Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski, several local civic associations and regional environmental organizations will hold a news conference in front of Riverhead Town Hall at 4 West Second Street, on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 1 p.m.
The conference will take place prior to the Riverhead Town Board’s 2 p.m. meeting to vote on a resolution to adopt the Comprehensive Plan Update. The plan had initially contained controversial rezoning recommendations for area farmland along the sensitive Long Island Sound shoreline to allow for the development of so-called agri-resorts. That language was removed from the update document as of late Tuesday afternoon, according to a press release from the Town Board.
The board has received hundreds of letters in opposition to the proposed zoning change, according to Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard, and the Greater Jamesport Civic Association has more than 2,500 signatures to-date on a petition opposing the developments.
A separate meeting on the agri-resorts proposal was rescheduled for September 18 and changed from a public hearing to a forum to allow more residents and stakeholders to share their opinions.
As previously reported, the proposal as written would allow for “agri-tourism inns and resorts” on minimum 100-acre plots of unpreserved land north of Sound Avenue — provided that 70% of the acreage be preserved for agricultural use in perpetuity with a maximum of 30% used for the resort and amenities such as restaurants or spas.
Among those confirmed to attend Wednesday’s press conference are Laura Jens-Smith, a former Riverhead Town Supervisor and current President of the Jamesport Civic Association; Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski, who is also the former Suffolk County Legislator for the area and is a North Fork farmer; Jenn Hartnagel, director of conservation advocacy, Group for the East End; and Kevin McAllister, founder of Defend H2O.