Planned Development on S.I.

The best if not the only chance of sparing 10,000 acres of southern Staten Island from haphazard and environmentally ruinous development lies in the establishment of a South Richmond development corporation.

The Lindsay administration submitted a bill in the last session of the State Legislature to achieve this. Now Staten Island's State Senator, John J. Marchi, after holding public hearings, has submitted his own bill. He would give the Governor rather than the Mayor major authority over the corporation. He would also more strictly circumscribe the corporation's powers.

What is important in this situation is that an elected Staten Island legislator is taking a positive attitude toward effective planning. That strengthens hope that the ambitious South Richmond concept may yet succeed; but it is still necessary that Mr. Marchi's approach and that of the city be reconciled.