PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Andrew Rigie, Executive Director of New York City Hospitality Alliance, on Intro 552
2:32:26
ยท
140 sec
Andrew Rigie, Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, provided testimony on Intro 552 regarding street resurfacing notice requirements. He expressed support for the bill but suggested amendments to reduce the burden on small businesses, particularly restaurants with outdoor dining setups.
- Proposed extending notice period from 2 weeks to 1 month to allow businesses more time to adjust operations
- Suggested coordination between resurfacing agencies and the city's Roadway Cafe program to minimize disruptions
- Recommended prioritizing resurfacing during off-seasons for outdoor dining or providing earlier notice to avoid setup/removal conflicts
- Proposed prorated refunds of sidewalk/roadway cafe consent fees during periods when resurfacing makes outdoor dining inoperable
Andrew Rigie
2:32:26
There.
2:32:27
Thank you so much.
2:32:28
Good afternoon, chair.
2:32:29
Sorry I'm not there in person.
2:32:31
And members, my name is Andrew Ritchie.
2:32:33
I am the executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance.
2:32:36
We represent restaurants and bars across the 5 boroughs.
2:32:39
I am submitting comments on intro 552.
2:32:43
You've received my written comments, but just from a high level, one to say, we think it's a good bill, re street resurfacing, giving notice, but we do have some amendments to help reduce some of the burdens that, street resurfacing can cause for small businesses like restaurants.
2:33:02
For example, it could close their outdoor dining, particularly with the new roadway dining program.
2:33:08
It can impact and reduce foot traffic, create delivery issues, and all this can also add up to reducing hours for workers.
2:33:16
So we have a few points we think the bill should be amended just to strengthen it.
2:33:20
1, instead of the 2 week notice for resurfacing, we think providing 1 month notice would be better.
2:33:26
It gives businesses more time to adjust their operations.
2:33:31
There should be a requirement that the agencies coordinate between the resurfacing and the city's Roadway Cafe program to help prioritize minimizing any disruptions.
2:33:43
For example, you have a seasonal Roadway Cafe program, Restaurants can set up their, street structures in April.
2:33:50
It would be a real shame if they go through the time, the large expense setting up their Roadway Cafe in April to only be told a month later that they're going to resurface the street and they have to remove it and store it again.
2:34:03
So we think that, they should prioritize doing them in the off season when possible to make this, you know, these disruptions or if they're going to resurface mid April or in May, at least tell the restaurant that, say in March, so they don't set everything up in April just to have to take it down, you know, a month or a few weeks later and go through the headaches and all of that expense.
UNKNOWN
2:34:30
Thank you for that.
2:34:31
My time has expired.
Andrew Rigie
2:34:32
Restaurants are paying for, the sidewalk cafe or the roadway cafe consent fees.
2:34:38
When there's road resurfacing going on, they should get a prorated re prorated refund for those fees when it's not operational.
2:34:46
Thank you.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
2:34:46
Thank you.