Riverhead sheds North Fork hotel zoning amid community opposition

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The Riverhead Town Board has removed a controversial zoning change from its proposed Comprehensive Plan Update that would have allowed hospitality development on North Fork farmland.  

The proposed change to the town’s zoning code would create a specially permitted use, Agritourism, Inns and Resorts in the RA80 Zoning Use District, allowing for development of resorts and inns on a minimum of 100-acre parcels of land north of Sound Avenue. It would have required 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. 

However, community opposition to the proposal prompted the town board Tuesday to ditch the zoning change and remove it from Riverhead’s Comprehensive Plan Update, announcing the move in the following statement: 

“Supervisor Hubbard and the Town Board are committed to land preservation that upholds the integrity of Riverhead’s rich agricultural heritage and soils and will continue its commitment to Land Preservation efforts. That said, after careful consideration of the proposed Comprehensive Plan Update, specifically the language related to Agritourism Inns & Resorts, the Town Board, by majority, has determined that those provisions should be removed from the Comprehensive Plan Update. Therefore, pages 99 and 207, respectively, have been amended to reflect the removal of the verbiage relating to Agritourism Inns & Resorts…” 

The removal of the zoning change was applauded by North Fork civic groups which had vehemently opposed it. The civics had planned a press conference at Riverhead Town Hall on Wednesday which was canceled when the town board capitulated to their demands. 

“Following strong community opposition to include agritourism inns and resorts in the Comprehensive Plan Update the Town Board has decided to remove these provisions.  We are glad about their decision and have decided to cancel the press conference,” Laura Jens-Smith, president of the Greater Jamesport Civic Association and former Riverhead supervisor, said in a written statement. “We are grateful to our community members and neighboring townships for their support in speaking out in opposition to these commercial resorts which would have been built along the fragile Long Island Sound bluffs.  The Town Board received thousands of petition signatures, countless letters and standing room only crowds at meetings promoting these resorts. At the eleventh hour, with a pending press conference prior to the vote they have decided to remove the provisions. Much still remains in the Comprehensive Plan Update that threatens Riverhead’s community character but for today we will be grateful for the residents of Riverhead, who have given of their time to make sure their voices were heard.” 

The town had previously canceled an August 20 public hearing that was to give the community a chance to weigh in on the zoning change and instead scheduled a “public forum” on the zoning change for Wednesday, Sept. 18, which is still listed on the town’s website, but will likely be scrapped. 

Jens-Smith added the area’s civic groups will be reviewing the Comprehensive Plan Update thoroughly to ensure that the town removes all recommendations related to agritourism resort zoning.