The proposed zoning code amendment to allow “Agritourism Inn and Resort” uses in the RA-80 zoning district, located north of Sound Avenue, has been revised and is scheduled for a new public hearing next month.
MORE COVERAGE: Luxury inn and resort uses would be allowed north of Sound Avenue under code change
The changes to the proposed code aim to tighten up limitations on potential uses and potential development densities.
Read or download the amended proposed code here.
New provisions in the proposal specifically exclude the use of restaurants as catering facilities and prohibit hosting private parties and events except for guests of the inn. The revisions reduce the limit on restaurant seating to 2 ½ times the number of guest units — down from three times the number of guest units in the first proposal.
The revisions also ban the use of temporary structures for principal uses allowed by the new code, which include accommodations, restaurants, conference rooms, indoor personal amenity spaces.
The revisions also limit festivals, shows and exhibitions on the preserved agricultural portion of the site to those related to agricultural production on-site or in the Long Island region. The new provision limits such events to no more than six per year. These events will require special event permits from the town board. The revision specifically bans “catering events” such as weddings and birthday parties on the agricultural land.
The revised proposal now provides for the use of agricultural structures on preserved land for “agricultural worker housing supportive of on-farm agricultural production.” But this use will require approval of an agricultural worker housing permit from the building department pursuant to a separate section of existing town code.
The Town Board at its Jan. 17 meeting scheduled a public hearing on the revised proposed code amendment for Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 6:05 p.m.
The board also scheduled two other public hearings in February. See below.
Also on Tuesday, the Town Board adopted a final scope of environmental review for the comprehensive plan update. The State Environmental Quality Review Act requires the lead agency conducting the review to adopt a scoping document that spells out what the environmental impact statement must analyze.
Read or download the final scope here.
In other action at last week’s meeting, the Town Board:
- Adopted a local law to allow shellfishing for residents for a limited time in East Creek
MORE COVERAGE: Riverhead seeks to reopen East Creek to shellfishing for residents
- Held a public hearing on the proposed amendment of the Manufacturers Outlet Zoning Use District (Business F)
MORE COVERAGE: New business uses at Tanger will hurt downtown and Route 58, local developer tells Town Board
Held public hearings on proposed increases of recreation fees payable by developers of residential uses. If the code changes are adopted the fees will increase from $3,000 per unit to $5,000 per unit. The recreation fees are contributed to a recreation fund in lieu of a developer providing recreational facilities on-site. The proposed change also allows the rec fees to be used to improved designated “flagship parks” in the town: Veterans Memorial Park, Stotzky Park, Police Officers Memorial Park, Wading River Beach, Iron Pier Beach, and South Jamesport Beach, which are utilized by the entire community, and eligible for use of the fees as provided by state law, according to the proposal.
Approved a stipulation of settlement with Gershow Recycling regarding litigation dating back nearly a decade between the town and Gershow Recycling. The town sued Gershow Recycling, based in Medford, in May 2014, claiming Gershow, which bought a former auto salvage business on Hubbard Avenue, illegally changed the site’s pre-existing, nonconforming use from a junkyard to a scrap metal facility. The town sought a restraining order as well. The court denied the restraining order, but the suit remains pending — despite court decisions in a separate action brought by Gershow against the town in July 2014. Gershow sued to overturn the town’s denial of a site plan application, which was based on the town’s determination that Gershow illegally changed the use of the site. In that case, the trial court in June 2017 ruled in favor of the company and annulled the town’s site plan denial. The town appealed the trial court decision and lost in the Appellate Division in 2021.
The settlement approved by the Town Board last week requires the town to issue a certificate of occupancy to Gershow authorizing its current use of the property as a lawful pre-existing, nonconforming use, to approve an amended site plan for the site and to issue new junk dealers licenses for 2013 through 2024.
Gershow agrees in the settlement to implement noise mitigation measures consisting of a fence and container depicted on an aerial image referred to in the agreement as attached, but not included in the agreement released by the town last week.
Hired a new Town Board coordinator, Diane Tucci of Riverhead, to fill a vacancy left by the recent retirement of Carol Sclafani after 14 years of service in town government.
Tucci will be paid an annual salary of $52,800 plus benefits, according to a resolution setting the terms and conditions of her employment. Tucci owns Main Street Agency, a public relations firm, and previously worked for the Business Improvement District Management Association. She ran for a town council position as a Democrat in 2019. She switched parties and is currently a member of the Riverhead Republican Committee. In 2023, Tucci sought the Republican committee’s designation to run for town clerk, which went instead to former council member James Wooten.
Moved forward with design of riverfront amphitheater and adaptive playground.
The Town Board awarded professional services agreements to consultants who will develop designs for the riverfront amphitheater and adaptive children’s playground.
Skolnick Architecture and Design Partnership of New York City was awarded the contract for the amphitheater pre-design planning, flood mitigation engineering and market analysis, and LVF Landscape Architects of New York City was awarded the contract for the planning, design and engineering of the adaptive playground. Both agreements, which were attached to the resolutions awarding them, refer to attached exhibits containing that detail the scope of services and fee schedules for each agreement; however nothing was attached to either agreement.
Scheduled the following public hearings:
Proposed local law to govern the seizure/towing of vehicles from privately owned, publicly accessible parking lots: Feb. 6, 2:05 p.m.
Proposed local law to amend the town’s procurement policy: Feb. 6, 2:15 p.m.
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