Restaurant owners say they’ve been in limbo for months as city departments point fingers at each other for delays in permit approvals.
Is New York City’s outdoor dining scene dying? It appears likely, writes Chris Crowley in New York Magazine. As of January 30, just 40 of 3,700 applications for outdoor dining setups were approved by the city’s Department of Transportation.
City comptroller Brad Lander expressed “grave concerns” over “the scale of DOT’s shortcomings,” but a DOT spokesperson said one-third of applications were rejected for just causes, while two-thirds were passed on to community boards in the review process. “That does not explain the gap in approvals, however; only applicants wishing to build new outdoor structures — somewhere around 1,400 of the pending applications — need community-board approval. Applications for traditional sidewalk seating do not. So, the question is, where are all of these outstanding applications?”
According to Lander, “The DOT knew when the law was passed that they were going to have this responsibility. They knew that the applications were coming in by last August. And they just were not approved to hire up the staff necessary to approve all these applications.” Now, restaurant owners are stuck waiting to find out whether or not they should invest in outdoor seating infrastructure as the April 1 opening date for outdoor dining season approaches.
FULL STORY: Outdoor Dining’s Return Might Really Be Doomed
Opinion: Keep Outdoor Dining Without Thwarting Creativity
While New York City's effort to make its outdoor dining program permanent is a welcome reimagining of public space, some worry that regulations will reduce design diversity and increase costs for small restauranteurs.
Outdoor Dining Debate Heats Up as New York City Opens Up
A study, a debate, and an awards show—all included in the wild west politics of parking in the Big Apple.
NYC Losing Many Outdoor Dining Areas Due to Expensive New Regulations
Restaurant owners say the city’s new outdoor dining program makes it too difficult and expensive to operate al fresco setups.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
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HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service