John Rittenhouse's proposed Asharoken dock expansion subject of public hearing Tuesday

Public comment is being solicited Tuesday on a proposal by Asharoken resident John Rittenhouse to build an oversized, 210-foot dock off his 22-acre property on Duck Island.

Rittenhouse is seeking a variance from Huntington Town to extend his dock 110 feet beyond the 100-foot town standard. The project is to be the subject of a public hearing at Tuesday's town board meeting.

Rittenhouse said the length is necessary for his 22-foot boat to be able to float in depths of at least 3 feet when the tide is at its lowest. The 4-foot-wide dock would have handrails no higher than 3 feet and a seasonal ramp connected to a floating pier.

"I just want to make a nice place for myself and my family," he said in an interview on his property.

Rittenhouse grew up in Asharoken. His father is a former village police commissioner and his mother was a member of the village zoning board.

Rittenhouse, a London-based chief executive for an international energy firm, has obtained approvals for the project from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York Department of State, according to documents he provided.

Getting the project to the point of seeking public comment has taken about 18 months, said Patrick Glennon, president of Northport-based Glennon Construction and the lead developer of Rittenhouse's local property.

Rittenhouse bought the property on the southeastern section of the Duck Island area of Asharoken for $7 million in 2013. It first came on the market in 2011 for $12 million.

"I've respected the land," he said. "And it's up to me what I do up here."

The Town of Huntington will be the last hurdle on the dock for Rittenhouse, who said he has received no preferential treatment in the roughly 650-person village, where his sister is a village trustee and his sister-in-law is village clerk.

"There are no favors to give," he said, noting Asharoken has no authority on the dock variance. "I'm trying to do the right thing. I'm not sneaking around; I've gone through every single process."