In final weeks as mayor, Adams said he was unaware of land use violations in Riverdale
With two weeks left as the mayor of New York City, Eric Adams hosted 36 community media journalists at City Hall on Dec. 15, where he opened the room to questions on his administration’s legacy.
Under the Adams administration, Bronx Community Board 8 took issue with his landmark initiative City of Yes, as well as three proposals on this year’s ballot that aimed to fast track affordable housing development.
The crux of it was Special Natural Area District, or SNAD, a city zoning law made to protect natural resources that the board said was put in jeopardy by Adams’ measures. Riverdale is one of four special districts in the city.
In the last two years, the board recorded several violations of SNAD, and called on the Department of City Planning and the Department of Buildings earlier this year for greater enforcement. When asked, Adams told The Press he was not aware of any violations, and was also not clear on the situation regarding SNAD. He asked for further details, and told The Press his administration would like to find out more
“That has not been on my radar, but we’ll look into it,” the mayor said. “We try to make sure every community complies with building codes.”
The Press inquired if SNAD was a priority in development initiatives, and Adams said the goal was to build housing. He was proud of what he accomplished, but acknowledged there are parts that need to be corrected.
“Everything doesn’t get to my desk, but we’ll find out,” Adams said.
The Charter Revision Commission, a city body mostly appointed by the mayor to review city laws, said in its final report from July on the ballot proposals, that SNAD was one of several "arbitrary restrictions” that “enabled wealthier and more politically powerful neighborhoods to use zoning as a shield against new development.”
SNAD goes back to the mid-1970s, when the Department of City Planning created three unique zoning districts — two in Staten Island and one in the Bronx — so that when neighborhoods were developed, environmental resources would be protected. A few years later, a fourth district was added in Queens.
The zones meant that to build on these parts of the city, developers had to adhere to stricter guidelines that ensure natural resources won't be compromised. While the board plays an advisory role, final approval is granted by the city.
In Riverdale, SNAD runs along the Hudson River from Mount Saint Vincent to Spuyten Duyvil Shorefront Park, and stretches east to include sites like Seton Park and Wave Hill. Fieldston Historic District is also protected under SNAD. These areas contain aged trees, steep slopes, rock outcrops, ponds, brooks, marshes, swampy areas and food webs that are critical to sustaining marine life, according to the department.
Based on the board’s 2024 report on City of Yes, the initiative suggested it would eliminate SNAD to make room for more housing. Similarly, the new ballot measures would take away community input on development, and favor developers.
Efforts to maintain SNAD stretch farther back than the Adams administration. But under him, in January 2023, the community board reported it has been consistently receiving complaints of tree removal at 5501 Palisade Ave. The board took these complaints and photo evidence to the Department of Buildings, which said though SNAD had been violated, the homeowner who cut the trees was protected under a different city program.
In the next couple of years, several applications went through the board to expand buildings. Land use committee members stated multiple times throughout this period that while the city would inspect some sites, it was not acknowledging SNAD violations. But an official resolution to call on the Department of Buildings and the Department of City Planning for greater enforcement was not made until May 2025.
Here, the board detailed tree and vegetation removal, as well as changes to the land at 355 W 246th St. A month later, more violations were detailed at 3040 Scenic Place and 3111 Henry Hudson Parkway — an application the board denied but the city approved.
As the new year makes way for Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, only time will tell where the city stands on protecting Riverdale’s natural areas under SNAD. But, Adams is leaving office on a confident note.
“There are many things I don’t know about the future,” Adams said. “But there’s one thing I’m sure of — you’re gonna miss me.”
