MAY EDITION

WILL OUTDOOR DINING STAY AFTER THE PANDEMIC? In early February, two New York City Council committees overseeing zoning and land use voted in favor of per- manent outdoor dining (Meyer, 2022). The zoning changes are the first step towards permanent alfresco dining in NYC. A further vote, including all fifty-one Council members is scheduled for February 24. Why do we need outdoor dining? Prior to the pandemic, restaurants in NYC operated in narrow districting zones. The emergency Open Restau- rant Program was introduced during COVID-19, allowing restaurants to use sidewalk-adjacent and curbside space for outdoor dining. By one estimate, the measure saved about 100,000 jobs during the pandemic. What’s the timeline to make outdoor dining permanent in NYC? According to the city’s website (NYC.gov, n.d.), legal actions including an amendment to the zoning text, chang- es to local law, rulemaking, design, and application details will take place between Fall 2021 and Fall 2022. The permanent program application is scheduled to open in Winter 2022 before it launches in 2023. What are the pushbacks to outdoor dining? Opposers to the plan cited sanitation, noise pollution, pedestrian safety, designing, accessibility, and enforce- ment as primary concerns. However, both restauranteurs and customers want outdoor dining. A survey reveals that 95% of NYC restaurant operators believe outdoor dining was “very important” to their survival over the past two years. Moreover, 91% say permanent outdoor dining is “very important” to their future survival (Kelso, 2022). NYC is not alone. From San Francisco to the East Coast; restauranteurs nationwide want outdoor dining to stay after the pandemic (Sun, 2021). Some places, like San Diego, have begun issuing permits that grant restaurants the privilege for a fee. Outdoor dining is also known as “al fresco dining” or “dining al fresco.” Although the term actually means “in prison” or “spending time in jail” in Italian, the practice is trendy in Europe, especially during sum- mer. Do you want outdoor dining to stay permanent in the U.S.? References

Kelso, A. (2022, February 14). 91% of NYC restaurants say permanent outdoor dining is ‘very important’ to future survival. Restaurant Dive. Retrieved on February 19, 2022, via https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/91-of-nycrestaurants- say-permanent-outdoor-dining-is-very-important-to/618770/ Meyer, D. (2022, February 17). NYC Council committees back plan for permanent outdoor dining. The New York Post. Retrieved on February 19, 2022, via https://nypost.com/2022/02/17/nyc-council-committees-backplan- for-permanent-outdoor-dining/ NYC.gov (n.d.). Open Restaurants. Retrieved on February 19, 2022, via https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/openrestaurants.shtml Sun, A. (2021, October 3). Restaurant owners nationwide push to make streetside dining permanent. CNBC News. Retrieved on February 19, 2022, via https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/03/restaurant-owners-nationwide-push-tomake- street-side-dining-permanent.htm