Discussion Continues on Wading River Study

A group of town board members, landowners, and civic group representatives met at Town Hall on Thursday morning to discuss an ongoing Route 25A corridor study and update to the town's Master Plan.

Executive Director Dick Amper dubbed the meeting a "peace summit," and while one of the meeting's goals was to compare different ideas for planning and developing the hamlet, the two-hour-long discussion also illustrated continued contrasting views between the parties.

As the town attempts to complete the study, both sides have expressed concern with the plan presented by BFJ Planning. Civics have said the plan leaves too much room for retail development, while landowners - some of whom have plans in town hall for various projects - have stated their right to develop their land should not be infringed upon.

The result, Supervisor Sean Walter said after Thursday's meeting, is a study that remains "significantly" behind schedule, as both sides have been unable to come to terms on any acceptable group of planning recommendations for Wading River's future. Walter said during the meeting that the town will have to pay BFJ more money for working extra on the study, though that number remains unknown.

The planning firm and town board had planned on holding a public hearing on its plan by March, according to the supervisor's office, and adopt it in mid-April. Zoning changes were supposed to soon follow suit, if all went according to plan.

On Thursday, Amper led the discussion among 15 people, hearing more often than not from the more talkative left side of the table - holding members of civic groups and non-profits - than the right side, at which sat three landowners.

Debate swirled for a short while over a conversion factor number that would estimate how much future retail space would be suggested in the hamlet. Walter said both sides were "splitting hairs" over a single number, as Wading River isn't a destination community as commuters head east toward Riverhead and the North Fork.

Discussion also revolved around the issue of split zoning, as area are owned by the same couple. While BFJ suggested changing the parcels to host multifamily and professional offices, the town board agreed last month that its current status as half residential, half retail, fits better. A 50,000-square-foot plan is currently making its way through town hall for the parcel, which is located adjacent to CVS on Route 25A.

Planning Director Rick Hanley suggested that the town adopt an overlay district, which would not change underlying zoning in parcels but would be allowable under certain conditions; Todd Okolichany, who represented BFJ at the meeting, expressed interest in overlay zoning, as did Walter.

Amper said that following Thursday's meeting, he will draft a list of suggestions and recommendations taken away from Thursday's meeting and give them to town board members next week. While a poster board was brought in to list ideas or suggestions brought up at the meeting, nothing written on it by the end of the meeting.