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Q&A

Reduction of minimum lot sizes in R1 and R2 districts

5:45:36

·

60 sec

Chair Daniel Garodnick explains the rationale behind reducing minimum lot sizes in R1 and R2 districts, including areas within the Special Natural Area District (SNAD). The proposal aims to create more housing opportunities while maintaining environmental protections.

The minimum lot size would be reduced from approximately 9,700 square feet to half that size.
Garodnick argues that this change acknowledges the existence of homes on smaller lots in many areas, including central Staten Island.
The reduction is intended to remove overly restrictive rules that limit the creation of single-family homes on smaller lots.

Daniel Garodnick

5:45:36

You know, we wanted to make sure all areas of the city were participants in this program.

5:45:41

And by reducing a minimum lot size from some 9700 square feet to half of that, we thought that that is a way for us to acknowledge that in many cases and I believe that also would include the central part of Staten Island that there are homes that are on much smaller lot sizes than 9700 square feet.

5:46:08

And as a result, we did not want to continue to have rules that were so restrictive, that limited the ability for even the creation of a single family home, so much so that you had to have a 97100 lot to be a 97100 square foot lot to be able to do it.

5:46:27

So we wanted to keep the protections of SNAD.

5:46:29

We wanted to reduce the lot sizes to create a little bit more opportunity while making sure that all environmental protections continue to be in place.

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Impact of zoning proposal on Special Natural Area District (SNAD)

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Balancing neighborhood preservation with housing opportunities