STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Some local builders are concerned that one aspect of the City of Yes zoning changes, which have been overwhelmingly celebrated by developers, may have gone a step too far.
The Advance/SILive.com editorial board recently sat down with officials from the Building Industry Association of NYC to discuss the impacts the City of Yes will have on the future landscape of Staten Island.
The builders, who voiced their support for various aspects of the massive zoning initiative, took issue with one specific part of the transit-oriented development component.
Representatives from the Building Industry Association of NYC spoke with the Advance/SILive.com editorial board on Nov. 25, 2025, to voice concerns about the City of Yes.Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel
Under the zoning changes, the city has re-legalized the construction of small apartment buildings in low-density areas so long as they meet various requirements, which include being located near a mass transit station.
The issue, the builders said, is that the new rules allow these apartments to be built too far from Staten Island Railway stations that qualify them for the development.
“It’s very aggressive. It’s basically a blank sheet of paper. If you’re within 2,500 feet of any of the Staten Island Railway stops, either station, you qualify,” said Robert Kelly, chair of government relations for the Building Industry Association of NYC.
“There’s a spot for some of these buildings, right? And I believe they’re much closer to the train stations themselves than what the City Council or [City Planning] Commission has devised… it’s just too large,” he added.
Robert Kelly, chair of government relations for the Building Industry Association of NYC, spoke with the Advance/SILive.com editorial board on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025.Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel
To qualify for a transit-oriented development increase in density, a lot on Staten Island must be located within a half-mile of a Staten Island Railway station.
A Department of City Planning map that highlights the areas where transit-oriented development is permitted shows that the borough’s “transit zone” essentially spans the entire length of the rail line due to the spacing of the stations.
This map from the Department of City Planning shows areas on Staten Island where transit-oriented development now permits small apartment buildings in low-density neighborhoods. (Department of City Planning)Department of City Planning
Additionally, the lot must be at least 5,000 square feet and on the short end of the block or facing a street that is at least 75 feet wide.
These apartment buildings can range from three to five stories, depending on the existing zoning in the area.
A representative from the Department of City Planning told the Advance/SILive.com that the half-mile radius was chosen as a commonly-used urban planning measure for a comfortable walking distance to transit.
“Modest apartment buildings exist in town centers across the outer boroughs, and in fact help give New York neighborhoods much of the character that we know and love. City of Yes made targeted zoning changes to re-legalize these three-, four-, or five-story buildings where they fit into the neighborhood, enabling a little more housing in every neighborhood in order to address the city’s dire housing crisis. Over time, these changes will play an important, but gradual, role in giving New Yorkers the housing options they need,” a City Planning spokesperson said.