Staten Island judge dismisses lawsuit against controversial City of Yes

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A lawsuit challenging the controversial City of Yes zoning plan has been dismissed by a Staten Island judge who claimed the city had done its due diligence during the environmental review process.

The lawsuit, brought by attorney Jack Lester, argued that Mayor Eric Adams’ administration failed to meet state-mandated environmental review requirements for the three-pronged rezoning plan.

Lester brought the case in March on behalf of a host of local civic groups and conservative elected officials, most of whom are from Staten Island.

He had argued that the Department of City Planning circumvented mitigation requirements under New York’s environmental review laws, and split the “City of Yes” plan into three parts — carbon neutrality, economic opportunity and housin