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South Richmond Zoning Relief
The City Council adopted the South Richmond Zoning Relief Plan on November 2, 2023.
NYC seeks to make home improvement projects less costly and burdensome for property owners in South Richmond.
South Richmond Zoning Relief would improve and modernize rules in the Special South Richmond Development District that have not changed since 1975. The proposal is a collaboration between Staten Island Community Board 3, homeowners, builders, environmentalists, elected officials and NYC Planning.
South Richmond Zoning Relief is the next step in an initiative formerly known as Staten Island Special Districts Zoning Update, which included the Special Hillsides Preservation District and Special Natural Areas District. NYC continues to work with local communities on how best to modernize rules in those districts.
Why Are Changes Needed?
The City and public have nearly 50 years of experience with the existing rules and have identified key strategies to improve them, including:
- Creating zoning regulations that simplify the approval process and remove red-tape for small properties and individual homeowners
- Applying the latest environmental preservation best practices to zoning regulations—which will make zoning application decisions more predictable
- Focusing on preserving the natural features that will have the biggest impact on the environment
Who Is Asking for These Changes?
Homeowners have asked:
- Why do homeowners need City approvals for simple or minor alterations?
- Why can’t the City focus its review on larger or more sensitive sites?
We’ve heard from homeowners that the current regulations create an unnecessarily expensive and long process for City approval of home improvement projects.
For example, the current approval process can last a year and often costs homeowners more than the project itself. Meanwhile, development projects on sites that have a significant impact on Staten Island’s natural resources don’t currently provide enough opportunity for community input.
Due to the lack of clear parameters around existing rules and waivers, we’ve also heard from community members who are concerned about unpredictable development outcomes in their neighborhoods.
Learn More
Contact Us
We welcome your comments, ideas and questions about the Staten Island Special Districts Update.
For more information, to share your ideas or to ask questions, please contact the team at SRZR@planning.nyc.gov.