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Q&A
Recommendations for improving the outdoor dining application process
0:53:56
·
3 min
Council Member Brooks-Powers asks for recommendations to improve the outdoor dining application process, particularly for businesses that may not be part of industry alliances. Industry representatives provide several suggestions for streamlining and improving the process.
- Establish in-person application review with multilingual staff
- Allow quarterly payment of annual fees instead of upfront payment
- Adhere to the five-day application review timeline as intended in the statute
- Consider removing the revocable consent requirement to simplify the process
- Allow year-round use of outdoor space to justify the year-round license fee
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:53:56
And what are some of the recommendations from you know, anyone again can answer this, for DOT to improve on the application process?
0:54:06
We've heard myself, Chair Manning, and I know a number of my colleagues have heard that that application process has been very cumbersome and challenging and the fact that you're connected to the hospitality alliance makes
Kevin Mulligan
0:54:21
you
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:54:21
a more informed business owner than some that may be out there trying to do it themselves.
0:54:26
And so me representing a community out in Southeast Queens, I'm not sure how many members are necessarily a part of the alliance themselves, but I'm I'm trying to understand what some of the recommendations could be that can ensure that this is an a truly accessible program for other business owners as well.
Rob Bookman
0:54:43
Yeah.
0:54:43
I I wanna say that I wanna reiterate that, and I'm sure you'll hear it from DOT.
0:54:49
To a large extent, they were given a statute to deal with, and the statute required certain rules and regulations.
0:54:55
We've we've got nothing but a positive working relationship with DOT from day one through yesterday.
0:55:04
Again, when it's it's not a finger pointing issue.
0:55:08
Part of the problem is, you know, we've we've we've stated there needs to be an in person you know, that is something that could be corrected right away.
0:55:15
There needs to be an in person place where people can have their papers reviewed and either accepted in multiple with people there with multiple language like there used to be in consumer affairs.
0:55:24
That's something that could be done right away.
0:55:26
They could start taking the annual fees quarterly that used to be done for forty years.
0:55:31
That's something they could start doing right away.
0:55:32
Those are policies.
0:55:33
They could start complying, you know, with the clear intent of the statute that five days they review the application.
0:55:40
If all the papers are there, it's complete.
0:55:43
Send it on to the next part of the process, then do their review while the other while the community board is doing their review, you know, as well.
0:55:50
That always went on simultaneously.
0:55:52
Those are quick things that could be done.
0:55:54
Some things they have no control over.
0:55:55
The fact that there is irrevocable consent, which makes the process complicated because it's not just a license going to a licensing agency and getting a license.
0:56:03
There's this consent.
0:56:04
This consent has multiple steps.
0:56:06
It has a contract.
0:56:08
It has fees associated with it, annual rent.
0:56:11
They're just administering that.
0:56:13
That's something you've got to change.
0:56:16
And and that would also make the process a lot faster if there was no consent.
0:56:19
So that's something that needs to be considered.
0:56:22
I will say in the negotiation of all this, that was something that council staff was very much open to, getting rid of the consent for for outdoor dining just like these other commercial uses of the public sidewalk.
0:56:32
It it didn't happen.
0:56:33
That's something that needs to be revisited.
0:56:35
So some things you can do, some things they can do, you know, some things they can't do.
Andrew Rigie
0:56:39
The enclosure is obviously very important as well because it gives them more time to monetize, you know, that space and pay for the fees.
0:56:48
They're paying again a year round license.
0:56:51
They should be able to really use that space year round, in addition to some of the other, issues we mentioned as well.
Rob Bookman
0:56:57
That's a rule, you know, that that could be changed by rule or a statute could over overrule that rule.
0:57:03
The other important thing is the clearances.