Last Updated on March 23, 2022 by Lawrence Berezin
Is On-Street parking headed for extinction?
An NYC Council Bill in the works would create permanent outdoor dining. In the same vein, the temporary program cost NYC about 8,000 parking spaces. Likewise, will a permanent program lead to another significant reduction of on-street parking spaces? And the “dinosaurification” of cars in NYC?
City Councilwoman Marjorie Velázquez, chair of the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection, introduced a bill February 8, 2022 and February 10th that would repeal the city Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) sidewalk café licensing application process and create a new permanent outdoor dining program, which in addition to sidewalk cafés, would allow seasonal roadway dining and be administered by the city Department of Transportation (DOT).
Bronx times
Here’s a summary of the proposed law
Prime Sponsors:
By Council Members Velazquez, Powers, and Menin (by request of the Mayor)
Bill Title:
A Local Law to amend the New York city charter and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to granting licenses and revocable consents for sidewalk cafes and roadway cafes, to repeal subchapter 6 of chapter 2 of title 20 of such administrative code, relating to granting licenses and revocable consents for sidewalk cafes, to amend section 2 of local law number 114 for the year 2020, relating to the establishment of a permanent outdoor dining program, in relation to the commencement of such program, and to amend section 1 of local law number 77 for the year 2020, relating to establishing a temporary outdoor dining program, in relation to the expiration of such program
Bill Summary:
This plain-language summary is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for legal counsel. For more information, you should review the full text of the bill, which is available online at legistar.council.nyc.gov.
This bill would repeal Department of Consumer and Worker Protection sidewalk café licensing provisions in title 20 of the Administrative Code and amend provisions that created a temporary outdoor dining program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It would create a new permanent outdoor dining program, which, in addition to sidewalk cafes, would allow seasonal roadway dining and be administered by the Department of Transportation.
Effective Date:
180 days after becoming law, and when zoning changes being heard with this bill are adopted, whichever is later
Note: In the full bill text online at legistar.council.nyc.gov, language in proposed consolidated laws that is enclosed by [brackets] would be deleted, and language that is underlined would be new. Language in proposed unconsolidated laws, in contrast, will not have brackets or underlining because it would be entirely new. Consolidation means that the law would be placed in the New York City Charter or Administrative Code.
DOT Overview of Permanent Open Restaurant Program
Due to the success of the emergency, Open Restaurants Program during COVID-19, New York City is working to create a permanent Open Restaurants program. NYC DOT will manage this program and allow restaurants to use the sidewalk adjacent and curbside roadway space in front of their businesses for outdoor dining. The laws that control outdoor dining in non-emergency situations must be changed to make this program permanent.
NYC Permanent Open Restaurants Program Brochure (pdf)
There’s more valuable information to read right here.
Committe Meeting of Consumer and Worker Protection
Click to enlarge
(Source: NYC Council Webpage)
Click to enlarge
(Source: NYC Council Legislation webpage)
Commentary
The passenger automobile has been battling for precious curb space with a growing number of stakeholders, such as bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, buses, taxis, and all sorts of commercial vehicles. Likewise, environmentalists scream to eliminate cars from the city landscape.
Similarly, the NYC Council is fighting for a new law to transition the temporary outdoor dining program initiated to help the restaurants and their employees during COVID 19 to a permanent program.
My question to youse guys and guyettes is whether all of these activities will succeed in eliminating passenger automobiles from NYC?
You may wish to check out this excellent article: “Bill would create permanent NYC al fresco dining option; parking, noise concerns remain,” Bronx Times
See, the image below that illustrates The “Dinosaurification” of the passenger auto in NYC.
Max T.
Age 5
Washington, U.S.A.
“Stegosaurus had a spiked tail it could swing at its enemy to get away from danger. It lived in the Late Jurassic. Its food was plants. Stegosaurus was the biggest plant-eater that had plates on its back. It was a big dinosaur.”
Judge’s Comments:
Great job following the steps! And very nice research.
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