Wake up, Riverhead!

An unwelcome, transformational change to the historic Sound Avenue corridor is coming our way.  You may have heard it mentioned that the Town Board is about to change the zoning code to allow large luxury resorts and spas north of Sound Avenue—the area that for many is the last vestige of what makes this town special with its farm vistas and country feel.  If this bothers you and you don’t like the idea, it’s time to speak up or forever hold your peace.  Your one and only opportunity to be heard is at the public hearing on this code change on Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. in Town Hall. Being there will have the biggest impact but if you can’t make it write to townclerk@townofriverheadny.gov

This change in zoning was set in motion by a Westchester developer, Alfred Weissman Real Estate, and it was facilitated by the cooperation of our town officials.  It is not a change the people of this town requested.  About three years ago, in 2021, Weissman came to the town with a plan to build a luxury resort and spa just west of Briermere Farms. Behind closed doors, unbeknownst to anyone, our town officials met with this developer to enable such resorts under the banner of “agritourism”.   A deputy town attorney, the Community Development director, and Planning Department employees worked hand in hand with consultants paid for by the developer to make modifications to the town’s transfer of development rights (TDR) program and to draft a new zoning code allowing these resorts in residential zones north of Sound Avenue.  Riverhead Town officials accepted help from developer-paid professionals on code change for Sound-front resort plan, records show – RiverheadLOCAL

These “under the radar” machinations only came to light in July 2023 because a resourceful reporter, checking on a couple of large campaign contributions to incumbent Town Board candidates, looked up the website of one of the contributors — Alfred Weissman Real Estate — and found information touting a luxury resort and spa soon to be built in Riverhead on the Long Island Sound!  Of course when asked about this, Town Board members had little to say other than yes, they did recall a meeting or two with a developer—nothing specific. Then the next thing we know on Nov. 30, 2023 a zoning code allowing these resorts was unveiled by town officials.

Adding insult to injury, the town’s hush-hush work with the developer on this major land use and zoning code change was happening at the very same time this town was paying a consultant (BFJ) hundreds of thousands of dollars to update the town’s comprehensive plan— the very plan that is supposed to be the blueprint for the town’s future, detailing the community’s vision for, among other things, land use and development.  Yet it was only at the tail end of the comp plan process in December 2023 at the last public meeting held by BFJ that agri-tourism resorts surfaced, and when they did, people at that meeting opposed the idea.  But come April 2024, although these resorts were never substantively studied or seriously discussed during the update process, there they were in the draft of the plan presented to the town.  During the comment period on that draft, residents and civic associations expressed extensive opposition to these resorts, asking that they be stricken from the plan. But the Town Board chose to retain them, and even though the plan has yet to be adopted, they are moving forward with the zoning amendment to allow these resorts.

It seems the powers-that-be in Town Hall, not the people who live here, have decided Riverhead needs these resorts for its tax base and as a means to preserve agricultural lands. But consider this: if six resorts are built on the the six parcels that have been identified, we will soon have as many as 900 rental rooms, restaurants with seating for a total of 2,250 diners, conference rooms, pools and spas along Sound Avenue.  And in exchange for all this, wow, a measly 420 acres of land will be preserved — by any measure a very high price to pay when there are better ways available to preserve land.  And just a word of caution: Council Member Ken Rothwell told the Southold Town Board during a joint work session that Riverhead is starting off small  with just six parcels — to see how it goes.  Can we expect even more resorts in the future?

All this to say, if you like the Sound Avenue corridor as it is and oppose what the town is proposing to do to it with its new “Agri-tourism Resort” zoning code, then show up on Aug. 20 and let your voices be heard.  If this code passes, the Sound Avenue we all know and love will never be the same. It, too, will be lost to developers like so much else in this town. 

Kathleen McGraw, an attorney, is a resident of Northville.

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