Gun shops

In an open letter to the Town Board, Riverhead civic associations and residents urge action on the proposed firearms code and seek creation of a firearms advisory committee to work on it.

Opinion: Gun shops and firing ranges should not be treated the same as any other type of business for zoning purposes, and the Riverhead Town Board needs to act to close the major gap in our town’s code that fails to distinguish between a gun shop and a toy shop. 

The town board will hear public comments on three proposed changes to the Riverhead Town Code at Tuesday night's meeting. All three involve topics that have sparked controversy in the local community: gun shops & shooting ranges; drive-through windows in Wading River; and food waste-to-energy facilities.

The locations and operations of firearm businesses in the Town of Riverhead would be limited and regulated under new legislation being considered by the Town Board.

Riverhead planner Greg Bergman said the planning department and planning board had not been initially aware that the applicant, Niosi Firearms, planned the retail sale of firearms at the 680 Elton Street site. The application will have to be amended, he said.

The Riverhead Planning Board will hear from the public Thursday on a proposed site plan and change-of-use application for the former Truetech building, which is set to house a firearms facility, HVAC supply warehouse and distribution operation, and offices.

Guest column: Riverhead should enact a moratorium on new gun shops and shooting ranges until it completes the work of enacting legislation to define these uses and spell out where, when and how, if at all, such businesses should be allowed in our town.

Riverhead Town is moving forward with a code amendment that would exclude gun shops from the Main Street business district and require town board special permits for gun shops, with minimum distances from certain other land uses.