Should Streateries Remain In Hoboken? Give Thoughts By Wednesday

HOBOKEN, NJ — Recently, the Hoboken City Council voted on an ordinance with new rules for restaurants that want to continue their outdoor "parklets" and "streateries," or dining areas extending onto the street or sidewalk.

These initiatives began during the pandemic to help keep businesses alive and allow patrons to eat in the open air.

The approved ordinance amended the fees for operating the areas and also provided residents with a process to appeal a current parklet or streatery.

The city noted that if residents have any objections to a specific streatery or parklet, they should submit a letter of appeal to the Hoboken City Council for consideration until this Wednesday, April 13.

To submit a letter, email the Hoboken City Clerk at cityclerk@hobokennj.gov and copy the City’s Zoning Officer Ann Holtzman at aholtzman@hobokennj.gov.

To submit a concern about a possible steatery or parklet violation, go to https://www.sdlportal.com/towns/nj/hudson/hoboken/requests/complaint and select “Code Enforcement” under Department, and “Streets – Parklet/Streatery” under Issue.

More About The Ordinance

The ordinance adopted new rules and regulations for use of the right-of-way, construction of dining facilities, and annual licensing. Here are the features of the ordinance, according to the city:

• Provided for annual license renewal which includes an inspection prior to renewal authorization to assure a parklet is safe and properly maintained.
• New applicants will be required to provide public notice to residents within 200 feet of construction prior to approval. Notice must include a statement of intended use, a rendering of the parklet design, contact information for the applicant, and the date and time of the public hearing.
• New application fees have been implemented along with on-going fees for use of the right-of-way.
• Clarification that the only items that are permitted to remain in a parklet overnight are items related to the outdoor dining setup.

Business owners seeking to apply for a new streatery or parklet can apply online at https://hoboken.seamlessdocs.com/f/StrEATERY_Application and https://hoboken.seamlessdocs.com/f/Parklet_Application.

Got a Hoboken business tip? Boy howdy, submit it here.

Did you know? You can get a free daily newsletter each morning at 6 a.m. with local news in Hoboken, Jersey City, or your town, or just get breaking news alerts: Sign up with your zip code here and you'll get an email asking for your preferences.

Get a free morning newsletter with news in any New Jersey town: https://patch.com/subscribe