Riverhead Planning Board

Citing concerns that there's "too much, too fast" in solar facility development in Calverton, Riverhead Planning Board members want to hit the brakes.

Former councilwoman Barbara Blass, who served more than 19 years on the town planning board, had harsh criticism for the town's EPCAL subdivision application and the town planning board's review process.

The town board held the hearings open at the request of the town's new business advisory committee.

The developer of a proposed 7-Eleven on West Main Street near Osborn Avenue works to resolve conflicting requirements of different agencies. Planners approve offices in Wading River and Aquebogue, Lavender by the Bay farm stand on Manor Road in Calverton and set a public hearing on four-lot industrial subdivision off Manor Road. Rundown of actions taken at the Feb. 21 planning board meeting.

“In my opinion, this is a lack of information-sharing by sPower and possible willful misrepresentation with intent to deceive,” Planning Board Chairman Stan Carey said, citing sPower's representations that an underground tie-line would be used only for the 20MW solar facility approved by the town earlier this year. Now the company wants to use the same tie-line for a new 36 MW facility being reviewed by the state.

A 36 MW solar power generation facility on 290 acres of leased vacant land in Calverton is now under review by the a facility siting board of the State Department of Public Service, which has sole jurisdiction over the application. But the Town of Riverhead may reopen environmental review of a previously approved 20 MW facility proposed by the same company so that the impacts of both facilities may be examined.

The plans submitted to the Riverhead Town planning department include nearly 4,000 square feet of retail space in three ground-floor stores and six rental apartments on the second floor.

There was no public comment at a planning board public hearing last night on a proposed 51,547-square-foot retail center on Middle Country Road in Calverton. In other action, planners gave preliminary approval to a site plan for L.I. Sports Park on Edwards Avenue .

The planning board is considering negating covenants signed by a property owner just 60 days before he applied to change those covenants.

The new gas station on Route 58 and Ostrander Avenue will be operated by BJ's Wholesale Club.