Richmond County, NY Environmental Rules: Coastal Development (2026)

Richmond County has NYC's most extensive coastline — roughly 35 miles from Tottenville to Howland Hook — and is the borough most devastated by Superstorm Sandy (October 2012). Coastal development is controlled by multiple layered regimes: (1) NY State Waterfront Revitalization of Coastal Areas Act (Executive Law Article 42 and 19 NYCRR Part 600) requires consistency review for any federally funded project; (2) NYC Waterfront Revitalization Program (WRP) under City Charter §82 requires CPC consistency determinations for projects within the Coastal Zone Boundary (covers most SI south shore from Prince's Bay through Tottenville to the West Shore); (3) NYC Zoning Resolution Article VI Chapter 2 (Special Regulations Applying to Waterfront Areas) imposes 40-foot shoreline public access easements (§62-50 et seq.) and view corridors; (4) NYC Flood Resilience Zoning Text (2021 amendment to ZR) and Building Code Appendix G require freeboard and dry floodproofing in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) — most of SI's south and east shore sits in AE, VE, and V flood zones. Post-Sandy, NYC adopted Climate Resiliency Guidelines and the Bluebelt stormwater program (managed by DEP, unique to Staten Island — retrofits natural drainage through Richmond Creek, Blue Heron Pond, and Mill Creek). NY Tidal Wetlands Act (ECL Article 25) requires NY DEC permits for any work within the tidal wetlands boundary; wetlands cover substantial portions of the South Shore (Lemon Creek, Arbutus Lake, Great Kills Harbor). US Army Corps Section 404 permits may be required for in-water work. Seawalls, bulkheads, and shoreline armoring require NYC DOB, NYC DEP, NYS DEC, and US Army Corps approvals — review can take 12-24 months.