Here to stay: City Council votes to make outdoor dining year round
News 12 previously reported that restaurants approved to build sidewalk or street set up were able to seat customers outside starting in April and ending in November.
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The New York City Council approved a package of bills on Thursday that would allow year-round outdoor dining.
News 12 previously reported that NYC restaurants approved to build sidewalk or street setups were able to seat customers outside starting in April and ending in November.
Outdoor dining became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Afterwards, the city put limits on outdoor dining structures.
Following a Thursday NYC Council vote, roadway cafes can now operate all year long across the city. The bill also allows the use of weatherproofing materials for these structures and prohibits any New York City Department of Transportation rule that would allow a roadway or sidewalk cafe to operate later than 11 p.m.
Councilmember Lincoln Restler was a sponsor of the bill and said seasonal restrictions made outdoor dining expensive for businesses, as they had to build and deconstruct these structures each season
In other bills that were approved, businesses with sidewalk cafes will be able to enclose them between November and March. Another bill also now requires businesses to make sure that their setups are clean and clear of trash, otherwise they could be fined anywhere between $200 to $500 per violation. Another bill approved would allow businesses to pay their annual revocable consent fees in quarterly installments. These fees pay for businesses' private use of public sidewalk or road spaces.
Restler says outdoor dining businesses that violate the same issue twice in three years will have their licenses revoked.
