Reopening NY: Hudson Valley, Long Island restaurant owners eager to offer outdoor dining
PIERMONT, Rockland County (WABC) -- Restaurant owners in the Hudson Valley and Long Island are counting the days until they can resume outdoor table service as the coronavirus pandemic wanes.
Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo approved outdoor dining in regions entering Phase 2 of the state's reopening plan.
In Westchester and Rockland counties the change goes into effect on Tuesday, June 9. On Long Island, Nassau and Suffolk counties enter Phase 2 one day later, Wednesday, June 10.
"It's never going to be what we need because we're so far behind," says Arthur Lepore, owner of Confetti Ristorante and Vinoteca in Piermont. "We're hoping we can do the best we can."
Some communities are helping businesses maximize sidewalk space by closing lanes of traffic while making sure there's adequate room for emergency vehicles.
"It's a different situation we're all working through now," says Chief James Hurley of the Piermont Police Department. "We want to get our businesses up and going. We want to work with them to give them what they need."
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