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July 16-July 22, 2021
Governor Cuomo legalizes curbside
and sidewalk dining for another year
Photo by Dean Moses
Vol. 28 No. 29 32 total pages
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.
Thenew lawextends COVID
era emergency regulations
which helped businesses
weather the devastating tolls
and stringent safety guidelines
of the pandemic.
“By extending the much-
needed 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 al fresco 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 itsOpen
Restaurantsprogram and
plans to start taking long-term
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.”
/QNS.COM
