (See separate story);
• Held a public hearing on the site plan application for expansion of the Suffolk Theater (See separate story);
• Held a public hearing on proposed amendments to Chapter 255 of the town code, “Parades, Assemblies and Special Events” (Story to follow);
• Held a public hearing on proposed amendments to Chapter 263 of the town code, “Rental Dwelling Units” (Story to follow);

The board also scheduled the following public hearings:

• site plan application of 38 East Main Street, for a proposed two-story restaurant (May 18 at 6:05 p.m.);
• a local law to amend Riverhead Town Code Chapter 301 Article LVI entitled “Site Plan Review” § 301-305, to authorize the town board or planning board to require applicants to pay for expert advisors in the review of pending applications (May 3 at 2 p.m.)
• local law to amend Riverhead Town Code Chapter 301 Article XXIX entitled “Downtown Center 1: Main Street (DC-1) Zoning Use District” implementing the recommendations of the Downtown Pattern Book (May 3 at 2:05 p.m.);
• local law to amend Riverhead Town Code Chapter 301 entitled “Zoning and Land Development, Attachment 3 – Commercial Districts Schedule of Dimensional Regulations” implementing the recommendations of the Downtown Pattern Book (May 3 at 2:10 p.m.);
• local law to amend Riverhead Town Code Chapter 301 entitled “Zoning and Land Development, Part 3. Article XLVII Supplementary Area Regulations” implementing the recommendations of the Downtown Pattern Book (May 3 at 2:15 p.m.);
• local law to amend Riverhead Town Code Chapter 301, Land Development, Attachment I “Parking Schedule” of the Riverhead Town Code implementing new parking requirements for multiple dwellings, apartments and townhouses, hotels and motels in Downtown Center zoning districts 1,2 and 3 (May 3 at 2:25 p.m.);
• local law to amend Riverhead Town Code Chapter 301 Article XLV entitled “Supplementary Use Regulations,” to require off-street parking for residential uses or the payment of a fee to reduce the amount of off-street parking required (May 3 at 2:30 p.m.);
• local law to amend Riverhead Town Code Chapter 271 Entitled “Smoking” of the Riverhead Town Code to prohibit the smoking or vaping of tobacco or cannabis products at all town-owned buildings and beaches, parks, playgrounds and recreational areas, unless specifically designated as a smoking area (May 3 at 2:35 p.m.);
• local law to amend Riverhead Town Code Chapter 251 Entitled “Noise, Public Nuisances and Property Maintenance” to amend the definitions section of the code and prohibit the creation of “noise pollution” and increases the fines for violations of the code.

The board on Tuesday also accepted the retirement of personnel officer Margaret Ferris effective May 31.

Correction: The article has bern amended to correct the misidentification of the Columbus Day holiday weekend in an earlier version.