Riverhead officials: Scott's Pointe adventure park needs to settle DEC issues before town gives final OK

The owner of a Calverton adventure park who illegally built a go-kart track, pickleball courts and a catering hall must settle outstanding issues with the state Department of Environmental Conservation before securing final town approval.

Eric Scott, who opened the $38 million Scott’s Pointe park in 2023, has been seeking retroactive approvals for the track after he was cited by town and DEC officers last June. Scott has since agreed to a $50,000 settlement with Riverhead Town while several state environmental violations remain pending.

The Riverhead Town Board voted 4-1 on May 21 to grant preliminary approval for the park’s new features, setting several conditions as part of the deal despite concerns from a councilman that further delays would be “unfair” to the business. The preliminary approval paves the way for use of the catering facility to begin but continues to prohibit use of the sports courts and racetrack.

Town senior planner Greg Bergman said in an email Wednesday the preliminary approval authorizes the town building department and fire marshal’s office to inspect and issue permits for the catering hall. “Those are permitted uses, and the site contains enough parking to facilitate the use,” Bergman said, adding that the developer already has county approvals for the event space.

Scott must resolve violations with the DEC and “fully reclaim” a former mining site at the property used to create a groundwater-fed lake, among other conditions, before use of the other amenities is authorized.

“I think we’re in very good shape,” Scott said in an interview Thursday. “Everything we were told to do from the town and DEC we did right away.”

Last June, the DEC issued a notice of violation and ordered the business to stop using an inflatable obstacle course on the lake, which officials said violated terms of the mining permit. The DEC violation also said the go-kart track was built within the mining area, and two tickets were issued in July, according to the agency.

One key part of reclamation includes revegetating the slopes around the lake to restore stability, scenic vistas and reduce erosion, according to the DEC.

Councilman Ken Rothwell previously expressed concerns over the timeline for reclamation at a town work session May 15.

“I don’t want to see a local business just be held on hold for the next year and a half waiting literally for grass to grow along the embankment,” Rothwell said at that meeting.

Bergman pushed back, arguing the conditions are reasonable given the violations. “I don’t see how we can approve something that we know is at odds with the DEC’s permitting,” he said.

Rothwell ultimately voted to approve the resolutions. Councilwoman Denise Merrifield cast the only vote against the preliminary approval, continuing her record of voting against approvals for the project. In January, Merrifield also voted against settling the lawsuit with the business, saying it should have been forced to remove the illegally built additions and faced a “heavy consequence.”

In an email Wednesday, a DEC spokesperson said the two tickets and violation are being handled administratively but did not offer more details.

Other conditions set by Riverhead require a covenant be filed with the town restricting use of the track for go-karts only and placing a barrier around the edge of the track to prevent runoff and erosion in the lake, according to the resolution.

The park also must pay $15,497 in additional town water district fees, since expanding the use of the site to include a catering hall will increase water use.