Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Town of Riverhead public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
11 issues in zoning with high priority
Bluff-area development standards at 888 Sound Shore Road
A homeowner can now add a small addition to a cottage inside the coastal erosion hazard area at the Sound Shore Club seasonal community in Wading River.
Business PB zoning modernization
The board scheduled a public hearing on rewriting the hamlet center, village center, business center, and business CR zoning districts plus supplementary use regulations — the first step in a major land-use code update.
Downtown Parking Utilization Plan
The town is exploring temporary parking solutions, such as adding spaces on Heidi Behr Way, to help local businesses survive construction disruptions from major downtown projects.
Stiffer penalties for landmark demolition and alteration
The current $1,000 fine for demolishing a historic landmark hasn't been updated since 2006 and clearly isn't scaring anyone off — the Spices building came down overnight for that amount. The proposal would raise demolition fines to $10,000-$15,000 and add tiered fines for alterations, with civil and Supreme Court remedies as backstops.
Golf course zoning district and golf cottages
The board is refining its golf cottage proposal after public pushback: 600 sq ft units, max two attached, no restaurants/spas, no residency. Planner Bergman proposed rezoning four more golf courses (The Rock, Cherry Creek, the Woods at Cherry Creek, Long Island National) to RA-80 so all courses can use the cottage/TDR tool — a hedge against courses closing and becoming subdivisions of up to 83 houses each.
North Fork Transmission Line Home Rule Stand
The board unanimously declared that the Suffolk County Water Authority's transmission line route via Main Road is NOT immune from Riverhead zoning — a significant assertion of local control over a county project.
Private Special Event Legislation
Winery owner Charles Massoud and Farm Bureau director Bill Zalakar blasted the draft 31-page special events code for targeting farms with fees, penalties, and financial disclosures. The board says agriculture is being pulled out as the code is rewritten.
Brenner four-family dwelling dispute on North Country Road
A Wading River family has spent decades trying to get the town to recognize their house as a legal four-family dwelling. The board is demanding hard proof — leases, tax records, photos — before ruling, and a neighbor says the parking situation is a genuine safety hazard on a dead-end road.
Roanoke corridor zoning changes
A proposed code change would add commercial uses, apartments, and 10 p.m. hours of operation in the Roanoke corridor. Councilwoman Waski publicly announced she does not support it, and dozens of published letters from residents oppose it.
Site Plan Review Streamlining and Public Input
Resident Kathy McGraw caught that the legal notices for two upcoming zoning hearings — including a "golf cottages" change that doubles the size the comp plan suggested — didn't say what was changing. The town attorney agreed to publish the full amendment text with the notices.
Tanger District Zoning Flexibility (Business F Amendments)
Proposed zoning changes would allow second-floor shops, restaurants (including drive-throughs), offices and broader uses at the Tanger outlets, with reduced setbacks and parking. Some residents worry drive-throughs hurt pedestrian safety and that the reduced green buffer contradicts the 2024 comp plan.