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LI Sports Park’s plans for site meets with no opposition

Long Island Sports Park’s proposal to legalize the events that Riverhead Town officials have said they were running without proper permits met with no opposition during a town Planning Board hearing Thursday.

Specifically, Riverhead Town Board members have required LISP to get an approved site plan for the events they hold at the former Calverton Links golf course on Edwards Avenue in Calverton, including cider festivals, potato festivals, soap runs and even a bubble race, to name a few.

Several of the events had received individual special events approvals from the Town Board, but officials said there should be an approved site plan for the overall use of the property.

The town last year issued violations to Long Island Sports Club principal Dean Del Prete for not having an approved site plan, a use permit, an assembly permit and certificate of occupancy for the site.

In July, the Town Board authorized an agreement with Mr. Del Prete, who subsequently submitted a site plan for the property.

The site plan lists a number of proposed uses for the property including things like golf, Frisbee golf, soccer golf, paintball, marathon-type runs and festivals as permitted uses.

“Also, various organizations come there for arts and crafts-like events,” said Charles Cuddy, the attorney for LISP, at Thursday’s public hearing on the site plan application.

“We want to continue the uses that are on the site plan,” he added.

The 82-acre property was previously used for the first 12 holes of the Calverton Links golf course, which closed several years ago, and nothing about that land has changed, according to Mr. Cuddy.

Golf courses as well as sports and recreational facilities are permitted uses in the property’s Industrial C zoning, he said.

No one other than representatives for the applicant spoke at Thursday’s hearing.

Events expected to have more than 100 people on the site at any one time will require a special event permit from the town, officials have said. Asked if there would be catering on the site, Doug Adams, a representative for the applicant, replied, “We believe we should be able to, similar to what customarily happens at any other golf course.”

The Planning Board closed the public hearing, meaning no further comments will be taken, and is expected to vote on the application at an upcoming meeting.

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Photo Caption: Golf at former Calverton Golf Links (file photo)