EPCAL Hearing Packs Town Hall as Road to Development Continues

While over 110 people packed town hall Tuesday night for a public hearing about a draft scoping document paving the way for development at Enterprise Park at Calverton, the wide breadth of the document and long road that remains to be traveled until any tangible redevelopment is done on the site left it a relatively quick feedback session.

The 20-page scoping document lays out potentially significant adverse impacts of the project in the future – including water quality, infrastructure, socioeconomics, traffic and more – the information necessary to address them, and lays out what initial steps will be taken to mitigate them in the future. With more studies on the way, the draft scope paves the way for a final impact statement to come.

However, consequences of what happens at the site long term seemed to be lost on no one, including the authors of the scoping document, planning firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, known as VHB, which alludes to "multi-decade redevelopment" at the 2,400-acre site on Route 25 – including, but not limited to, a multi-modal freight village, agri-business and high tech industries, as well as mixed-use development – in its draft generic environmental impact statement.

Written comments had already been submitted from the Department of Transportation, Department of Health, Suffolk County Economic Development Corporation and civic groups and environmental advocates cautioned the town to beware of some of the concerns that come with finding a plan for such a large tract of land. Bob DeLuca, president of Group for the East End, suggested a site-wide water quality protection plan at the former Grumman property, as well as containment of visual blight from Route 25.

Several speakers hinted that the fast-track permitting process, which Supervisor Sean Walter has touted as a draw for developers, could open the door to an unwanted project or two.

"With such pressure from the financial and philosophical perspective, some plans may not meet zoning and become approved," said Dominique Mendez, president of the Riverhead Neighborhood Preservation Coalition.

Georgette Keller, of the South Jamesport Civic Association, noted that while the town had enacted legislation for public hearings on site plans before the planning board, scrutiny on site plans before the town board – before which fast-track site plans would be vetted – is still not required, though should be.

However Terry Elkowitz, with VHB, said Tuesday night that if any changes to the town's comprehensive plan are required as a result of the final EPCAL plan, a public hearing would be required on that, in addition to one creating a planned development district at EPCAL, and any subsequent changes in zone that would be necessary. A hearing on the final GEIS will be required as well.

Close to half of Tuesday night's crowd included members of the carpenter's union, including Council Representative Tommy Ferris.

"We don't want to put up so many roadblocks that we can't develop the land," he said. "We need jobs and want jobs."

Fellow union member, political representative Robert French, suggested an apprenticeship program for jobs at EPCAL.

"We've all read and heard about youth leaving Long Island in droves because they don't have an economic opportunity to live and work here on Long Island," French said. "Not everybody can afford to go to college. An apprenticeship program would be a good opportunity to prosper on Long Island, allow people to grow in Riverhead, and raise their families on Long Island."