Town Board March 17 meeting wrap-up

A sweeping overhaul of Riverhead’s accessory apartment law — aimed at expanding housing options while tightening oversight and enforcement — was adopted by the Town Board Tuesday.

The new law repeals the town’s existing accessory apartment provisions and replaces them with a new accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, framework administered through the building department. The change eliminates the accessory apartment review board and establishes a uniform administrative permitting process with defined standards, inspection requirements and enforcement provisions.

The code allows one ADU per lot, requires owner occupancy of either the principal dwelling or the ADU, and prohibits short-term rentals, requiring minimum stays of at least 29 consecutive days. ADU permits will be issued for five-year terms and capped at 500 townwide, excluding any units approved through a future legalization or amnesty program.

Town officials have said the overhaul is intended both to create more flexible housing options for residents — such as for extended family members or aging parents — and to address longstanding concerns about illegal rentals and homes operating as de facto two-family dwellings. The code includes proof-of-residency requirements and authorizes inspections to ensure compliance.

Duffy MX final scope approved

The final scope for the environmental review of the proposed Duffy MX motocross track in Calverton, moving the controversial project into the next stage of the SEQRA process.

The proposal calls for construction of an outdoor motocross facility on a 15-acre site at 2822 River Road in the Calverton Industrial zone, including a motocross track, parking lots and pit areas, drainage infrastructure, landscaping and vegetative screening, outdoor lighting, bleachers and a noise-attenuating fence. An existing house on the property would remain.

A final scope is not project approval. Rather, it sets the framework for the draft environmental impact statement, identifying the issues that must be studied in detail before the town can decide whether to grant the special permit and site plan approvals the project requires.

The scope approved Tuesday calls for analysis of a range of potential impacts, including excavation of about 120,000 cubic yards of sand and gravel, impacts on neighboring agricultural operations and soils, noise, light, odor, archaeological resources, traffic, and consistency with Pine Barrens and other land-use restrictions. It also requires review of alternatives, including options that could avoid the need for a mined land reclamation permit or move the motocross use indoors.

Before adopting the final scope, the board amended it to more specifically identify “natural earth organic farm” in the section addressing potential impacts on neighboring agricultural operations and organic certification, in response to a public comment.

Next, the applicant must prepare the draft environmental impact statement in accordance with the final scope. Once submitted, the town must determine whether that document is complete for public review. If accepted as complete, it will then be subject to public comment before the board makes any final decision on the application.

Other votes taken Tuesday

The board also granted preliminary site plan approval for the proposed Zenith Building addition on East Main Street and McDermott Avenue by a 4-0 vote, with Supervisor Jerry Halpin abstaining. (Separate story to follow.)

The board also approved the special event permit for the Polish Town Street Fair and Festival, scheduled for Aug. 15 and 16. Before approving the event, the board amended the resolution to remove language stating the event sponsor could be responsible for police or fire marshal costs.

Town officials said such language appears in standard event-permit resolutions, but is not typically enforced for events held on town property. Board members nevertheless acknowledged that large events carry significant public safety costs.

Council Member Joann Waski said the fair is a positive event that draws visitors to Riverhead, but noted the expense to taxpayers and suggested organizers may want to consider shortening it to one day in the future.

The board tabled a resolution authorizing Halpin to execute a non-binding project scope letter to PSEG Long Island for the proposed redevelopment of the Perkins Building into a museum and kayak rental facility. Board members said they were awaiting clarification on funding. The resolution was procedural in nature and did not constitute approval of a lease or project.

No members of the public spoke at any of the three public hearings held Tuesday, all involving proposed fire code amendments. All three hearings were closed and left open for written comment.

The board also approved several special event permits, including the Polish Town Street Fair and Festival (aug. 15-16), Riverhead Rotary’s Garden Festival (May 1-12) and the Greater Long Island Running Club’s Kings Park 15K at Veterans Memorial Park (March 21).

Other actions approved by the board Tuesday included:

• settlement of a complaint before the New York State Division of Human Rights; the resolution did not disclose details of the claim or settlement terms
  
• a $66,000 budget transfer to cover 2025 outside legal fees
  
• amendments to the Riverhead Water District schedule of rates and charges, effective April 1, including updated service charges, continued tiered conservation pricing and a new monthly RPZ non-compliance fee
  
• amendments to the town sewer code to modernize Chapter 265 and move various sewer-related fees out of the code and into Town Board resolutions. The changes modernize the sewer code and remove certain fees from the code itself so they can be set by Town Board resolution instead.