REMARKS
Council Member Erik Bottcher discusses legislation on sidewalk newspaper boxes
0:25:00
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107 sec
Council Member Erik Bottcher presents legislation addressing the issue of plastic sidewalk newspaper boxes in New York City. He explains the current problems with these boxes and outlines how the new legislation will empower the Department of Transportation to regulate their placement, design, and maintenance.
- The legislation aims to clarify and strengthen regulations on sidewalk news racks
- It will give the DOT authority to set standards for placement, installation, design, size, shape, and appearance of the boxes
- The new rules will require owners to provide contact information for maintenance issues
Erik Bottcher
0:25:00
Today, we're passing legislation to address those, plastic sidewalk newspaper boxes.
0:25:11
This is something that New Yorkers, we've got a love hate relationship with them in true New York fashion.
0:25:16
We love having easy access to, free periodicals on the sidewalk.
0:25:22
We don't love that they're frequently neglected, vandalized, broken, filled with garbage, tipped over, causing sidewalk congestion and just plain eye sores.
0:25:33
And many of them aren't even for newspapers, but promotions for commercial enterprises.
0:25:38
Until now, the city hasn't had many tools to address this issue because the current regulations don't empower them to.
0:25:48
So today, we're voting on city council legislation that'll clarify and strengthen the regulations regarding the siding, design, and maintenance of sidewalk news racks.
0:25:59
This will empower the DOT to develop standards regarding where they're placed, installed, design standards, size, shape, and appearance.
0:26:09
It also clarifies that they shouldn't be used just for news advertising and promotional purposes.
0:26:16
The owners of the news racks will have to identify, a fixed contact information so we know who to call when they're not being properly maintained.
0:26:26
I wanna thank speaker Adams, majority whip, Silvina Brooks Powers, Sandra Ong, the prime cosponsor of this legislation, and all the organizations and residents who came forward to help support this legislation.
0:26:40
Together, we'll keep working to improve life for New Yorkers in ways large and small.
