STATEN ISLAND — A new style of development in which builders try to cram as many homes into a lot as possible is being challenged by Staten Island's borough president.
James Oddo is working with the city to change zoning laws to stop what he calls a new trend in which developers purchase a one-family home, knock it down and build several more in its place.
"They're such big lots that ... you can fit more than one house," Oddo said. "The developers are seeking out these soft spots."
Oddo wrote a letter to the head of the city's planning department asking for a meeting to discuss ways to change the zoning to prevent what he dubbed the "New Inappropriate Model."
Robert Englert, the director of Land-Use Planning and Infrastructure for the borough president, came up with nearly a dozen ways to address the issue.
"Ultimately, we’re transforming neighborhoods which have buildings that front streets into neighborhoods that contain developments that are separate from the neighborhood itself," Englert said.
"We need to sit down and see how these things function and find all the negative aspects of all of them and come up with a template that works."
While population growth in Staten Island has slowed, according to recent census data, housing development has seen a recent uptick, Oddo said.
Last year, his office issued the most new house numbers since the economic collapse in 2007, he said.
The city previously changed the zoning to not allow developers to build multiple townhouses in the place of single family homes, but some have found a loophole to fit more homes, Oddo said.
"We are seeing a new iteration of unwanted development."
In the case of 128 Bard Ave., which sold for $560,037 in 2014, developers filed an application to demolish the two-story home on the lot and build four structures in its place, according to city records.
The permit to demolish the house was approved by the city last month.
The owner listed on permits, Glenn Yost, declined comment.
