The town’s preliminary 2026 budget includes a 7.74% tax levy increase for 2026 and a 6.74% town-wide property tax rate hike. The $112 million budget must be approved by Nov. 20. 

Deborah Freitag, who moved to South Jamesport from New Jersey in 2021, told the board that her taxes have shot up from $11,000 to $18,000 in the past four years. She said the life she imagined she would have when moving to Riverhead is being “really impacted by the craziness of the tax increases.” 

“It feels like [the increases are] solely on the backs of working families and retirees, it’s killing us,” Ms. Freitag said. 

The budget exceeds the state’s 2% tax cap by approximately 4.63%, resulting in an increase of approximately $275 per year, or about 75 cents per day, for a home valued at $735,000.

Amid the backlash, Riverhead Town officials stood firm on the decisions made for next year’s budget and stressed there were certain mandated costs out of their control. 

That didn’t placate many of those who attended the Nov. 6 hearing.

“Ignoring the taxpayers is disrespectful and costly,” said Claudette Bianco of Baiting Hollow. “People are angry. There are ways to tighten the belt.” 

Nancy Murphy of Aquebogue said when she sees her property tax bill, she feels like she is “being punished” for owning a home.

Cindy Clifford, president of the Heart of Riverhead Civic Association, shed light on the rising costs Riverhead residents are facing everywhere, and how these tax increases only add to the “aggravation.”

“If you’ve ever struggled financially, I would ask you to remember how stressful and difficult it is, and if you never have, then try to imagine what it would be like,” Ms. Clifford said to the town board. “I’m asking you to go back to the books, and if you have to sacrifice more here and there, that you do it for the benefit of and for respect for our community.”

Tax rate vs. tax levy: The tax levy is the total dollar amount of property tax revenue a local government needs to collect to fund its operations. The tax rate is the percentage, or rate, applied to a property’s assessed value to determine an individual taxpayer’s bill.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard and his fellow council members have blamed the increases on unavoidable health insurance premiums, state retirement rates, and contractual police raises that would have otherwise forced elimination of nearly 15 town positions.

To minimize the tax cap breach, town officials denied all merit raise requests and added no new positions for 2026. The only salary increases approved were for civil service promotions and a 3.25% raise for elected officials excluding town board members, matching contractual increases for CSEA employees.

Mr. Hubbard also previously noted reductions of $319,009 in equipment and $216,000 in vehicle expenditures. 

“We’ve increased fees, we’ve increased permit lines, we’ve increased everything we can to try to offset it,” Mr. Hubbard said. “We have done that to raise revenue, but that is a mere pittance in a $112 [million] budget when we get hit with a double-digit increase for health insurance for 350 employees — that’s hard.” 

Mr. Hubbard said the town board is looking into how a reassessment could help. The town has not undergone a municipal reassessment since 1980, according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. 

Jeanette DiPaola, the town’s financial administrator, cleared up some other misconceptions of the budget during the hearing. She said the tax cap is solely exceeded in the general fund and is increasing by $1.9 million next year.

In her complaints about the rising tax bills, Ms. Bianco questioned the amount within the town’s fund balance and felt these funds should have been used to offset the tax increase. The preliminary budget designated $1.25 million in fund balance for the general fund.

Ms. DiPaola said how critical it is for the town to save for future capital projects, such as the Town Square development. Although the town has received a $23 million RAISE grant from the state for the project, Riverhead is required to contribute $7 million. 

She added in 2020, the fund balance was approximately 17%, which is just above the town’s 15% minimum. Over the years, the town has tried to budget conservatively to build this fund balance back up, but the extra revenues makes it difficult to not pierce the tax cap. 

“I’m saving that so that we can pay the general fund money out for those kinds of things, instead of having to increase the debt, year over year, for the next five years coming,” Ms. DiPaola said. “We are just trying to be smart about how we apply fund balance — we tried not to balance our operating budget with fund balance money.” 

What is a fund balance? The fund balance is the total accumulation of operating surpluses and deficits since the beginning of a local government’s existence, according to the state comptroller’s office.

Spending on the Riverhead Police Department is where a majority of the increases in the 2026 budget lie, Ms. DiPaola said. The total police department budget for 2026 is nearly $35 million, roughly a $3.1 million bump from this year. 

“We love our police, but it’s very costly to have a police department,” Ms. DiPaola said. “As the supervisor mentioned, he doesn’t want to cut back on public safety. I don’t think the residents would want that either.” 

Councilman Kenneth Rothwell reminded residents they pay lower county taxes by having their own police force, since Riverhead does not rely on Suffolk County Police for law enforcement within the town. He also pointed to a report that crime statistics are down in Riverhead and how an increased police force creates safer communities.

Councilwoman Denise Merrifield felt faster response times and better presence in the community are some of the benefits of having a local police department. She also emphasized the importance of offering competitive salaries to police officers.

“In order to keep good police officers, you need to pay them well — you don’t want the bottom of the barrel,” Ms. Merrifield said. “These are things that are hard to measure by dollars and cents, but it’s what you get when you have your own police department.” 

The written comment period on the 2026 preliminary budget is open until Nov. 16.

The post Residents push back on tax hikes in prelim 2026 town budget appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

The storm battered multiple areas throughout Suffolk County with strong winds, heavy rain, flooding, downed trees and power outages. As expected, there was flooding in the usual coastal spots throughout Riverhead, including River Walk picnic area and Grangebel Park.

In order to get a better idea of the severity of the potential nor’easter damage, New York State has developed an online form allowing residents to self-report damages to their homes and/or business.

The information collected through can help state and local officials identify supplemental damages to develop and augment potential requests for available federal assistance programs. The electronic form is sent directly to New York State.

The completion of the form does not guarantee relief funding, it is strictly for information purposes.

Those who are interested in self-reporting damages can fill out the form at tinyurl.com/DamagesSurvey.

The post Riverhead Town seeks public input for nor’easter damage survey appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

The voting booths are located on the lower level of Riverhead Town Hall at 4 West Second St. and in the rear of the Southold Town Recreation Center at 970 Peconic Lane in Peconic.

The dates and times for early voting at any of the 28 locations in Suffolk County are as follows:

• Monday, Oct. 27: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 28: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 29: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 30: Noon to 8 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 31: Noon. to 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 1: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 2: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Can’t make it to vote early? Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, with voting from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. However, registered voters must report to their regular polling location. Find out where to vote on Election Day here.

Check out Riverhead News-Review’s 2025 Election coverage for everything you need to know about the candidates running for Suffolk County Legislator, Riverhead Town Board and Riverhead Town Supervisor before heading to the polls.

The post The North Fork guide to early voting for the 2025 local elections appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

The appeal follows a ruling in favor of Southampton by the Hon. Paul M. Hensley, who found that Riverhead filed their complaint too late, lacked legal standing on some issues and failed to include Suffolk County as a “necessary party” in the project.

Riverside, one of Suffolk’s poorest communities, sits on the edge of downtown Riverhead, but is in Southampton. The proposed sewer treatment plant would handle 400,000 gallons of wastewater daily to support Southampton’s massive high-density development plans — an essential part of its decade-old Riverside Revitalization Action Plan. 

Riverhead officials fear the project would overwhelm their own planning efforts and burden the Riverhead school district, which serves Riverside students. They filed the lawsuit in August 2024 to force Southampton to reconsider the project.

A key issue was Southampton’s decision not to include the Suffolk County Center in the new sewer district. Since the late 1960s, Riverhead’s sewer system has served the county complex for a fee, requiring the town to reserve a 200,000 gallons per day of capacity.

Riverhead officials say their district is now operating at capacity and is unable to serve the needs created by the significant new downtown development in recent years.

The judge rejected Riverhead’s arguments on multiple grounds. He found the town filed its complaint after a 30-day deadline mandated by Southampton local law, calling it “timed-barred.” He also said Riverhead lacked standing to challenge Southampton’s environmental review and noted the town had previously called the project “positive for the environment” at public hearings.

Southampton stated in court documents the new sewer district would “positively impact the environment and reduce nitrogen within a wetland restoration area,” while protecting the Peconic Estuary.

The judge agreed with Southampton that Riverhead did not state a cause as to how the Riverside Sewer Project is in violation of the Green Amendment. 

“The Green Amendment to the New York State Constitution provides that each person shall have a right to clean air and water, and a healthy environment,” the Hon. Hensley stated in his dismissal. “The Riverside Sewer District and the new Sewer Treatment Plant, by all accounts, increase a health environment and have a positive impact.”

The dismissal is particularly problematic for Riverhead because the town received six extensions of time to file its opposition beginning last December, but never submitted a response even after the final Sept. 6 deadline passed.

Riverhead Town attorney Erik Howard said he plans to appeal the ruling and file a motion asking the court to reconsider the case.

“It is unfortunate and concerning that our special counsel failed to timely oppose Southampton’s motion to dismiss our case,” Mr. Howard wrote in an email to the Riverhead News Review shortly after the verdict, referring to outside counsel Steven Barshov who requested the multiple extensions.

For years, Riverhead and Suffolk County have been tangled up in litigation over the fees Riverhead charges for the service, according to previous reporting.

In a separate case, a state Supreme Court judge ruled in February that Riverhead Town illegally overcharged Suffolk County for its sewer services for out-of-district facilities, such as the County Center, the Arthur Cromarty Court Complex and the county jail, from 2018 to 2021.  

The post Riverhead appeals court dismissal of Riverside sewer lawsuit appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

At a public hearing Thursday, Oct. 9, at the Riverhead Free Library, SCWA officials presented their findings under the Monroe Balancing Test, concluding the agency has immunity from local regulation because it serves as a regional public entity. Two days earlier, the Riverhead Town Board voted unanimously to adopt its own Monroe Test results, reaching the opposite conclusion.

The dueling decisions have left the two sides deadlocked over who has final say on the estimated $35 million project, which would carry water from Flanders through Riverhead to supply customers in Southold.

“This project is indisputably for the benefit of the people of Suffolk County and the state of New York,” said Richard Finkel, attorney for SCWA, reiterating the claim he made at two previous meetings held in Westhampton and Peconic last week. “If we had to abide by the zoning laws of 43 different municipalities, it would be impossible for us to operate.”

Town officials, however, insist Riverhead, as the host community, has the right to determine how and where construction proceeds.

The proposed pipeline would run 8.15 miles from Flanders through Riverhead, supplying about 9,500 Southold customers whose existing wells are nearing capacity. SCWA says the project is critical to maintain water pressure and reliability on the North Fork, especially during summer months when irrigation demand peaks.

Mr. Finkel said the authority’s immunity claim rests on the principle that it performs “an essential governmental function.” The SCWA operates across 10 towns and nearly three dozen villages, he noted, and could not function if each municipality imposed its own zoning conditions.

“This would be untenable,” he said. “The authority’s purpose is to provide drinking water countywide — that’s a matter of public health and welfare.”

Mr. Finkel stressed the construction of the underground pipeline would cause temporary impacts on roadways, but all affected roads would be fully restored. In consideration of the community, Mr. Finkel said the SCWA will avoid road closings and traffic interruptions during the busy fall season.

He added the SCWA is “fully aware and capable” of managing construction so there is minimal damage. Mr. Finkel referenced the previous installation of 7,000 feet of water main in Riverhead and the current 20,000-foot water main extension project happening in Manorville.

Town officials say they aren’t disputing the project’s need but how it’s being handled. Riverhead leaders argue that as the “host community,” they’re entitled to review impacts on traffic, roadways, and neighborhoods within town borders — and to require compliance with local zoning codes.

Councilwoman Denise Merrifield criticized SCWA’s draft environmental documents as “void of key studies,” including traffic and infrastructure impacts. “This project does not benefit any residents in the town of Riverhead.”

Riverhead Town officials have disputed SCWA’s attempt to “circumvent” Riverhead’s authority to conduct its own Monroe Balancing Test by suggesting the agency’s test findings will be included in its draft environmental impact statement.

The Monroe Balancing Test — named for a 1988 New York Court of Appeals case — is used to decide whether one level of government can bypass another’s zoning authority. It weighs nine factors, some of which include the project’s public benefit, environmental impact and whether local oversight would hinder regional goals.

Both Riverhead and SCWA conducted their own tests and reached opposite conclusions. The town’s findings from its test in August, presented by Mr. Rothwell on Thursday after being reaffirmed two days earlier, determined that SCWA should comply with local regulations as a matter of fairness and community accountability.

Southold officials, meanwhile, have questioned whether SCWA has overstated the extent of the water crisis. The town passed irrigation legislation in July and has an ongoing U.S. Geological Survey study on the aquifer.

Joan Cear, recording secretary of the Greater Jamesport Civic Association, urged SCWA officials to consider relocating the pipeline underneath the electric transmission line easements that run from Riverhead to Mattituck, in order to avoid disruption to major roadways like Sound Avenue.

At Thursday’s hearing, residents urged both sides to work together before the conflict escalates.

“We’re headed for an impasse,” said Barbara Blass, a former Riverhead Town Board member. “I don’t think residents want to stop this project, but they also won’t stand by while construction moves forward without accountability.”

Erik Howard, town attorney, said the Riverhead Town Board were advised of its legal options in a recent executive session and the various ways potential litigation could play out. However, no decision to commence litigation has been made.

“The Town Board is prepared to seek judicial intervention if it becomes apparent that such intervention is necessary to protect the best interests of the Town and our residents,” Mr. Howard wrote in an email.

SCWA has received more than 100 comments on the project through public hearings, including one in Westhampton on Monday, Oct. 6, and another the next day in Peconic. The authority will release its final project scope in the coming weeks, publish a draft environmental statement before the end of the year and complete its final environmental impact statement by early 2026.

The open comment period for residents to share input on the SCWA arguing immunity from local zoning laws ends on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m. Public comments can be submitted at scwa.com/nfp.

The post Riverhead, SCWA clash over zoning control of proposed $35M pipeline appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

Suffolk County and Riverhead Town are following the issued burn ban, as an increase in potential wildfires is “a great concern that could unexpectedly and rapidly increase, endangering the health, safety and property of residents.”

During this period, outdoor fires for brush and debris disposal, as well as any uncontained campfires and open fires used for cooking and recreation, are prohibited in Riverhead.

The ban does not apply to barbecue grills, maple sugar arches and similar outdoor cooking devices. Contained campfires less than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in length, width or diameter in a fireplace, hibachi or fire ring with flames is also allowed.

Long Island is currently at a moderate risk level for fire danger, according to the DEC. This means fires can start from most accidental causes, though this number is generally low. The island is also on drought watch, but no statewide mandatory water use restrictions are in place.

Fires in open cured grasslands will burn briskly and spread rapidly on windy days, the DEC said. Timber fires spread slowly, but can pick up to a moderate speed. An average fire burns at a moderate intensity, but heavy concentrations of fuel may burn hot.

For a moderate risk region, short-distance spotting may occur but is not persistent. Fires are not likely to become serious and can be controlled relatively easy.

The state will reexamine the burn ban before its expiration to determine if it needs to be extended.

For more information, visit the NYSDEC’s Wildland Fire Safety and Prevention page or the National Weather Service for updates.

The post Riverhead follows statewide burn ban until Oct. 15 appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

The three incumbents — Town Supervisor Hubbard, Councilman Kenneth Rothwell and Councilman Bob Kern — have drawn heat for boycotting the meet-and-greets scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 30, and Saturday, Oct. 4, hosted by the Jamesport Civic Association and Heart of Riverhead Civic Association, respectively.

The trio will only participate in an Oct. 16 forum hosted by the Greater Calverton and Wading River civic associations at Riley Avenue Elementary School.

The GOP candidates object to Laura Jens-Smith, current Democratic Committee chair and former Democratic town supervisor, who leads the Jamesport group. They also cite concerns about Heart of Riverhead president Cindy Clifford, a Democratic Committee member and former employee of Ms. Jens-Smith.

“While we certainly believe in open debate and political discourse being a crucial and necessary part of the election process, we also, wholeheartedly, believe that the debates should be hosted by a nonpartisan unbiased entity,” Mr. Hubbard said in a statement sent to Riverhead News-Review on Friday, Sept. 26.

The supervisor called demands to participate in three forums “absurd” and “unreasonable,” noting that even presidential debates are limited to just one or two.

Mr. Hubbard said he previously proposed having a “nonpartisan, unbiased third party, local journalist” moderate a debate at Polish Hall, but claimed Ms. Jens-Smith rejected the idea.

Ms. Jens-Smith disputed the Republican claims in a Friday interview, saying no specific location was ever provided for the proposed alternative debate.

“My [Democratic Committee] candidates will debate them anywhere, anytime, anyplace — we are not limiting ourselves to any number of debates,” she said. “We believe that this is a service for the voters.”

She criticized the part-time council members for refusing to dedicate three hours over 40 days to voter forums, calling their scheduling concerns “shameful” and a “lame excuse.”

Ms. Jens-Smith emphasized she will not moderate the forums and described them as question-and-answer sessions rather than debates. The Jamesport Civic Association operates as a non-partisan organization that doesn’t endorse candidates, according to representatives.

“The purpose of the civics is for people to engage in a community and to be able to talk about what’s going on in that community. Officials from the town come and speak at our civics. We don’t say you’re a Republican you can’t come, or you’re a Democrat, you can’t come … We invite everybody,” Ms. Jens-Smith said. “It’s the Republicans that are making this civic engagement political.”

The Jamesport group maintains its invitation to Republican candidates for the Sept. 30 forum at Jamesport Meeting House.

Steven Kramer, vice president of the Heart of Riverhead Civic Association, said members are “very disappointed” by the Republican decision.

“Accepting the invitation of the Greater Calverton civic only serves to reinforce the view of many of our members who feel their voices and votes do not matter to Town leadership,” Mr. Kramer wrote.

In a statement, Ms. Clifford said civic leaders are “committed to and perfectly capable of separating personal political beliefs” from their service to civic members and Riverhead Town. She said the civic associations work to build a greater sense of community, boost engagement and strive to maintain a standard of being “non-partisan, while entirely pro-Riverhead.”

“Our members and guests benefit from having conversations, sharing lots of ideas and hearing different perspectives. We like to believe that our input is welcomed when we bring it to the town board, regardless of anyone’s personal beliefs,” Ms. Clifford wrote. “Instead, we are seeing our different opinions used in an attempt to separate ‘us’ and ‘them’. That is the polar opposite of our continual efforts to collaborate for Riverhead’s greater good.”

Ms. Clifford said the Hon. Greg Blass, a former Suffolk County legislator, family court judge, commissioner of Department of Social Services and “lifelong Republican,” will moderating the candidate forum for the Heart of Riverhead on Saturday, Oct. 4.

The post Riverhead GOP leaders defend decision to opt out of candidate forums appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

Patriot Recycling must remove approximately 3,000 cubic yards of “unfinished/unscreened organic material” at the former Warner Nursery property within the next two weeks. Otherwise, they face immediate enforcement action, significant civil penalties, liquidated damages of $1,000 per day and potential Supreme Court action by Riverhead Town.

A stop work order issued in June ordered Youngs Avenue LLC to cease operation of its dump site after residents complained of an overwhelming odor spreading through their neighborhood. In the stipulation and temporary operations agreement for this one-time removal at 363 Youngs Ave., Riverhead Town granted a limited authorization for Patriot Recycling to use necessary machinery and personnel to solely remove the existing, unfinished materials from the premises.

However, this authorization does not allow Patriot Recycling to continue any ongoing mulching or other operations on the property. No new material can be taken in either, according to the stipulation.

Owner Joseph DeFigueroa signed the stipulation requiring he transport all the materials at Youngs Avenue to a “facility duly licensed or permitted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation or another governmental authority with jurisdiction to accept such material for lawful disposal or recycling.”

As of Tuesday, Riverhead Town Attorney Erik Howard said in an email the location where the materials are being transported to will not be confirmed until carting tickets are produced.

“It is my understanding that the material will be going to licensed facilities in Cutchogue and/or Yaphank and some of the material will go back to Mr. DeFigueroa’s facility in Oceanside,” Mr. Howard wrote.

He added that nearly 700 cubic yards of material was removed from the site before noon on Monday, Sept. 22. Problems with the on-site payloader prevented activity to continue that afternoon. Mr. DeFigueroa’s personnel attempted to repair the payloader, but no activity took place at the site on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

All removal activities and outbound trucking will happen Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trucks will use the haul route exiting the property along Youngs Avenue to the end of Osborne Avenue, then transport materials southbound to County Route 58 and westbound on I-495.

Mr. DeFigueroa and other personnel must keep a daily activity log, record of weight tickets, scale slips and other receipts from each truckload of material leaving the site. A running summary of the total volumes removed must also be tracked.

Jeffrey Seeman, the town’s environmental consultant, is the designated monitor of the removal. In this liaison role, he is responsible for on-site visits, observing the removal activities, providing progress updates and raising any concerns to the town attorney’s office. He is also charged with reviewing the carting tickets for the transfer to other facilities. The stipulation agreement stated Mr. Seeman will be paid $1,650 total for 10 hours of monitoring work.

If the operator fails to remove all materials in the allotted window, the town may step in and complete the task. All costs of this would fall on the operator and recoverable as a debt by Riverhead Town.

The post Patriot Recycling begins removal of stockpiles at Youngs Avenue appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

The Riverhead Town Board pushed a ban on electric scooters, most commonly used by commuters and food delivery drivers, in heavily-trafficked areas during a public hearing held Tuesday, Sept. 16.

The crackdown would prohibit their use on Main Street between Court Street and Route 58 and caps their speed at 15 mph. It also bans riding the controversial e-bikes, which can hit 25 mph, on sidewalks.

“This is undertaken with the intention of promoting safety and protecting the sidewalks,” said Erik Howard, Riverhead Town attorney.

Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard pressed the importance of keeping pedestrians safe after witnessing e-bikes and scooters “flying down” sidewalks and streets.

“If you’re walking and somebody comes up behind you on one of these bikes or scooters, No. 1, you may not be aware of it because they’re fairly quiet; and No. 2, they go at a pretty hefty rate of speed, and it’s a very dangerous situation,” he said at the hearing.

The board proposed three classifications in the revised code:

• Class one is a “bicycle with electric assist having an electric motor that provides assistance only when the person operating such bicycle is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when such bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour.”
• Class two is a “bicycle with electric assist having an electric motor that may be used exclusively to propel such bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when such bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour.”
• Class three is “solely within a city having a population of one million or more, a bicycle with electric assist having an electric motor that may be used exclusively to propel such bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when such bicycle reaches a speed of 25 miles per hour.”

Only Class one e-bikes would be allowed on the bicycle paths at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Recreational Trail in Calverton, or other bike lanes.

Electric scooters and e-bikes would be prohibited on any roadway or highway with a 30 mph speed limit. Riders will also be required to wear a helmet to protect against serious head injury.

They are also banned from riding e-bikes and electric scooters while intoxicated.

Violators could face imprisonment of up to 15 days and a fine between $100 and $250 for the first offense. Fines would increase to between $250 and $500 another violations, and up to $1,500 for a third strike.

The written public comment period on the proposal is open until Friday, Sept. 26. The Riverhead Town Board may vote on the resolution at its next meeting Tuesday, Oct. 7.

The post Riverhead Town officials push for e-bike ban downtown appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

The Southold couple, who shuttered their popular Shelter Island restaurant 18 Bay in 2022, attempted to alleviate concerns over noise and lighting complaints lodged against the previous business at the Victorian mansion during a Town Board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16 

Mr. Kopels reiterated plans to reopen 18 Bay on the historic grounds at 370 Manor Lane next month, but said their Italian-inspired eatery will sidestep the issues that dogged the old Jamesport Manor Inn.

Named after the address of their first restaurant in Bayville, 18 Bay will have 60 seats on the first floor and 20 on the second floor, all reserved for dining only, Mr. Kopels said.

“We plan on planting as much as we can for the restaurant, utilizing the vastness of the property to grow as many gardens to support the restaurant as much as possible,” Mr. Kopels said. “It’s a privilege to steward the property and grow as much as we can, and make a really great dinner.”

The dynamic duo, who were both named James Beard Award semifinalists for Best Chef in the Northeast region in 2018, have previously stated they are not looking to cultivate a late-night atmosphere with loud music or a bar crowd.

“I know that there has been some past friction with neighbors,” the couple’s lawyer Kimberly Judd said at the meeting. “They’ve already met several of the neighbors, and talked to them, and assured them that the business model that was carried out before was not the business model that they want to do.” 

The 3.13-acre property, first owned by ancestors of 19th-century merchant mariner Jonathan Dimon, has a litigation history with Riverhead Town dating back to 2004 over noisy outdoor events and weddings on the property. 

The previous owner, Matthew Kar of Kar-McVeigh LLC, put the Dimon Estate up for sale in October 2023 after the Riverhead Town Board approved a special permit to construct a 600-square-foot addition for dining and catering to the existing restaurant. 

At the time, the special permit allowed the number of seats in the restaurant to be increased from 80 to 120. The second floor of the structure was prohibited from being used for restaurant or catering operations.

The property was originally listed for $3.2 million. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

The new owners stated they are not looking to add an expansion to the existing structure.

Town Board officials told concerned speakers at the meeting that officials can add covenants to the special permit to mitigate any potential issues. The written comment period regarding the special permit matter will remain open until Friday, Sept. 26.

“I’m not sure if the general public understands the magnitude of being recognized by James Beard. That’s the ultimate in the restaurant business, and they don’t give those out every other day,” Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard said. “You’re really doing something special to be recognized by them and I can’t wait for you to open your doors.”

Their new restaurant has received strong support from many residents, the Greater Jamesport Civic Association and the Riverhead Town Board.

“We really wish them well. It sounds like they have a special love for the architecture of the building and sounds like they’re very respectful of the grounds,” said Bonnie Schmidt, a Manor Lane resident. “We, as farmers, just have a great love for the land, too, and I just hope we can all get along because I’m telling you this was just a lot that we went through.”

The post Southold chefs calm jittery Jamesport neighbors after buying historic Dimon Estate to reopen 18 Bay appeared first on Riverhead News Review.