The New Stapleton Waterfront (Illustrative) |
City Planning Commission Actions
To implement the Task Force’s recommendations, several land use actions are required including a zoning text amendment to create the special district, a zoning map amendment to rezone the project area, mapping and demapping of city streets, and disposition of city-owned property.
• Zoning Map Amendment and Special District
The proposed special district, combined with a change in the underlying zoning to a contextual commercial district, is expected to change the character of the Stapleton waterfront. The area will be transformed from an underused industrial enclave to an extension of the Stapleton town center.
The rezoning area encompasses the navy site (35-acres) and the area west of Front Street and east of the SIRT. The rezoning area runs from approximately 560 feet south of Hannah Street to the prolongation of Greenfield Avenue to the south. The Staten Island Rapid Transit right-of-way and the pierhead line define the western and eastern boundaries, respectively, of the rezoning area and special district.
The proposed zoning of C4-2A, modified by special district controls, will permit redevelopment of the Homeport site according to the recommendations of the Mayor’s Task Force on Homeport Redevelopment. It will also allow development that closely matches the character and scale of the upland portions of Stapleton, which are characterized by street wall development, ground-floor retail and low-rise buildings. The proposed contextual C4-2A district, generally mapped in regional commercial centers, encourages continuous retail frontage, permits mixed use buildings and requires residences to meet the standards of the Quality Housing program. Residential buildings in a C4-2A district must provide off-street parking for 70 percent of dwelling units. See  Zoning Comparison Chart.
The proposed Special Stapleton Waterfront District modifies some of the rules governing the underlying C4-2A zoning district and imposes additional regulations. The special district will establish eight subareas: the esplanade and public spaces, six city-owned development parcels (subareas A, B1 to B5) and the area west of Front Street which includes eighteen lots that are mostly privately owned (subarea C). View the text and maps of the proposed special district.
The special district will limit floor area ratio (FAR) to 2.0 for all uses and set a 50-foot height limit (approximately five stories). An exception to the height limit is made for subarea B2 (sports complex) which may rise to 60 feet without setbacks. The special district will require pedestrian connections to the waterfront esplanade at regular intervals and unobstructed visual corridors to the water from upland Stapleton. The position of building walls will be mandated in certain areas in order to frame public spaces and shape the streetscape to match the Stapleton town center. Buildings on certain streets will be required to have non-residential uses on the first floor to foster pedestrian activity on those streets and to link the waterfront to the town center. No parking will be allowed between any building and Front Street. An exception is made for subarea B5 to allow for more flexible site design. Parking lots must be screened from all adjacent zoning lots and public spaces by dense shrubbery, and parking lots must include trees within the parking field.
• City Map Changes
Changes to the city map include realignment of Front Street, mapping and extension of Baltic Street from Bay Street to Front Street to serve as a future connection, and demapping a portion of Willow Street, a mapped but unbuilt street. Existing side streets connecting Front Street and Bay Street will also be mapped at their current built widths. As part of the project, the city will improve Front Street for its entire length.
• Disposition of City-owned Property
The disposition of city-owned property will allow development of the six development parcels (A-B5) and limited uses on the waterfront esplanade, such as bike and kayak rentals or a small boat house. Two triangular city-owned properties in subarea C will also be disposed.
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Brief explanations of terms in green italics can be viewed by
clicking on the term. Words and phrases followed by an asterisk (*) are defined terms in the Zoning Resolution, primarily in Section 12-10. Consult the Zoning Resolution for the official and legally binding definitions of these words and phrases.
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