GET THE LATEST NEWS EVERY DAY AT QNS.COM
Your Neighborhood — Your News®
ALSO COVERING AUBURNDALE, COLLEGE POINT, DOUGLASTON, GLEN OAKS, FLORAL PARK
• LITTLE NECK LEDGER
• WHITESTONE TIMES
July 16-July 22, 2021
Governor Cuomo legalizes curbside
and sidewalk dining for another year
Photo by Dean Moses
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
New York restaurants and
bars can continue to use public
street and sidewalk space
for outdoor dining for at least
another year, thanks to state
legislation signed by Gov. Andrew
Cuomo on Wednesday,
July 7.
The new law extends COVID
era emergency regulations
which helped businesses
weather the devastating tolls
and stringent safety guidelines
of the pandemic.
“By extending the muchneeded
lifeline that allowed
restaurants to use outdoor
public spaces for seating during
the pandemic, New York
is ensuring that these small
businesses will be able to continue
to use these spaces as
they work to rebuild and support
the revitalization of the
Empire State,” Cuomo said in
a statement.
The bill, introduced by
State Sen. Roxanne Persaud
(D–Brooklyn) and Assembly
Member Pat Fahy (D–Albany),
allows for businesses licensed
by the city to use municipal
space, such as sidewalks or
closed streets.
In June 2020, an executive
order by Cuomo allowed businesses
to set up alfresco dining
while indoor capacity was
still limited as part of Phase
Two of the state’s reopening.
Those regulations had to
be codified into law after Cuomo’s
declared Disaster Emergency
expired on June 24.
In New York City the Department
of Transportation
managed the scheme, converting
8,550 parking spaces into
street seating, and Mayor Bill
de Blasio claimed the effort
saved some 100,000 jobs.
DOT is currently working
on a permanent version of its
Open Restaurants program
and plans to start taking longterm
applications in winter
2022.
The executive director of
the NYC Hospitality Alliance,
Andrew Rigie, lauded the governor’s
move.
“New York City’s restaurant
industry was absolutely
devastated by the COVID-19
pandemic and thousands of
struggling businesses relied
on outdoor dining to remain
safe while generating critical
revenue streams to stay
open and support their workers,”
Rigie said in a statement.
“We applaud the governor for
signing this widely supported
and common-sense legislation
into law that will ensure customers
can continue to enjoy
a glass of wine while dining
alfresco.”
Vol. 85 No. 29 32 total pages
/QNS.COM
