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Almost three years ago F1 Long Island introduced a plan for a state-of-the-art karting venue to be built on Edwards Ave. in Calverton, New York. If built, F1 Long Island will offer an exciting entertainment venue for the public and karting enthusiasts. This project has the potential of bringing a great economic boost and significant tax benefit to the region.

Current Status:

November -December 2005-After reviewing the proposed site plan, the Town of Riverhead Town Planning Board acting as lead agency for the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) process, determined that the proposed project has the potential to create significant adverse impacts on the environment and required that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be prepared to address these issues.
January 2006 - F1 Long Island retains AKRF, a leading environmental consulting firm to research and document all issues contained in a "Scope of Issues" document provided by the Town of Riverhead Town Planning Board.
March 2006 - F1 Long Island submits Draft EIS to Riverhead Town Board Town Planning Department for review.
May 2006- Town of Riverhead Town Planning Department advises Town of Riverhead Town Board to NOT accept Draft EIS as complete and recommends to Town of Riverhead Town Board that F1 Long Island provide more research on the effects of noise impacts on Breeding of Horses. Additionally, they request F1 Long Island apply to the Town of Riverhead Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to make a determination of accessory uses that are usual and customary to go-kart race tracks. Accessory uses that are under scruinty : Restaurant, Bar, Retail Store, Conference and Meeting Rooms, Kart Storage and Kart Maintenance.
June 2006 - AKRF submits additional research on the topics of noise impacts and breeding of horses.
June - August 2006- F1 Long Island is present at three ZBA hearing where evidence was presented for both the Accessory Use issues and a request of a zoning varience on the height of the building.
August 2006- Final ZBA hearing held - F1 Long Island provides all information requested by ZBA and is informed that the ZBA will publish their findings on September 14, 2006
August 2006 - F1 Long Island confirms with Town of Riverhead Town Planning board that they have met all requirements issued to them by the Town of Riverhead Town Planning Board and once the ZBA findings are published the Town of Riverhead Town Board will move forward with scheduling the public hearing to accept the EIS as compelete.
September 2006- Town of Riverhead Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) grants F1 Long Island all requested accessory uses except for conference rooms. In addition, the ZBA grants our requested height varience.
October 26, 2006 -Town of Riverhead planning department advises Town of Riverhead Town Board to accept our dEIS as complete and schedule a public hearing. In a resolution passed 5-0 the Town of Riverhead Town Board passes the resolution and schedules a public hearing for November 29, 2006 at 3pm.
November 28, 2006 - Town of Riverhead passes resolution transfering site plan approval to Town of Riverhead Planning Board cancelling our scheduled hearing on our dEIS.
December 7, 2006 - The town of Riverhead Planning board passes resolution accepting our dEIS as complete and schedules public hearing for January 18, 2007 at 3:30pm at the Riverhead Town Hall, 200 Howell Ave., Riverhead, New York.
The February 1, 2007 public hearing before the Riverhead Town Planning Board regarding F1 Long Island, which carried over from January 18, closed with no public statements in opposition. The Board held a public meeting on January 18 where members of the F1 Long Island team presented their project to the public. At the February 1, 2007 public meeting during the public comment period regarding the F1 project, only the attorney for the project made a brief statement to answer a few minor questions.
At both the January 18, 2007 and at the February 1, 2007 meetings the public had the opportunity to comment on the project. Several dozen local residents, business owners and members of Long Island’s not-for-profit community attended the meetings and voiced their support for the project. Excluding paid consultants fewer than five people spoke in opposition to the project. F1 Long Island has also submitted petitions and letters with more than a 1,200 names of individuals who support the project. Dozens of letters have also been sent directly to the Town of Riverhead by local supporters.
“Now that the last public hearing before the Town Planning Board is over, we await the end of the comment period and the Board’s response. We are eager to begin working on the final environmental impact statement that will provide the definitive proof that this project will have only positive impacts on the community. We are very concerned about the environment, in particular sound. We have designed the project so that sound will not be an issue. Our plan ensures that the project will be environmentally friendly and fit perfectly into the community. It will be demonstrated that F1 Long Island will have no adverse impacts on surrounding businesses, animals or residents,” said Marc Leibowitz Co-Founder of F1 Long Island.“We have taken another step forward toward making this project a reality for Long Island. F1 Long Island will have a positive economic impact on the region, and we are looking forward to introducing our vision for Go-Karting to the citizens of Long Island,” said RJ Valentine Co-Founder of F1 Long Island.
May 23, 2007 Town of Riverhead Planning Board selects consultants to review dEIS and provide comments to Town Planning Board. F1 Long Island advances fees to Town of Riverhead to hire consulants to review dEIS and provide comments for fEIS. Consulants review expected shortly.
August 3, 2007 - F1 Long Island follows thru and finalizes the purchase of 12.1 acres of land in Calverton. On Friday, August 3, 2007 F1 Long Island executives attend the closing and complete the purchase of the property to build a state of the art go-kart track!!!! F1 Long Island has finalized our financing and is poised to begin building as soon as final "Site Plan Approval" is received from the Town of Riverhead Planning Department.
October 25, 2007 - F1 Long Island receives offical comments from The Town of RIverhead Planning Department on our Draft Environmental Impact Review and we advance to the next step in the SEQR process. F1 Long Island's development team are reviewing the comments and aligning our project plans accordingly.
February 2008 - F1 Long Island reviews updated project site plan with Riverhead Conservation Advisory Council (CAC). New site plan accomodates CAC's suggestions and recommendations.
March 2008 - F1 Long Island completes the update of the project incorporating requests from Town of Riverhead Planning Board and Town of Riverhead Conservation Advisory Council. F1 Long Island submits updated plans along with the Final Environmental Impact Study (fEIS) moving to the last step in the SEQR process.
July 8, 2008 - Town of Riverhead Planning board rejects F1 Long Island's Final Environmental Impact Study (fEIS). It seems the sole reasons cited by the Planning Board is the sound impact on the horses. The Chairmen sites "possible safety issue" even though the project was designed to perform at 65 dbs and was to include a 23 foot high special sound wall.
August 1, 2008 - Town of Riverhead Planning Department issues new requests for additional sound and traffic studies to supplement existing fEIS studies. Town of Riverhead Planning Department also reminds F1 Long Island that perfoming the additional studies is not binding on the Town of Riverhead Planning Board and that the offical record is closed and therefore available for Judicial Review.
August 1, 2008 - The owners of F1 Long Island decide to make available our property to all our best friends who want to ride dirt bikes or ATV's. While we were more than willing to ensure a quiet 65 decible go-kart track with a 23 foot high sound wall surrounding the southern end of the property (so as not to impact our neighbors) we are prevented from doing anything other than just riding bikes, ATVs or off road go-karts on our property. Today we can be very loud on our property (actually as loud as the deck of an aircraft carrier) and without a 23 foot wall to prevent visualization of the riders from our neighbors. So join our club and bring your bike, quad or kart and enjoy our property with us.

Next Steps: F1 Long Island plans to ride and host off-road riding every day until we receive our site plan approval to build our go-kart track.

2007

2/13/07 - Completion of the public comment period
5/15/07 - Comments provided to town assembled and delivered to F1 Long Island
7/01/07 - Response and finalization of EIS
8/03/07 - F1 Long Island closes on 12.1 acres of land in Calverton on Edwards Ave.
10/25/07- F1 Long Island receives offical comments from Town of Riverhead Planning Department

2008

2/13/08 - F1 Long Island reviews updated project plans with Riverhead Conservation Advisory Council.
3/21/08 - Final Environmental Impact Statement and Updated Site Plan submitted to Town of Riverhead Planning Department.
7/08/08 - Final Environmental Impact Statement rejected by Town Of Riverhead Planning Board.
08/01/08 - F1 Long Island Motorcycle Club Opens-p
03/01/09 - F1 Long Island Off Road Go -Kart Track opens. Dirt bikes, ATV's, and Off-Road Go-Karts Welcomed and available for rent.