Listen to this articleThe Riverhead Town Board has cancelled a public hearing on a controversial zoning change that would allow hospitality development on North Fork farmland.
The hearing, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, August 20, was to give the public a chance to weigh in on a proposal to create a specially permitted use, Agritourism, Inns and Resorts in RA80 Zoning Use District, which would allow the development of inns and resorts on larger parcels of land north of Sound Avenue.
However, opposition to the plan has prompted town officials to cancel the public hearing and instead schedule a “public forum” at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18 in Town Hall.
“In response to the unusually high volume of opposition and commentary received by all members of the Town Board – whether that be emails, calls or texts – regarding the topic of Agritourism, Inns and Resorts, some of which may reflect a misunderstanding of the intent and/or extent of the proposed change, Supervisor Hubbard and the entire Town Board have agreed it would be beneficial and productive to host a public forum on the subject,” read the statement posted Thursday on the town website.
The proposed change to the town’s zoning code would allow for the development of resorts and inns on a minimum of 100-acre parcels of land north of Sound Avenue. It would require that 70 percent of the land be preserved for agricultural use, and no more than 30 percent used for hospitality development that would not be visible from Sound Avenue.
The agritourism proposal drew opposition from local residents and groups, including the Greater Jamesport Civic Association, which urged people to send letters to town officials and sign a petition against the plan. The civic association also pointed out that a developer already has plans to build a resort on a 105-acre parcel north of Sound Avenue.
On the website of Harrison, N.Y.-based Alfred Weissman Real Estate, the developer touts that the site “offers the potential to build a truly unique campus beach resort experience. The property has a private beach with over 600 linear feet of coastline and a 70-acre organic farm, that will allow for the offering of an organic farm to table experience. AWRE is looking to build a 5-star resort, taking advantage of the property’s natural beauty, proximity to NYC, the Hamptons and the North Fork wine trail.”
As of Friday, the petition on Change.org opposing the agritourism zoning change has garnered 1,180 signatures in four days, along with comments that railed against development and advocated for preserving the Sound Avenue corridor and its rural character.
“Riverhead has changed so much in the 25 years we’ve lived here, and not for the better,” posted Riverhead resident Jennifer Eager. “We’re sick and tired of the town board destroying our way of life and giving endless tax breaks to useless developers who do nothing but desecrate the environment and bring more and more traffic and tourists to the already overcrowded North Fork. Enough is enough, and we say NO!”