Business

Popeyes a step closer to coming to Route 58 in Riverhead

Popeyes is a step closer to coming to Route 58 following a public hearing Thursday night before the Riverhead Town Planning Board. 

No one from the public spoke at the hearing.

The 2,265-square-foot restaurant is proposed for a one acre vacant lot on the north side of Route 58, immediately east of Malvese Equipment Co. The proposed restaurant would be in a one-story building and would feature 31 seats.

Jack Rosebery, the architect on the project, said the proposed use is allowed by zoning in this area and the developer is providing more parking than required by code. A stormwater pollution prevention plan is not required at the site and the applicant is not seeking any zoning variances from the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals.

“That’s my presentation, short and sweet,” he said.

There was a grading issue that was solved by bringing in fill and building a retaining wall, he added.

The property is not in the town sewer district, though Mr. Rosebery said the county health department is allowing a “conventional sanitary system with leaching galleries” instead.

The design of the building will be the “corporate design” that all Popeyes restaurants have, Mr. Rosebery said, adding that the town architectural review board recommended approval for it.

The Planning Board closed the public hearing, but did not rule on the application.

Popeyes specializes in fried chicken and has more than 2,000 locations around the world, with Shirley (pictured above) and Patchogue being the closest to Riverhead.

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