Bon Appétit: Year-Round Roadside Dining Set To Return to NYC Under Newly Passed Bills

The New York City Council approved a series of bills on Thursday designed to expand the city’s outdoor dining program. The new measures allow restaurants to maintain curbside roadside sheds throughout the year and operate enclosed sidewalk cafes during winter months. Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who represents Brooklyn Heights, sponsored the measure to reverse previous seasonal restrictions that led to a significant decline in restaurant participation.

The legislation introduces new standards for cleanliness to address past concerns regarding pests and trash. Restaurant owners will be permitted to weatherproof their structures and can now pay permit fees in quarterly installments to ease financial burdens. Additionally, a pending ballot proposal aims to reduce the permit application timeline by 75%.

Summary by Dispatch AI — read the full story at Thecityreporter.