![]() There’s the intention that the permanent program would include some sort of rent for restaurants, though how that gets calculated is another issue. no amplified sound - from TVs or stereos - is permittedĪs much as I could care less about preserving parking, this is a private use of public space and should be evaluated that way.barriers have to be 15 feet from fire hydrants.barriers have to be 8 feet from a marked or unmarked crosswalk.there has to be 8 feet of sidewalk clear between any subway grates or any above-grade structures (meters and traffic signs are exempt).Right now the city has its regulations in place that would make the sheds more palatable - if the regs were followed. The new bill to make Open Restaurants permanent would streamline the current the sidewalk café licensing provisions, likely keeping cafes seasonal (an issue for restaurants, who would not be able to store their setups over the winter). (The Commercial Observer has a good story that outlines all the players and their positions.) Plus the city was sued to end the program by the group CUEUP, which wants all the sheds removed then a cap issued to the number that can be rebuilt. There is some serious conflict at the root of the indecision: some districts don’t want the sheds at all some are clamoring for them. While the City Council introduced a bill a year ago to allow the zoning changes that would permit curbside dining long-term, the legislation around a permanent program is still being knocked around in two committees. “Unfortunately, the edict came with zero consideration to lost revenue, lost jobs for the staff hired to serve the café, the expense of the original buildout, the demolition and future reconstruction of a café on the other side of the relocated bike lane,” Lynn added. If the restaurant is to rebuild the shed as permitted, it will have to be outside the bike path, as the sheds are further north in the Village. In the end, the DOT sent notice that the structure would have to be removed by May 1. DOT inspectors would come periodically to issue fines and the restaurant managers would show them each time the remains of the bike path. “DOT did not keep the paint fresh so eventually it looked like there was no bike lane or that the restaurant had simply built over it. (Though I have to say, the avenue does look prettier now that you can see the storefronts, especially at night.)Īt the Odeon, Lynn Wagenknecht said that riders complained that the shed blocked the bike lane - even though the bike lane was installed after the shed, and at that time, it’s green stripe wound around the west side of the shed. The Odeon, Serafina, Frenchette and Terra all removed their dining sheds on West Broadway to clear the way for the bike path, and no matter how you feel about the city’s Open Restaurants program, this situation just keeps getting more confusing - both for neighbors and restaurant owners.
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