Nassau Coronavirus: Confusion Over Outdoor Dining Plan Clarified

NASSAU COUNTY, NY —Nassau County Executive Laura Curran set out to clarify some confusion Saturday that developed over a new outdoor dining plan meant to reinvigorate the economy as Long Island moves forward with reopening.

Curran first unveiled the plan at her daily press briefing Thursday to help downtown areas across the county transform themselves into socially-distanced outdoor dining areas.

Speaking on Main Street in Farmingdale, Curran said her plan was based on one the village recently enacted. Curran said she planned to initiate a process to streamline the permit application for municipalities to close county roads for that purpose. She said her administration was committed to approving the applications within a week of receiving them.

But on Friday, confusion erupted in Farmingdale when restaurant owners set out tables on the sidewalk; reportedly, the village said they could do so but the fire marshal said they could not.

Farmingdale Village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand reportedly thought after Curran said, at her press briefing, that the outdoor tables could, in theory start "right away," those tables from restaurants would be allowed on the sidewalk.

Curran said she has been speaking with Ekstrand, who she said is an "excellent mayor with an excellent downtown." He and his board, she said, have done much to revitalize downtown, including apartments by the train station and creation of a walkable community.

Her idea, Curran explained, involves taking areas that have Main Streets that are county roads and streamlining the process for closing down portions of the road to tables can be put out, with an eye toward social distancing.

However, she clarified, the tables and benches must be provided by the municipality, not the restaurant, otherwise, the practice would fall into Phase 3 of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's reopening plan and would not yet be allowed.

If, though, someone orders food for takeout and sits on a bench or at a table provided by a municipality, it could be allowed, she said.

"This is a confusing time," Curran said. Residents with questions can click on the county websiteto view the state's rules and regulations for reopening, she said.

Curran said her plan would take about a week to kick off; first proposals are due Monday.

When asked if restaurants could put their own tables out into the street, Curran said the question would need to be considered.

Curran first spoke about the plan this week: "I know government isn't known for being nimble, but my team assures me we can get this done," Curran said.

Curran said there are a "couple dozen" communities in Nassau that have county roads as their main street that could take advantage of the expedited permit process. It would not affect municipalities that have town, city or village roads as their main streets. However, Curran said the county is happy to share its toolkit and process with any municipality that wants it to help streamline its own permit process.

Speaking out on George Floyd

Faith leaders joined Curran at her press briefing Saturday to discuss the anguish in the nation over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, who died after pleading with a police officer, who had a knee on his neck, telling him that he couldn't breathe. Thousands turned out to protest his death in Brooklyn Friday night.

Bishop Philip Elliot of the Antioch Baptist Church in Hempstead, Bishop Lionel Harvey of the First Baptist Cathedral in Westbury and the Reverend Sedgwick Easley of the Union Baptist Church in Hempstead joined Curran.

Curran spoke about the "disproportionate" impact of COVID-19 on the African American community. "We have lost too many of our beloved pastors in Nassau County," she said.

Speaking of the video of Floyd's death, Curran said it was "abhorrent." Nassau County officials, she said, will meet with the county's anti-hate crime task force, including Harvey, as well as other stakeholders to move forward with the community in continued trust.

"We are many communities but we are one Nassau County," Curran said. "We sink or swim together."

Harvey said he has been going "over and over" Floyd's death: "When is enough enough? When is it ever going to stop?" He spoke of watching the recording of Floyd's "murder. . . the life that was choked out of him by the knee on his neck. This has been going on as far as we can even imagine."

It's time, Harvey said, for a "time out" for "what we have been witnessing, for those who make something abnormal seem normal. Anyone with compassion has to be moved to action. We can't just say it was horrible. We have to do something systemic. We have to work collaboratively, keep hope alive — but we have to make something happen."

Elliot said talking helps, as does the civilian police academy, where police and residents can learn from one another.

People have a right to protest when they see injustice, Elliot said. "However, violence is never to be condoned," he said. "Something has to be done."

Easley said while coronavirus has taken lives, "another virus has affected America for hundreds of years. The virus of racism. Racism is not new. It's just being recorded today. America is in a state of emergency," he said.

He urged all to fill out the census and vote, not to be afraid to sit on juries and vote for judges and district attorneys. "We can no longer sit at home." And, he said: "Always keep your phone charged and have access to a phone charger. You never know when a cell phone will have to be your voice."

Low numbers reported

As of Saturday, a total of 40,226 have tested positive across Nassau County for coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, Curran said. On Friday, 4,760 were tested, with only 86 positive, or 1.8 percent. "The numbers continue to go down," she said. "Robust, adequate testing is important to reopening."

Also as of Saturday, three new patients were admitted to the hospital; the number of hospitalizations dropped by 23, to 354, she said.