U.S. Open parking/shuttle agreement reached among Riverhead, USGA and Enterprise Park company

The Town of Riverhead and the United States Golf Association have reached an agreement with a land owner at the Enterprise Park complex over parking for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

The town and the USGA cannot let golf fans park on the property of Delaware-based 400 David Court LLC, which controls a 16-acre easement on the town’s sprawling site where Grumman once built fighter jets, according to an order signed Wednesday in Riverhead by Justice Aletha Fields. But while parking is prohibited,  t he company and Riverhead Town reached an agreement that will allow shuttle buses carrying certain U.S. Open attendees to access the property, according to the order.

Riverhead Town Attorney Erik C. Howard declined to comment on details of the plan when reached late Wednesday, noting that it will not be finalized until a court appearance Thursday morning. However, in an earlier statement he said in an email: "At this time, there appears to be agreement resolving the immediate disputes relative to the parking of vehicles at the Town's Calverton property. I do not anticipate that parking for the U.S. Open at Calverton Enterprise Park will be negatively impacted."

Three entities — the town, the Riverhead Community Development Agency and the USGA — are responsible for preventing anyone heading to the international sporting event from parking on the easement. They may even be required to tow vehicles parked on that portion of the property.

The agreement "would lead to parking of cars — perhaps several hundred cars — of golf tournament attendees who may be entitled to protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or the New York State Human Rights Law," according to Fields’ order. The town and the Delaware-based company "clarified" a plan for such attendees to the international sporting event "to have proper access to parking, shuttle services, and attendance at the tournament," the order said.

The owner of 400 David Court LLC and the town remain locked in a legal battle regarding the terms of the long-standing easement agreement. The town and the USGA had previously entered an agreement "to park approximately 18,900 vehicles" at Enterprise Park "and shuttle an estimated 43,470 people to and from the Town of Southampton," according to the company’s lawsuit.

The owner of the company filed a lawsuit this week charging that USGA representatives trespassed on the private property, spray painted it and damaged concrete blocks, Newsday previously reported. The town has argued golf representatives were denied access to the property, and that the Delaware company lacks "legal rights to utilize the Easement Area in any meaningful way."