The Riverhead Town Planning Board on Thursday granted conditional approval for lot line modifications tied to the town square hotel project.
The board approved a resolution allowing modifications to several downtown parcels to facilitate construction of the proposed town square hotel and create a unified town square property.
The lot line changes are required under the town’s master developer agreement with J. Petrocelli Riverhead Town Square LLC, which calls for reconfiguring several parcels along East Main Street to create a single development lot for the hotel project and a separate unified parcel for the public town square.
The parcels involved include property at 117 East Main Street and adjacent lots tied to the broader town square redevelopment effort, which aims to create a public gathering space and new mixed-use development in the downtown area.
The Town Board last October authorized a lease and pre-possession agreement allowing the developer to begin demolition and limited site preparation activities prior to closing on the property. That agreement authorised the developer to undertake demolition and certain infrastructure work to prepare portions of the site for construction of the hotel project, consistent with the approved development plan.
The Planning Board vote clears another step required before redevelopment work can proceed.
Hampton Jitney battery project at Calverton terminal aired at public hearing
Earlier in the meeting, the board closed a public hearing on a proposal to install a battery energy storage system at the Hampton Jitney terminal on Edwards Avenue in Calverton.
The project calls for four battery storage units capable of storing about one megawatt hour of energy on a portion of the 13.9-acre motor coach terminal property.
According to the applicant’s representatives, the system would allow Hampton Jitney to store solar or off-peak electricity for use at the facility and support the company’s plans to begin electrifying its bus fleet.
Company president Jeff Lynch told the board the project is intended to support the company’s first electric motor coaches and offset some energy costs at the facility.
The batteries would be used primarily to charge buses overnight and help manage electricity demand from the site’s charging equipment.
The units will be monitored continuously and tied into the facility’s fire alarm system, which will automatically notify the Riverhead Fire Department in the event of an incident, the applicant said.
Each battery cabinet includes its own fire suppression system and safety monitoring equipment, and the project must comply with New York State battery storage safety requirements.
Representatives said the system would take about 60 days to install once approvals are secured.
No members of the public spoke during the hearing.
The board voted unanimously to close the public hearing, with a decision on the site plan expected at a future meeting.
Also on Thursday board also granted an extension for a previously approved minor subdivision on Sound Shore Road in Northville.
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