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New York City's outdoor dining scene is poised for a major transformation as City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced plans to make outdoor dining available year-round, reversing restrictions implemented in 2023.
"We are going to fix the outdoor dining program and make it year-round," Menin declared during a Wednesday speech at the Association for a Better New York. "These measures are going to help small businesses adapt and survive by basically clearing up measures of the past that can lead to closures and job loss."
The proposed legislation would eliminate the current seasonal limitation that restricts roadway café sheds to operating only from April through November. Under the 2023 rules negotiated during former Mayor Eric Adams' administration, restaurants can maintain sidewalk setups year-round, but must dismantle roadway structures during winter months.
The pandemic-era outdoor dining program, which once boasted approximately 8,000 participants, has shrunk dramatically to just 400 approved locations with another 2,600 operating under conditional approvals.
Restaurant owners cite the high costs associated with seasonal setups as a major barrier to participation. Jeremy Wladis, who owns several Upper West Side restaurants including Harvest Kitchen, explained the financial burden: "You pay monthly for storage. You pay monthly, or you pay for the pickup. It's an expensive endeavor alone," he told ABC7 New York. "Building one of those things is very expensive. And the city fees and everything else is expensive."
The current program can cost restaurants upwards of $35,000 for a roadway setup, including thousands in city fees, construction costs, and insurance.
Menin's plan would advance legislation introduced last year by Council Member Lincoln Restler that removes the winter restriction, allows larger setups, and reduces community boards' ability to block restaurant applications.
"We need to revisit the failed policies of the Adams administration and make outdoor dining a tremendous year-round success once again for New Yorkers to enjoy," Restler told Streetsblog.
The proposal has gained support from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who confirmed Wednesday, "I do support outdoor dining year-round."
Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, praised the initiative: "The outdoor dining does help create jobs, helps create small businesses, and it gives New Yorkers and visitors a great opportunity to dine alfresco, which we know they love."
Menin also indicated plans to address concerns about "oversaturation" in certain neighborhoods and potentially lower the "revocable consent fees" that vary by location. She's also considering moving program oversight from the Department of Transportation back to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
The Council is expected to vote on the legislation in the coming weeks.
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