Downtown Riverhead’s town square and other revitalization projects got a green light from the Town Board Tuesday to proceed without an overall environmental impact statement.

The board issued a negative declaration for the “multi-phased project” based on its determination that the project will have “no significant or moderate potential for adverse environmental impacts” that are “significant in magnitude or importance” enough to justify the need for an environmental impact statement.

The proposed action, according to the town’s SEQRA documents, consists of the multi-phased development, to be built in three “tentatively identified” phases, as follows:

(1) upper town square; lower town square, adaptive playground and streetscape; acquisition of the L.I. Science Center property “for development to be determined”;  the development of a 12-unit condominium and 72-room boutique hotel within a single multistory building; an amphitheater on the East End Arts campus; 

(2) an approximately 500-space parking garage in the First Street parking lot; a “complete streets” project improving walkability and connectivity for East Main Street; Roanoke Avenue and Griffing Avenue; and 

(3) a rowing facility at the Peconic River waterfront; the redevelopment of the former West Marine Building Redevelopment with a “use to be determined”; and the Railroad Avenue Urban Renewal Area Overlay District (Transit Oriented Overlay District) projects.

The board’s determination of non-significance was based on the analysis and recommendation by the town’s environmental consultant, Jeffrey Seeman, who presented his findings to the Town Board at its March 13 work session.

“We’re always looking at this from a development and revitalization standpoint, but the real thrust here is the flood mitigation program,” Seeman told board members lMarch 13, referring to features of the lower town square project, located on the shore of the Peconic River, that are aimed at mitigating flooding. 

Seeman concluded that “when you weigh the benefits of the resiliency that’s going to be created by flood mitigation” against the impacts of the proposed actions, “even though I independently and collectively looked for an adverse impact, I really did not reveal one,” Seeman said.

The area  “already developed” and “basically urbanized,” he said. It is “predominantly parking lot.”  We’re not removing vegetation. We’re not changing any historic facilities. So as I go through the checklist, I keep coming up with virtually no impact or very low impact, based on the information that was available.

“I’ll use the word segmentation lightly here. There is a justification for segmenting the review on the later phases,” Seeman said. “So what we’ve incorporated into the determination of significance is an approach that allows the second review of those later projects,” he said. “What’s important about that is that the earlier projects actually trigger the later projects to take place. And if you can’t start the early projects, you never get to the second project or the third,” Seeman said.

The determination drew objections from four people at Tuesday’s meeting during the period for comments on resolutions.  Larry Oxman, president of the Long Island Science Center, said the findings of the building department concerning the structural integrity of the science center’s building were inaccurate. He objected to the board’s stated intention to acquire the building sale to another developer and asked the board to table the resolution until it corrected the record about the building’s existing condition. 

“You’re going to build a playground for kids, a splash pad for kids, and yet, an organization that educates children and adults is no good,” said Oxman, who said he found the board’s intention baffling.

Downtown Riverhead resident Cindy Clifford said SEQRA is intended “to make sure that you have mitigated or minimized any conceivable problems that will result from these projects moving ahead.” She said there is not enough public information about the current scope of the proposal for the hotel and condos on the town square, proposed by developer Joe Petrocelli. 

“Where are the unit numbers listed currently coming from? Because we still don’t have a master developer, as there’s yet to be a qualified and eligible hearing,” Clifford said. Also, she said the disruption of the “massive construction projects” is “potentially devastating to our local businesses.”

Mark Woolley of Riverhead, a Democratic candidate for Town Board this year,  urged the board to look more closely at the project. He said he agreed completely with Clifford’s comments. 

“Long Island Science Center is a project that was applauded and lauded by just about everybody when it was laid on the table,” Woolley said. “I know because I represented a former member of Congress when it came out, and I was there when the press conference was held back in February of 21 and all the state and county electeds came out and said, what a great job this is going to be, what it’s going to do, as far as for the town, tying in with the aquarium and bringing people downtown,” Woolley said. 

He also said the science center building, the former Swezey’s Department Store, should be reevaluated for its historic value. “Hopefully you’ll take a second look, maybe even a third look at this, and not bring down Swezey’s and make it a part of town as it has been for decades,” he said.

Ron Hariri of Aquebogue objected to the resolution as it relates to the Petrocelli hotel/condo project. 

“I’d like to reiterate my continuing objection to any projects on which the town has proceeded with an unvetted master developer, with no evidence of his financial ability to consummate any transaction,” Harriri said. Some of the projects that are part of the proposed action “have nothing to do with a town square,” he said. He urged the town to “start anew and bring in a proper best developer whose qualifications are duly vetted instead of one of your friends and family network and political donors.”

Board members later voted unanimously and without comment to adopt the resolution declaring the Riverhead Town Board lead agency for review and issuing a negative declaration.