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Christopher Marte explains his vote on outdoor dining legislation
0:55:49
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Council Member Christopher Marte explains his opposition to the outdoor dining legislation, citing concerns about noise, enforcement, and the impact on working-class residents in his district. He votes no on Introduction 31-C while voting aye on other items.
- Marte's district has the second-highest density of outdoor dining sheds in New York
- He criticizes the midnight closing time for outdoor dining, calling it unsuitable for dining and more for drinking and partying
- Marte expresses disappointment that recommendations from residents living near outdoor dining sheds were ignored
Christopher Marte
0:55:49
to explain my vote.
Keith Powers
0:55:50
Go ahead.
Christopher Marte
0:55:51
My district has the second highest density of outdoor dining sheds in New York.
0:55:56
My constituents know what works and what doesn't.
0:55:59
We just don't have one bad actor.
0:56:01
We have hundreds.
0:56:02
We just don't have one example of a good outdoor dining program and what it might look like.
0:56:07
We have dozen.
0:56:08
We have met with city agencies, industry stakeholders about this issue for over a year.
0:56:13
We've gone on walk throughs with developed alternatives, and I'm deeply disappointed that the recommendation from the people with the most experience of living next to and on top of an outdoor dining sheds were ignored.
0:56:26
We even asked for a compromise and were rejected.
0:56:30
Midnight closing for outdoor dinings aren't for dinings.
0:56:33
They're for drinking and partying.
0:56:35
This keeps up the working class people of my district while gentrifiers outside party outside their windows.
0:56:41
The four year window for review is undemocratic and allows chronic bad actors to get away with it for years without repercussion, especially as we see city struggle to enforce even existing regulation.
0:56:54
To the thousand of lower to the thousands of Lower Manhattan residents that oppose this legislation, I'm sorry that we have failed you today.
0:57:01
I'm still grateful for your advocacy, and we'll continue to fight to make sure your voices are heard.
0:57:06
For these reasons, I vote no on intro 31 c and I on the rest.