Planners: apartment building review process skipped SEQRA steps

Developers of the Peconic Crossing mixed-use apartment building on West Main Street went to last night’s Planning Board meeting expecting to leave with a preliminary site plan approval.

Instead, they got three detailed planning department staff reports posing a host of questions to be answered and were told the town has not even begun the coordinated environmental review required by the State Environmental Quality Review Act.

When reviewing the application in 2013 — originally filed by local architect Martin Sendlewski as “Blue River Estates” — the planning board declared itself “lead agency” under SEQRA and determined the project to be a “type I” action, which is a kind of action that may or may not have significant environmental impacts. Under SEQRA, the lead agency is then required determine whether or not the project is likely to have a significant impact on the environment.

But the Riverhead Planning Board apparently never took the next step — despite holding a public hearing on the Blue River site plan application in 2014.

Last night, representatives of Rochester-based developer Conifer Realty learned they now must complete a full environmental assessment form so the planning board can make the required determination of significance.

If, based on that long-form EAF, the planning board determines the project could have a significant environmental impact, an environmental impact statement will be required. The process of preparing and reviewing and environmental impact statement adds months — sometimes years — to the review process.

Conifer Realty vice president Allen Handelman was not happy. He expressed his frustration at having submitted “a complete package” in January — Conifer made changes to the Blue River site plan and building design — and in September “what seems to be laid out is perhaps an additional protracted review process.”

“The application would be considered flawed if you did not complete the full EAF,” Riverhead environmental planner Jeff Seeman told Handelman.

“I respect the process. I’m not accustomed to having it drag out so long and to have additional issues come up,” Handelman said.

“Two weeks ago, we were asked to provide a site plan showing emergency access, which we did,” Handelman said. Responding to concerns voiced by Riverhead Fire Chief Joseph Raynor, the planning board asked the developer to reconfigure its site plan to allow fire department vehicles access south of the building, which was proposed to be built very close to the bulkheaded Peconic River’s banks.

“That triggered a far more in-depth and detailed review that would have been welcomed a while ago,” he said.

Handelman said a delay in approval will affect not only the project’s funding with private investors, but also its funding from the state.

“We’ve already missed our timeline with the state,” Handelman said. “It affects our credibility. It challenges our ability to get additional projects funded and it also challenges the credibility of the town on some levels.” He suggested it could also have a negative impact on other projects that might seek state low-income housing funds and tax credits.

Lawrence Oxman, a member of the board of the L.I. Science Center, which is in contract to sell the West Main Street site to Conifer, said he was incredulous and angry about the most recent turn of events. The science organization can’t purchase a new site until Conifer gets its approvals.

The Peconic Crossing project, advanced by a partnership between Conifer Realty and the Community Development Corporation of Long Island,  would bring 48 low-income rental units in a five-story building on the 11 West Main  St. site.