A proposed zoning amendment introduced by Riverhead Council Member Bob Kern would allow retail stores and trade shops in a narrow stretch of the town’s Commercial/Residential Campus zoning district along Main Road in Riverhead, despite concerns raised by town planners that the change is inconsistent with the town’s comprehensive plan and could raise spot-zoning concerns.

The amendment, discussed at the May 7 Town Board work session, would add “retail stores or shops and trade shops on properties with frontage along either side of New York State Route 25 (Main Road) between Doctors Path and County Route 105 and their logical extensions” as permitted uses in the CRC zoning district.

Kern said in an interview Tuesday that the proposed code change is not intended to benefit any particular property owner or project.

“It’s not specifically for any site,” Kern said.

The stretch of Main Road where the change would apply has 14 separate tax lots fronting the state road. Only three of them are undeveloped. Of the three undeveloped parcels, one is a 225-acre parcel in agricultural use that fronts Main Road in two places and stretches north. Seven other parcels are developed with commercial uses and four are in single-family residential use, according to the town’s tax code classifications for uses on the parcels.

Kern said he has been looking throughout town for land that has remained unused or underused for long periods of time and considering whether zoning changes could help increase Riverhead’s tax base.

“I’ve been looking at land where nothing has happened for a very long time,” Kern said. “I’m scouring everything I can in terms of our tax base. What are we using and not using? What is buildable? What is not buildable?”

Kern pointed to other areas of town, including town-owned land on Middle Country Road west of the Stony Brook University business incubator at EPCAL, as examples of properties he believes should be examined for potential economic use.

But the proposed amendment before the board applies only to a specific stretch of Route 25 between Doctors Path and County Route 105.

Senior planners Greg Bergman and Matt Charters both questioned the proposal during the May 7 work session. Charters said the CRC district is intended as a transitional office and residential zone, not a retail or contractor-use district.

Source: RiverheadLOCAL