New York City Council votes to make outdoor dining year-round
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The New York City Council voted 37-5 to pass a package of bills on Thursday that will bring back year-round outdoor dining in the city.
Currently, roadway dining structures are only allowed to be up from April 1 until Nov. 29.
The new legislation will allow restaurants to keep up their structures all year and winterize them for the colder months.
Outdoor dining was allowed year-round during the pandemic, but new rules adopted during the Adams administration forced restaurants to dismantle their outdoor structures and put them back up every spring.
One bill also turns the annual charges cafe operators pay for road or sidewalk space into installments, which will hopefully help owners with cash flow and encourage more businesses to participate.
Council Speaker Julie Menin prioritized the resumption of dining structures on city streets year-round when she became speaker earlier this year.
"As a former restaurant owner myself, I know firsthand how hard it is to fill tables, attract customers, and survive rising costs. Outdoor dining has transformed our streets, strengthened local economies, and became part of what makes New York City so special," Menin said.
For some, outdoor dining has brought flavor to the city, but for others, it has left a bad taste.
"One of the bills establishes penalties for restaurant owners who do not properly clean the site and another sets an end time in the evenings at 11 p.m.," Menin said. "We want to ensure that our neighbors are as satisfied as our restaurant owners and diners."
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has already said he is in support of year-round outdoor dining.
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