FEMA flood zone rules in Richmond County, NY — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Hurricane Sandy devastated Tottenville, Midland Beach, New Dorp Beach, and Oakwood Beach; FEMA AE and VE zones require elevation per NYC Appendix G.
Hurricane Sandy (October 2012) killed 24 Staten Islanders and destroyed thousands of homes in Tottenville, Midland Beach, New Dorp Beach, South Beach, Oakwood Beach, and Great Kills. NYC Building Code Appendix G and Zoning Resolution Article VI Chapter 4 govern flood-resistant construction. FEMA Preliminary FIRMs (2015) expanded Special Flood Hazard Area on Staten Island by 80 percent. AE Zone: lowest floor at Design Flood Elevation (BFE plus 1-2 feet freeboard). VE Zone (coastal high hazard along South Shore and East Shore): elevated on piles above DFE, breakaway walls below. Oakwood Beach, Ocean Breeze, and Graham Beach participate in NY Rising Buyout program. East Shore Seawall under construction by USACE. NYC Flood Hazard Mapper at nyc.gov/floodmaps. Build It Back program rebuilt/elevated over 5,000 Staten Island homes.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Richmond County, NY
Staten Island outdoor lighting must comply with NYC Zoning Resolution Section 23-00 and 42-00 performance standards for glare and trespass.
Richmond County, NY
NYC Zoning performance standards and common-law nuisance address excessive light trespass onto neighboring Staten Island properties.
Richmond County, NY
Official NYC-issued or approved bins must be placed at the curb between 6 PM the night before pickup and 4 AM the morning of pickup, and removed from the pub...
Richmond County, NY
NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) collects trash on Staten Island. Under the 2024 Containerization Rule, residential buildings with 1-9 units must place re...
Richmond County, NY
Bulk items (furniture, mattresses, appliances) are collected by DSNY on regular trash days with no separate appointment for most items. Mattresses and box sp...
Richmond County, NY
Recycling is mandatory on Staten Island. Metal, glass, plastic, and cartons go in one bin (blue labeled); mixed paper and cardboard go in a separate bin (gre...
See how Richmond County's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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