Planning Board Oct. 17 meeting: Mixed-use plan in Calverton requires impact statement

The Riverhead Planning Board has initiated formal review of a development proposal on Middle Country Road in Calverton that would subdivide a roughly 16-acre vacant parcel into 10 lots and develop the commercially zoned portion of the site with a two-story, mixed-use commercial building providing about 30,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 36 one-bedroom apartments on the upper floor.

The Planning Board assumed lead agency status and issued a positive declaration pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), meaning the proposal will require expanded, coordinated environmental review to identify its potential significant impacts and determine how the impacts can best be mitigated. The board also directed the applicant to prepare a draft scope of review, pursuant to SEQRA.

The proposal consists of two separate but related applications by TJOC Real Estate Holdings: the land subdivision application creating 10 lots and a site plan application for the development of the five-acre lot fronting Middle Country Road that would be created by the subdivision.  

The presently wooded, undeveloped site is located on the north side of Middle Country Road in Calverton, between J&R Steakhouse and Miloski’s Poultry Farm, approximately 475 feet west of Fresh Pond Avenue. It is split-zoned, lying partly in the Hamlet Center Zoning District and partly in the Residence B-40 Zoning District 

The commercial development is proposed for a five-acre lot fronting Middle Country Road located within the Hamlet Center Zoning District.

Nine other proposed lots would be created on the remaining acreage, which lies in the Residence B-40 Zoning District. Seven of the proposed lots are about 40,000 square feet each and designated for single-family residential development. Another lot, about 31,000 square feet would be set aside as a recharge basin for drainage purposes. A 77,000-square-foot lot, adjoining the commercial parcel on the north, is the proposed site of a wastewater treatment facility with the capacity to treat 15,000 gallons per day.

MORE COVERAGE:  Planners discuss mixed-use development and residential subdivision on 16 acres in Calverton

Two subdivisions of agricultural land in Jamesport gained approval from the Riverhead Planning Board at its meeting last week. 

One subdivision split a 41-acre parcel having road frontage on both Sound Avenue and Manor Lane into three lots. Lot one is a 2.2-acre parcel improved with a single-family home; lot two is a 33.24-acre parcel which has been preserved by the purchase of development rights by the County of Suffolk earlier this year; lot three is a 5.7-acre parcel. The property, located in the Agricultural Protection zoning district, is owned by Jets 139 LLC. 

The other subdivision split a 5-acre vacant parcel at 139 Sound Avenue, also having road frontage on both Sound Avenue and Manor Lane, into two lots. Lot one is a 2.4-acre parcel and lot two is a 2.6-acre parcel. The property, located in the Agricultural Protection zoning district, is also owned by Jets 139 LLC. 

Preliminary subdivision approval extended for parcel needed in connection with Riverhead Solar2 36-megawatt solar facility in Calverton

Granted a 90-day extension of a land subdivision approval granted to DeLalio Sod Farm LLC on March 7, 2024 that split a 52-acre industrially zoned lot at 422 Edwards Avenue in Calverton into two parcels. 

The subdivision was granted in connection with Riverhead Solar 2, a New York State reviewed renewable energy project, located within the Industrial A Zoning Use District. Riverhead Solar 2 is a proposed 36 megawatt commercial solar energy production facility on 275 acres along Edwards Avenue.

Delalio Sod Farm intends to retain the smaller, 16.2-acre lot. The other lot, approximately 35.8 acres, will be made part of the Riverhead Solar 2 project, according to town planners.

The subdivision approval required the Planning Board chairperson to sign a final map within 180 days from the adoption of the resolution approving the subdivision. The 180-day period expired Sept. 4, but the applicant is still working on satisfying the conditions of the approval, according to the resolution adopted last week. 

Last week’s resolution did not indicate which conditions of approval have not been satisfied. There were six conditions set forth in the March 7 approval resolution, all but one of which were routine or administrative tasks or minor amendments to the subdivision map. The remaining condition of the subdivision approval was an approval of the subdivision by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. 

In other action at its Oct. 17 meeting, the Planning Board:

• Approved an amendment to the previously approved site plan of Kent Animal Shelter on River Road in Calverton, allowing the relocation of an on-site hydrant.

• Assumed lead agency issued a declaration of non-significance (negative declaration) under SEQRA and scheduled a Nov. 7 public hearing on the site plan application of Riverhead Mazda, to construct a 21,914-square-foot car dealership with service area, including off street parking, landscaping, on-site drainage and other related site improvements on an approximately 10.6-acre parcel at 1423 Old Country Road that is already improved with two other auto dealership buildings. The property is located in the Business Center Zoning District.

• Held a public hearing on the preliminary site plan application of 27 Waves LLC for the construction of a one-story, 8,775-square-foot medical office building on Commerce Drive within the Business Center Zoning District.

• Held a public hearing on site plan application seeking to convert an existing vacant 5,238-square foot building at 1199 Old Country Road (at the southeast corner of the intersection with Harrison Avenue) into a 56-seat restaurant. The site, formerly occupied by Mattress Firm, is within the Business Center Zoning District.