Southampton and Riverhead should cooperate to move forward on Riverside plans

Nearly nine years ago, the Town of Southampton finalized its Riverside Revitalization Action Plan. The 255-page document rightly called the hamlet “one of the most bucolic land masses in all of Long Island” and “one of the most disinvested communities in all of Long Island.”

The plan advocated for a rezoning of 468 acres of land, the potential development of 2,267 housing units, half of which could be deemed “affordable,” and hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail and office space. Elected officials hoped it would reshape Riverside, which sits alongside Peconic Bay, from an underserved, distressed community into an economically vibrant neighborhood whose success could ripple through the communities around it — like Flanders, home of the Big Duck.

But little has changed since that 2015 plan, in part because the hamlet lacked the sewer connections needed for any development on Long Island.

Earlier this month, the Southampton Town board established a local sewer district and committed to the construction of a necessary sewage treatment plant, an enormous step toward finally revitalizing one of the Island's smaller hamlets.

But there's an unfortunate roadblock to Riverside's success. Tim Hubbard, supervisor of the neighboring Town of Riverhead, has voiced concerns about the Riverside plans. He says new housing there would mean adding students to the already-crowded Riverhead school district; that new Riverside residents would utilize Riverhead amenities and businesses, straining the town's roads and infrastructure; and that a new sewer district should encompass the nearby Suffolk County Center and correctional facility.

Disappointingly, Riverhead retained outside counsel to determine whether the town can take legal action.

That's not the right strategy. Instead, Hubbard should work with Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore to find a compromise that doesn't stop Riverside's progress, but accommodates Riverhead's needs. Moore already has said she plans to revise the initial proposal for housing units to allow for less density. That should ease Hubbard's concerns. And the two supervisors should be able to devise a strategy for sewer hookups, too.

Moore and Hubbard plan to discuss some of these issues, and County Executive Ed Romaine may play a role. Could Romaine, who advocates for more housing and understands the complexities of Suffolk's sewer needs, help broker a solution? Regional cooperation must prioritize the community's economic future, not let it succumb to parochial worries. If Hubbard and Moore can find a path forward, their work could serve as a model for others across Long Island who unnecessarily battle over development and other matters that cross town and village borders.

Moore, Hubbard and Romaine have an opportunity to rewrite Riverside's story, from one of disinvestment and disappointment to one of resurgence and hope.