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Council members Vincent Ignizio, James Oddo, and Debi Rose at a press conference discussing legislation to increase Staten Island Ferry service.

(Staten Island Advance/Jillian Jorgensen)

UPDATE, 4:19 p.m. -- The Staten Island Ferry bill passed unanimously in the City Council.

It was among the least controversial measures before the Council today -- which included two major land use projects, the creation of condos at the graffiti mecca 5Pointz in Long Island City and the creation of mixed use developments in blighted Willet's Point, Queens. Those deals -- particularly Willet's Point -- held up the Council's meeting as negotiations on them continued through the early afternoon before today's affirmative votes.

It may serve as a bit of a preview for the vote on the New York Wheel and Empire Outlets Oct. 30.

Councilwoman Debi Rose congratulated Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras of Queens, for negotiating the Willet's Point deal.

"I know how stressful the process is -- I'm going through it," Rose said.

4 p.m. -- The City Council is now voting on all the measures before them today, including the Staten Island Ferry bill.

3:45 pm -- Councilman James Oddo, as the bill's first sponsor, spoke about it briefly from the Council floor.

"There's an unfortunate rite of passage for just about every Staten Islander -- and that's racing to catch the boat and having those doors close in your face and knowing you have to wait for the next one," Oddo said.

Before voting on all the matters facing the Council today, they'll all be discussed -- including land use deals in Long Island City and Willet's Point and restaurant health inspection changes. Stay tuned for the results of the vote.

CITY HALL - City Council will vote momentarily to increase Staten Island Ferry service to at least every 30 minutes by May 1, 2015.

"Many New Yorkers have expressed a need and a desire for more frequent service," City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said during a pre-vote press conference.

The legislation adds nighttime weekend trips within six months, and mandates 24/7 service every 30 minutes by May 2015. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is not expected to veto it.

"This is really an important day in shaping the future of our borough. This is so much more than just adding an additional boat during those hours," Councilman James Oddo (R-Mid-Island), architect of the bill, said. "This is a message to Staten Island residents and Staten Island commuters that you are indeed a full member of this city."

It's also a message to those who want to invest in the North Shore that it's open for business, he said.

Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) whose district houses the ferry terminal, said she was thrilled.

"This legislation is about fairness -- waiting an hour or more for a ferry at night or on weekends is an unacceptable situation which is not tolerated in any other borough," Ms. Rose said.

Ignizio said the ferry serves as the borough's subway.

"In anyone else's district if they turned around and said 'We're going to run the N train once an hour, it would be crazy," Ignizio said. "Yes this is an investment of public dollars but that investment is going to be met with a huge influx of private sector development and overall economic activity in Staten Island."