Plans for the first large-scale cannabis growing farm in Calverton are drawing pushback from residents concerned about the prospect of skunky odors wafting toward their homes.

The developer, Brother Bear Canna, is seeking Riverhead Town approval to build a 33,700-square-foot greenhouse on a 5.3-acre property on Middle Road, just east of Deep Hole Road. The proposed growing facility also includes rooms for fertigation — a form of fertilizing — trimming, drying, curing and packaging cannabis.

Though cannabis cultivation is allowed in the town’s Agricultural Protection Zone, town planning officials want more information on odor and noise mitigation before the application review continues. Dozens of residents packed a planning board meeting last week to voice concerns about odors, security, noise and traffic associated with the growhouse, despite assurances from the developers that the facility will be airtight and well-screened from view.

Odor control is a key issue in cultivating the pungent plant. Plans filed with the town call for a climate-controlled structure with HVAC units to mitigate odors.

“This is a completely sealed facility,” Jerry D’Amaro, of Manorville, an engineer for the developer, said at the meeting. “All of the HVAC units have activated carbon filters on them. In other facilities similar to this, there’s never been any odor that emanates from the sites, even in close vicinity to the building,” D’Amaro said.

Senior town planner Greg Bergman said the town needs more details on the units and filter maintenance details, as well as more specifics on sound mitigation, since the HVAC systems and other mechanical equipment could generate noise.

Property sold for $1.25M

The property sold for $1.25 million in July, according to Suffolk County property records. The site is surrounded by hundreds of homes and a 41-acre town preserve. Nearby neighborhoods include Windcrest East and Foxwood Village, which are both 55-and-over communities.

“It is absolutely ridiculous to put something like that in a residential area,” Diane Gaudiosi, a resident of Windcrest East, said in an interview.

Gaudiosi, 80, said she worries about potential health impacts, property values and a “monstrous industrial factory building that we’re going to see, particularly in the winter when the trees lose their leaves.”

Town planning officials also discussed lighting and security measures at the meeting. Plans call for artificial LED lighting and a retractable canopy used during nighttime to prevent a glow. “You’re not going to see a big, lit-up greenhouse,” Bergman said.

In addition to an 8-foot fence, plans call for more than 100 trees and shrubs to screen the greenhouse, and 93 security cameras, though there aren’t plans for 24-hour security guards at the site.

No cannabis will be grown outdoors and no retail sales are allowed, officials said. Brother Bear Canna is partnering with Grasse River Hemp, which has a cultivator license from the state Office of Cannabis Management, on the project, according to town documents.

First ‘ground-up’ proposal

While several other farms in Riverhead are growing cannabis, this is the first “ground-up” proposal designed specifically for cannabis cultivation.

“This is the first time the board has seen an application like this,” Bergman said.

Some residents said the project feels more industrial than agricultural and would lead to increased truck traffic.

Larry Levy, a community manager at Foxwood Village, urged developers to address quality-of-life concerns.

“It’s not like they bought next to an airport … and now they want the airport to close,” he said. “They bought in a farm area, in a very rural area.”

Town planning officials assured residents that they are reviewing the proposal closely and that residents will have more chances to weigh in. The developers must resolve two variance requests with the town zoning board next month and could be up for a public hearing in early 2026.

“Nothing is going to be rushed through,” Ed Densieski, the planning board chairman, said during the meeting.