Pattern book

Town Board members said condo developments should be exempt from law that allows a maximum of 500 dwelling units in the core downtown area, and the town should continue to allow 5-story buildings.

Town officials are not ready to set aside major recommendations of the pattern book, effectively rebuffing an effort by the Business Advisory Committee to revise the proposed code written to implement the $175,000 downtown study.

Featured letter: Riverhead, unlike other towns around it on the East End, has bent over backwards for developers.  Look around, what do we see?

It's back to the drawing board for proposed zoning amendments that would implement the design guidelines of the downtown pattern book.

Residents urged the town board to codify the already-adopted downtown pattern book into law, while parking district committee members asked the board to tap the brakes on a proposed new parking code that would mandate off-street parking or payments in lieu of parking for new residential development.

Several public hearings are on the town board's public hearing agenda Tuesday, including: code changes to implement the design standards of the downtown pattern book and require off-street parking for residential development within the downtown parking district. Also a proposal to allow owners of undersized lots to make certain additions without a ZBA variance.

The pattern book, written by the Pittsburgh-based planning firm Urban Design Associates, examines existing land uses, architectural design and public spaces in Downtown Riverhead and makes recommendations for the size, scale and character of future development.

Topics include the design and location of a town square to enhanced pedestrian safety, building heights and architectural styles. The anonymous survey takes about 10 minutes and will be open until June 15 at 5 p.m.

People who took the town's online survey and attended the public forum in November want to see the Peconic Riverfront enhanced, a new “town square,” more small, local businesses on Main Street, improved streetscapes and more downtown events, the town's planning consultants report.

Councilwoman Catherine Kent urges all residents to attend the second downtown forum Thursday evening and complete the online survey about the future of downtown.