Open space preservation

Suffolk County has preserved almost 140 acres of open space and farmland along the historic Sound Avenue corridor in Riverhead, County Legislator Al Krupski announced yesterday.

The county legislature yesterday approved the purchase of development rights on the 50-acre Schmitt farm in Riverhead as well as the purchase outright of 20 acres adjacent to the North Fork Preserve, which the county acquired for parkland in 2011.

After backlash from environmental advocates and opposition among legislators, the county executive today withdrew his bill to put a referendum on the November ballot that would have changed the distribution of quarter-percent sales tax revenues.

The Links at Cherry Creek and The Woods at Cherry Creek on Reeves Avenue, which are on the market for sale at $25 million, and could be developed with houses, would be returned to their natural state if acquired by the county.

The county is moving to acquire 16.7 acres on West Main Street but the Riverhead Town Board is split over whether to support the county purchase.