Good morning. My name is Maulin Mehta and I am New York Director at Regional Plan Association. RPA is a nearly 100-year-old non-profit research, planning and advocacy organization and a member of the Alfresco NYC coalition. Thank you for considering the zoning text amendment and legislation to develop a permanent Open Restaurants program.
The program has provided so many benefits to our City and we strongly support the zoning text amendment. It helped save 100,000 jobs in one of the worst times in NYC history - and over 12,000 restaurants have engaged. Crucially, the streamlined process for approval, and lack of fees meant more neighborhoods were able to have outdoor dining experiences, something that was previously reserved for well-resourced and expensive restaurants. In fact, nearly half of the current outdoor dining permits are outside of Manhattan.
The program also showed us that we can repurpose our streets in a way that benefits local residents, businesses and supports the vibrancy of the city. This has come at a very small cost - less than 1% of street parking has been replaced. Many businesses go above and beyond simply serving their customers with structures that show the creativity, passion, and inclusivity of restaurant owners. Well-designed establishments helped to expand the number of accessible options to people with disabilities. Businesses also provide seating for their neighbors, community events to connect local artists and residents, and share knowledge and support other struggling entrepreneurs.
We know that challenges continue to persist and the City is looking at improving sanitation, enforcement, design and general street management. We think these issues can be overcome with more robust design and program guidelines, and we will be releasing our own suggestions to help. The permanent program must make sure that new guidelines do not dismiss entire neighborhoods either due to a blanket approach that fails to look at atypical streets or onerous approval processes that only well-resourced businesses can handle. A smart rule-making process will create a program that is responsive to community needs and is equitable, affordable, and streamlined. We hope you’ll consider these issues in amending the program legislation.
Termination of the program would be a tragic step backwards for the recovery of the city’s service economy and designing our streets for equity and sustainability. Don’t let outdoor dining go back to being an exclusive perk for the wealthy. Let’s work together to make sure all New Yorkers have the opportunity to enjoy the community benefits of this program. We’re ready to help.
