Town Hall Notes: Local Veterinarians to Offer Free Medical Treatment to Shelter Dogs

The owners of East End Veterinarian Emergency and Specialty Services on Route 58 have offered to provide $2,500-worth of free medical services to dogs at the Riverhead animal shelter requiring treatment for illnesses.

Dr. Rick Rothman and Dr. Gal Vatash have also offered to humanely euthanize, free of charge, any wild animals, such as raccoons, squirrels, deer and birds, that need to be put down because of terminal disease or injury.

Their offer follows a public outcry earlier this year over reports that the town’s animal control officer, Lou Coronesi, had been clubbing to death raccoons found to have rabies.

The two veterinarians were honored at the start of Wednesday’s Town Board Meeting.

25A Corridor study to begin

The Town Board voted Wednesday to approve a $44,000 contract with BFJ Planning Associates to conduct a review of current zoning along Route 25A in Wading River, stretching east from the Riverhead town line to Hulse Landing Road.

The study, which will include public workshops, will determine whether or not zoning, as spelled out in the town’s comprehensive master plan, should be changed to reduce the amount and type of commercial development allowed on the approximately two-mile stretch of road where four major retail and office complexes have already been proposed.

The decision to hire the consultants comes in the wake of pressure from the Riverhead Neighborhood Preservation Coalition, which has argued that additional commercial development will significantly impact Wading River’s rural character.

Movie theater deal still in the works

Responding to a question during the open discussion period at Wednesday’s Town Board meeting, Walter said that the Regal Entertainment Group, which operates 535 movie theaters in 37 states, remains in serious negotiations and may soon make a decision to open a cineplex in downtown Riverhead.

Under a deal being discussed, the Parr Organization would purchase the former Woolworth building on East Main Street, take it down and erect a new building, part of which would then be leased to Regal.

Walter said the Regal executive responsible for making final decisions for the Knoxville-based company is expected to visit Riverhead in the next month or two.

Park and rec fees reduced

The recreation and park fees charged to developers for each home built in a residential subdivision will be reduced to $3,000 from $5,000 under a proposal that was the subject Wednesday of a public hearing.

Walter said declining real estate values made it appropriate to lower the fees, which can only be used to finance improvements in public parks and recreational facilities.

He said the town wants to encourage home ownership and that lower fees will help lower the purchase price of new homes.

Developers have the choice of either paying the fees or establishing parks and playgrounds within their own subdivisions. Most opt to pay the fees.

A second public hearing considered a change in town codes to allow accessory buildings such as sheds to be erected without a building permit if the structure measures 144 square feet or less. The current threshold for building without a permit is 100 square feet or less.