BJ’s expansion with gas station gets preliminary approval: Sept. 18 Planning Board wrap-up

The Riverhead Planning Board gave preliminary approval Thursday to an expansion of BJ’s Wholesale Club, and the addition of a 16-vehicle gas station there.

BJ’s, located in East End Commons on Route 58, intends to expand its existing 191,348-square-foot store by 10,530 square feet and build the new gas station, along with other site improvements. The expansion would be built on the north side of the building, in an area currently used for parking.

The board’s resolution also determined that the project will not result in any significant adverse environmental impacts.

PRIOR COVERAGE: BJ’s plans expansion of Riverhead store, with new 16-vehicle gas station

According to the project’s application, construction of the gas station is expected to be completed by early 2026.

BJ’s currently operates an eight-pump gas station a half-mile west of the store, at the southeast corner of the Route 58 and Ostrander Avenue intersection. The station is available only to the wholesale club’s members and often offers lower prices than other stations in the area, making it a popular spot to fuel up — and the source of traffic back-ups on Ostrander Avenue. An attorney for the project previously told the Planning Board that the new gas station will reduce traffic at the existing one.

Also during the Sept. 18 meeting, the Planning Board took the following actions:

Approved the final site plan for construction at Sandy Pond Golf Course, 1521 Roanoke Avenue. The plan includes a roughly 3,100-square-foot clubhouse with covered porches, a 1,040-square-foot property manager’s residence, three 7,200-square-foot trade shop buildings, parking areas, and other site improvements.

Granted conditional approval for the minor subdivision application of Peconic Farms, LLC, which seeks to subdivide an existing vacant 9.576 acre parcel and create four new residential building lots at 1161 Peconic Bay Boulevard in Jamesport. 

Held public hearings on the following:

Woodhull at Sound Shore, which seeks approval to subdivide a 3.287-acre parcel into two lots at 506 Sound Shore Road in Northville. Attorney Kim Judd, who is representing the applicant, said the subdivision is for “estate planning purposes.”

Thomas Anderson minor subdivision, which proposes to divide a 25.711-acre parcel on the east side of Roanoke Avenue, in the Agricultural Protection Zoning District, into two lots: one of four acres and one of 21.711 acres.

Richard Anderson minor subdivision, which proposes to divide a 66.996-acre parcel on the east side of Roanoke Avenue, in the Agricultural Protection and Residence A-40 zoning districts, into three lots: one of 20.369 acres, one of 42.357 acres and one of four acres.

Attorney Charles Cuddy, who is representing both Anderson applicants, said the goal is to divide the parcels so that most of the land can be preserved by the county for agricultural use. See prior story.