Riverhead zoning change is ill-conceived

The most recent bout of torrential rain upended roadways, spurred mudslides, and further eroded the coastal cliffs on Suffolk's North Shore. Predictions of more frequent and intense storms make the need to build smarter and even retreat from our fragile coastline the new reality.

Yet such forward thinking and mindful planning often escapes us when the sun is shining and the roads are dry. In the Town of Riverhead, a proposed zoning change would allow developers to build luxury resorts on farmland north of Sound Avenue, not far from the bluffs of Long Island Sound, that could result in the construction of approximately 2,000 hotel rooms if all parcels are developed. One proposed project is described as "low-rise, low-density" with "farm-to-table" food and a spa.

Proponents say building a few such large projects like this on 100-acre minimum parcels is the best way to expand the tax base yet keep the town's mostly agricultural identity. But servicing these new resorts would further burden the area's fragile infrastructure.

Even with the laudable goal of spending some of that revenue to preserve various parcels among the 7,000 acres of developable farmland in Riverhead, the zoning change is ill-conceived.

Significantly, the rezoning could adversely impact farmers because of wording that puts limitations and restrictions on farming and activities that can take place on farmland. The zoning change would require farmers to be "dependent on the use of agricultural soils," which could eliminate hydroponics and other alternative farming methods. It also restricts "massive vertical farming," in which crops can be grown indoors or in large containers. This certainly won't help them sustain their farms or boost their industry.

Instead, the zoning change smacks of an attempt to create a region where tourists stay in luxurious accommodations overlooking picturesque pumpkin patches, grapevines, and sunflower fields. A working farm is something else — busy, dusty, smelly and noisy, an unglamorous economic engine. The proposal doesn't seem to appreciate that.

But the most significant problem with the plan is its potential impact on our coastlines and delicate environmental ecosystem. Allowing significant development on particularly susceptible land just 500 feet from the Sound's bluffs is shortsighted and unwise. Riverhead Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard, who has expressed concern about the zoning proposal, told the editorial board that preservation is key. He says he wants to find other ways to unlock money to reach that goal. That's the right approach.

Land conservation programs dedicated to preserving the character of the East End also need to step up their involvement. And innovative ways to preserve and protect the character of the East End need to be tried while allowing farmers to continue being the economic force the town and region need.