Plan for new development at the corner of Mill Road and Route 58 is scaled down

A proposal to develop vacant land owned by the Long Island Cauliflower Association with four restaurants is being scaled down. 

Jimmy John’s, a national restaurant chain, is no longer planned as part of a development including Chick-fil-A and Dunkin’ Donuts.

The project was reviewed by the Riverhead Planning Board last Thursday, and is part of a development on seven acres on the corner of Mill Road and Route 58. 

When it was originally proposed, the application called for four buildings:

• A 5,855-square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant with a drive-thru and outdoor patio seating. It is the restaurant closest to Rote 58.

• A 2,560-square-foot building proposed to house both a Jimmy John’s restaurant and a Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant, with drive-thru windows for both. 

• A 2,600-square-foot restaurant with an as-of-yet unidentified tenant, and 

• a 6,400-square-foot sit-down restaurant. 

The elimination of the Jimmy John’s portion of the second building is the main change in the project.

The plans call for access to the restaurants to come from Mill Road.

In addition, the Riverhead Water District also is requiring the project to have a reduced pressure zone to prevent backflows. The RPZ is contained in a stainless steel box that’s about 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide, according to officials. 

Richard Israel, representing LICA, said that the changes requested by the town were “pretty last minute.”

He said any changes to the project have to be approved by Chick-fil-A’s corporate headquarters. 

Since the project received architectural review board approval before the elimination of the Jimmy John’s restaurant, the planning department is recommending the building with the Dunkin’ Donuts be reviewed again by the ARB. 

The Planning Board took no action on the proposal last Thursday.