The Riverhead Town Board on Feb. 18 conducted a public scoping session for the proposed Duffy MX motocross track in Calverton, held several public hearings — including two battery energy storage system applications, a major accessory dwelling unit code overhaul, a sewer code cleanup, and a new tax exemption for surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty. The board also adopted a series of resolutions, ranging from PFAS-treatment bidding to tax certiorari litigation support.

The board opened the night with a scoping session on the draft scope for the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Duffy MX Motocross Track at 2822 River Road in Calverton.See prior story:Duffy MX Motocross Track proposal scoped for environmental impact review

The board held a public hearing on a special permit and site plan application for a Tier II battery energy storage system proposed at 221 Scott Ave. in Calverton, an approximately 5.0 megawatt/20 megawatt-hour system within a 0.13-acre portion of a 7.45-acre industrial parcel in the Planned Industrial Park zoning district.

The applicant’s attorney, Jason Stern of Weber Law Group, said the five-megawatt system is designed to support grid reliability by charging overnight “when demand is low” and discharging during daytime peak hours, particularly summer afternoons. He said the goal is “to avoid blackouts and prevent price spikes,” calling the project “a low impact, high utility addition” that would provide “additional security for local businesses and residents that rely on a stable power supply all year long.”

The board held a public hearing on a special permit application for the Hampton Jitney battery energy storage system at 253 Edwards Ave. in Calverton, an approximately 1,000 kWh Tier II system consisting of four units within a 5,000-square-foot area of a 13.9-acre parcel in the Calverton Industrial district.

The applicant’s representative explained that the company is seeking to install the system as it plans to electrify its bus fleet. The project is “behind the meter,” said Maria Fields of Sprocket Power, meaning it is intended primarily to support Hampton Jitney’s operations as it transitions to electric buses. “Electrification and charging of electric buses can…pull a lot of power from the grid…put a big strain on the grid, and can also be very expensive,” Fields said, adding that systems like the proposed BESS are “a way of alleviating that strain.” She also said there can be “some resiliency benefit” to the neighboring grid.

Councilman Ken Rothwell, referencing diesel emissions, said the move toward electrification is welcome. “Anybody that has driven behind the Suffolk County buses and watched the diesel emissions should be delighted to find out you’re going electric.” The supervisor responded, “Thank you very much. Thanks for leading the charge. Literally.” The board left the hearing open for 10 days, till close of business Monday, March 2.

The board also held a public hearing on a proposed local law repealing the town’s existing accessory apartment chapter and replacing it with a reorganized accessory dwelling unit framework under the town’s building and housing standards code, shifting from an accessory apartment board model to an administrative permitting process through the building department.

Laura Jens-Smith of Laurel said she supports ADUs overall but urged the board to tighten the proposal for undersized, nonconforming lots, arguing that allowing units up to 1,000 square feet (or 40% of the principal dwelling) on lots already below current minimums could “incrementally” increase residential intensity beyond what those parcels were intended to support. She suggested limiting ADUs on nonconforming lots to parcels that are at least 75% of the required minimum lot size, capping those units at 800 square feet (or 30% of the principal dwelling), and adding a three-year phase-in so the town can monitor impacts such as parking and septic capacity.

A public hearing on amendments to Chapter 265 (sewers) included testimony from sewer district superintendent Tim Allen, who described removing outdated references and updating fees, including replacing a longstanding $10 inspection fee with higher fees to reflect the cost of repeat inspections. The board closed the sewer hearing and left written comment open for 10 days, until close of business Monday, March 2.

Source: RiverheadLOCAL