Almost two years after the City Planning Commission’s zoning text changes, applications for the permanent program are expected to open next month. On February 2, 2024, the Department of Transportation released the final rules for the permanent outdoor dining program, “Dining Out NYC.” Through the new program, outdoor dining will be expanded citywide on sidewalks year-round and in roadways seasonally from April through November.
Search Results for: Emergency Order
City Announces New Rule Prohibiting Vendors on City Bridges
On January 3, 2023, the Department of Transportation announced new rules that restrict vending on city-owned bridges. Under the new rules, vendors will not be allowed to sell on pedestrian walkways, bike lanes on bridges and bridge approaches. The rule was made in part to address the excessive crowding on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Comptroller Audit Finds Non-Compliance with “Fair Share” Charter Provisions
On November 9, 2023 the New York City Comptroller released an audit and report detailing the failures of the City to comply with “Fair Share” Requirements for City Services and Facilities. Under the 1989 City Charter Revisions, “Fair Share provisions” require that the City must make an effort to provide communities with their fair share of amenities and the City must make an effort to combat citywide issues equitably among all communities. The new analysis … <Read More>
City Council Votes to Approve Outdoor Dining Plan
After a year and a half since the bill was introduced, the Council finally votes to create a permanent outdoor dining program. On August 3, 2023, the City Council voted to approve Int 31-C, which establishes a permanent outdoor dining program. The program will allow sidewalk cafes to operate annually and roadway cafes to operate seasonally, with removable furniture and decor replacing solid dining shed structures. The program follows the temporary outdoor dining program that … <Read More>
Toppling Christopher Columbus; Public Statues and Monuments
Christopher Columbus is in trouble. Political pressure to remove Columbus monuments most recently dates from 1992 during the preparations for the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s first voyage. The movement to remove the monuments accelerated in the summer of 2020 following the murder of George Floyd.