The construction of a 184-space truck parking and storage lot on Staten Island has been approved after the New York City Planning Commission dismissed all objections.
The 16-acre site, located along a winding stretch of Arthur Kill Road in the Charleston neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, was approved in March for use as a “trucking terminal designed to meet the specific needs of tenants in the industrial, manufacturing, and logistics sectors by providing additional parking, as well as short- and long-term storage for tractor-trailers.”
According to SILive, the project was approved by the New York City Planning Commission after the property owner, Arthur Englewood LLC, was fined $25,000 for cutting down hundreds of trees without a permit. The NYCPC dismissed the violation and any pending land-use proceedings after holding a hearing. The developer can now proceed with construction of the facility, which will have enough space to accommodate 184 tractor-trailers.
The project’s urban planner, Phil Rampulla, who represented the developer in the violation summons, states that his clients are “good people” who “knew absolutely nothing” about the unauthorized tree cutting.
“Community Board 3 will continue to work with District Chairman Vito Fossella to oppose this service area and protect our quality of life,” a Community Board representative said regarding the city council’s decision. “The board has provided evidence, in the form of photos and videos, showing that Arthur Kill Road—which has only one narrow, winding lane in each direction—is insufficient to accommodate tractor-trailers. We are particularly concerned about diesel emissions, especially given the nearby public school with children and the elderly residents of Tides of Charleston.”
The organization has several more weeks to file an appeal.
