You are reading

City likely to overturn sidewalk cafe ban in LIC

(source: NYC)

(source: NYC)

Jan 23, 2013 By Bill Parry

Several Long Island City restaurants may soon be able to open sidewalk cafes.

The Department of City Planning is looking to amend the zoning rules to allow for the establishment of sidewalk cafes on Vernon Blvd, Jackson Ave, Court Square, 43rd Ave and Crescent St.  The aim is to change the rule by summer– and finally put an end to the ban.

Though some sidewalk cafes already exist on these streets — with proper city licenses — they are technically illegal under current zoning rules.

Even with the zoning change, restaurants would still have to apply for permits with the Department of Consumer Affairs. The sidewalk would need to be at least 15 feet wide before a restaurant would be permitted to open an outdoor cafe.

Queens Plaza North and Queens Plaza South are not part of the plan. Penny Lee, a representative of the NYC Department of Planning, said at a recent meeting: “There’s just too much heavy pedestrian traffic at those locations.”

Dana Frankel, a representative of the LIC Partnership, was excited about the news.

“I think it’s great to bring activity and vitality to the streets,” she said. “There’s so much room on the sidewalks that pedestrians shouldn’t be inconvenienced. It will bring life to the streets and only help businesses. Hopefully it’s approved as soon as possible.”

email the author: [email protected]

2 Comments

Click for Comments 
Edgar

Sycamore, there should be no barriers. If I want to get drunk on the street, I should have that right. I’ll get my son drunk too, so he’s not so boisterous.

Reply
Sycamore

Having endured the horrid behavior of drunken people and their untended children for a whole summer when a restaurant across the street from me opened a sidewalk cafe–and would not respond to my appeals–I urge the use of barriers so patrons know exactly where their party ends an the public’s right to a peaceful public square begins. Kids would hardly have a soccer match right next to the table if this were true.

Today’s parents go way, way, way to far allowing their children to behave boisterously in public. Many of them seem to be unschooled in civil behavior. Not their fault, they need to be taught.

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

MTA seizes 19 ‘ghost’ cars registered to toll violators at Queens Midtown Tunnel on Monday

Two days before the MTA Board approved the controversial congestion pricing plan for Manhattan on Wednesday, the agency cracked down on persistent toll violators at the Queens Midtown Tunnel in Long Island City.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels seized 19 vehicles registered to persistent scofflaws on Monday and issued 81 summonses and confiscated two fraudulent incense plates. The MTA noted that the scofflaws accounted for approximately $483,000 in combined unpaid tolls and fees. One of the top persistent toll violators from the targeted enforcement owed nearly $76,000 in tolls and fees.