End in sight for ‘expensive, time-consuming’ approvals for minor home renovations on Staten Island’s South Shore

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The City Planning Commission unanimously approved the department of City Planning’s (DCP) South Richmond Zoning Relief proposal in a vote Wednesday morning, paving the way for the effort to approach its final hurdle: the New York City Council.

The plan would overhaul zoning and planning procedures in Staten Island’s Special South Richmond Development District, which covers the entire South Shore. Borough President Vito Fossella and Community Board 3 have both given the green light for the proposal to proceed, and Council Minority Leader Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) has voiced support for the measure.