Staten Island Community Board 2

Staten Island Community Board 2
Name	Staten Island Community Board 2
Settlement type	Community Board
Borough	Staten Island
Country	United States
State	New York
City	New York City
Neighborhoods	St. George, Tompkinsville, Stapleton, Clifton, Rosebank

Staten Island Community Board 2 is a local advisory body serving parts of northeastern Staten Island within New York City. The board interfaces with the Mayor of New York City, the New York City Council, and various city agencies to address land use, zoning, public safety, and neighborhood services. It represents diverse neighborhoods bordering the Staten Island Ferry terminal and works with civic groups, transit authorities, and housing organizations.

Overview

The board functions as one of twelve Community boards of New York City and participates in processes involving the New York City Department of City Planning, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. It holds public meetings in civic centers near the Staten Island Ferry terminal and coordinates with elected officials such as the Mayor of New York City, members of the New York City Council, and the Richmond County (New York) district representatives. The board engages with nonprofit groups including the Staten Island Advance, United Way of New York City, and neighborhood associations from St. George, Staten Island to Clifton, Staten Island.

Geography and Neighborhoods

The board’s jurisdiction includes waterfront and inland neighborhoods like St. George, Staten Island, Tompkinsville, Staten Island, Stapleton, Staten Island, Clifton, Staten Island, Rosebank, Staten Island, and portions of West Brighton, Staten Island and New Brighton, Staten Island. Major landmarks within or adjacent to the district include the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal, the St. George Theatre, and the New York Wheel site. The area borders the Upper New York Bay and has transit connections to Manhattan via the ferry and to Brooklyn and Queens via the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and regional roads such as Hylan Boulevard and Richmond Terrace.

Governance and Membership

Membership consists of appointed volunteers drawn from local civic groups and appointed by the Borough President of Staten Island with nomination input from New York City Council members representing the area. The board is led by a chairperson and committee chairs who oversee subcommittees aligned with agencies such as the New York City Police Department and the New York City Department of Transportation. The board’s procedures follow provisions of the New York City Charter and coordinate with state entities including the New York State Department of Transportation when regional approvals are required. Board meetings often host representatives from bodies like the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Functions and Responsibilities

The board advises on land use issues, zoning changes submitted to the City Planning Commission, and uniform land use review procedures involving the City Council of New York City. It issues recommendations on local permits overseen by agencies such as the New York City Department of Buildings and environmental reviews under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. The board evaluates proposals involving affordable housing developers like New York City Housing Authority partners, works on public safety coordination with the NYPD Staten Island Borough Command, and provides input on cultural projects coordinated with institutions such as the St. George Theatre and local historical societies.

Community Planning and Projects

Notable planning efforts include waterfront redevelopment proposals near the St. George Ferry Terminal, adaptive reuse projects for brownfield remediation with the Environmental Protection Agency involvement, and streetscape improvements aligned with Vision Zero initiatives by the New York City Department of Transportation. The board has reviewed proposals for transit-oriented development, facilitated community benefit agreements with developers, and supported small business initiatives tied to the New York City Economic Development Corporation and local chambers of commerce. Projects often intersect with regional plans from entities such as the Hudson River Park Trust model and lessons from redevelopment at South Street Seaport and DUMBO, Brooklyn.

Demographics and Economy

The district contains a mix of residential, commercial, and maritime uses with demographic patterns reflecting histories of immigration, waves of settlement, and recent in-migration linked to ferry access to Manhattan. Census-derived data guides the board’s recommendations on services for populations served by agencies like the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and social-service providers including NYC Human Resources Administration. The local economy features small businesses along Bay Street, maritime and port-related employment connected to the Port of New York and New Jersey, cultural institutions such as the Staten Island Museum, and regional tourism tied to the Staten Island Ferry and waterfront parks.

Public Services and Infrastructure

The board coordinates input on sanitation and street maintenance with the New York City Department of Sanitation and on parks and recreation with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, including work at waterfront open spaces and small pocket parks. Transportation issues involve collaboration with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for bus service and the Staten Island Railway infrastructure, and with the Department of Environmental Conservation on coastal resilience projects. Public safety planning engages the FDNY for emergency preparedness and the NYPD for community policing initiatives.

Notable Issues and Controversies

Contentious issues historically include waterfront redevelopment debates involving developers and preservationists, contentious rezonings reviewed under the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, ferry terminal modernization controversies, and disputes over historic preservation tied to local landmark nominations considered by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Other flashpoints have involved parking regulation changes, public housing redevelopment plans associated with the New York City Housing Authority, and environmental disputes over coastal flooding and resiliency tied to regional climate adaptation efforts championed by bodies like the New York City Panel on Climate Change.

Category:Community boards of Staten Island