NYC cafes in, most sheds out as council, Adams strike deal for more outdoor diningBy Nolan Hicks
May 19, 2023
Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council were able to “break bread” in a deal that will dramatically expand the number of New York City eateries allowed to offer cafe-style seating outdoors but result in many of the pandemic-era curbside dining sheds coming down.
The agreement this week brings to an end to months of seemingly endless legal negotiations between City Hall, lawmakers, powerful local neighborhood political interests and the equally powerful restaurant lobby over what aspects of the Big Apple’s expansive outdoor program launched just weeks after the coronavirus outbreak should be kept.
The compromise rolled out Thursday allows restaurants to apply for licenses to set up cafe-style seating outdoors that could operate year-round; while any curbside dining shed would have be torn down every year before the winter and could not be put back up until April.
Outdoor seating arrangements covered by these permits could only operate between the hours of 10am and midnight.
Additionally, any restaurant seeking to set up cafe seating in a historic district or next to a landmarked building would be required to obtain permission from the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
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Source:
https://nypost.com/2023/05/19/nyc-council-eric-adams-strike-deal-for-more-outdoor-dining/
