NYC Council reviews outdoor dining rules
The season is scheduled to end on Saturday, Nov. 29, but restaurant owners and advocates are concerned that it could impact small businesses.
More Stories
There’s another new push to make outdoor street dining year-round.
The season is scheduled to end on Saturday, Nov. 29, but restaurant owners and advocates are concerned that it could impact small businesses.
“It’s just such a hassle to have to take [the roadway dining setup] away and store it and then bring it back every spring,” said Georgia Read, co-owner of Hamilton’s restaurant in Windsor Terrace.
Read said that with the seasonal roadside structures set to disappear this weekend, it could hurt her bottom line.
“It’s at least $1,000 a month just on the storage, let alone having someone come and put it away and take it back,” said Read.
Those concerns came as city leaders met on Monday to discuss “Dining Out NYC,” the permanent outdoor dining program.
It is the first full year under new, post-pandemic regulations, but some people say the rules and application process are confusing.
“Instead of New Yorkers safely enjoying a bite to eat outside, we will have thousands of parked cars or SUVs, trucks lining our streets,” said Council Member Lincoln Restler, who represents the 33rd District.
Advocates are looking to reconsider and expand the citywide program, which includes allowing grocery stores to run sidewalk cafes and removing seasonal limits for street cafes.
While City Council did not vote on it Monday, some said the hearing was an important step.
“Who knows how many restaurants will manage to come back in April after the costly disassembly and storage fees this season,” said Restler.
Read admitted that outdoor street dining is not in great demand at Hamilton’s restaurant during the winter months, but she knows smaller businesses could use the help.
“If they could have another 20-30 seats outside in the winter that’s comfortable, then yeah, I think that would be huge,” said Read.
