Year-Round Outdoor Dining Is Back On The Table, UES Councilmember Says

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Upper East Side Councilmember Julie Menin, who was recently elected Speaker of the Council, promised on Wednesday morning to bring back year-round roadway outdoor dining for restaurants in the city.

In a speech to the crowd at The Association for a Better New York’s Power Breakfast, Menin outlined her top policy priorities to the business group. In addition to prioritizing workforce development and creating a "one-stop-shop" portal for all city licenses and permits, Menin said she would change the city's outdoor dining program.

"We will finally fix the City’s outdoor dining program to make it year-round and reduce the regulatory burdens for restaurants," Menin said in her remarks.

The roadway dining structures first popped up along curbs and in parking spaces across the city as an emergency measure to keep businesses afloat and diners safe during the pandemic.

Then, the program became a year-round fixture until the city rolled out a new program with tougher rules, fees, and seasonal teardown requirements, following complaints about sanitation and lost parking, causing participation to plummet.

As it stands right now, so-called "dining sheds" on city streets are allowed for an eight-month season – April to November – with sidewalk cafes allowed year-round. City fees for the program include a license fee ($1,050 or $2,100) and a "revocable consent fee," the amount of which varies depending on the location and size of the space.

Previously, Menin co-sponsored a bill by Councilmember Lincoln Restler, which would make outdoor dining year-round and make the permit process easier for restaurants as well as more accessible. In addition, the proposed legislation would let smaller restaurants extend outdoor dining setups with neighbor approval.

By redoing the guidelines for year-round outdoor dining, Menin said Wednesday morning that, "These measures will help small businesses survive and adapt by clearing up policies of the past that can lead to closures and job loss."

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