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PUBLIC TESTIMONY

Testimony by Cecil Brooks Jr., Senior Campaign Manager of Open Plans, on Outdoor Dining Program Improvements

2:46:40

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124 sec

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Cecil Brooks Jr. from Open Plans presented research findings and recommendations for improving the outdoor dining program in NYC. He emphasized the need for year-round options, flexibility for smaller businesses, and transparency in fees and materials required.

Advocated for allowing businesses to use adjacent storefront space, especially in outer boroughs with less immediate grid layout
Highlighted the importance of considering business size and structure in policy-making
Suggested that the choice of implementing agency matters for program success

Cecil Brooks Jr.

2:46:40

Oh.

2:46:41

Good to see you.

2:46:42

Good thank you for for everyone and the the opportunity to present on behalf of Open Plans, and happy National Picnic Day.

2:46:50

So in honor of all of the wonderful eating spaces that we have in our city and the foodie capital of the world, I would like to share just a little bit, anecdotally, about some of the research that we've done.

2:47:03

We had the opportunity to speak with dozens of businesses and visit hundreds and thousands of square feet of space to hear what has been among the pressing challenges of businesses, entrepreneurs, and pop up shops, everyone who has been looking to use outdoor space in a creative way.

2:47:21

And especially as someone who started his career at SBS working on the sidewalk cafe policies with with, many folks in this room, we find that a year round option is among the simplest, most straightforward, recommendations that that can be taken into consideration.

2:47:39

And also, yes, the agency does matter.

2:47:41

Government and the policymakers are the ones who will be working to roll up their sleeves and put this in action.

2:47:48

Also, having smaller businesses account for their size and using adjacent store frontage when they don't have the structure or the size to really make use of of their eating space.

2:48:02

Because I can't tell you how many places, especially in the outer boroughs, where there isn't an immediate grid have less than a thousand or even 500 feet of space with none of their neighbors doing anything in front of their storefronts.

2:48:15

So having some flexibility in how businesses use their their storefront space, that would be another immediate improvement.

2:48:22

And also transparency with the fees and the the expenses that come up after the application process with what materials are required and who and what and where businesses can get their materials from.

2:48:36

These are all things that would make it much more accessible to have a a space be activated in front of their storefront.

2:48:43

Thank you so much.

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Testimony by Kathleen Irwin, Representative of New York State Restaurant Association, on Dining Out NYC Program

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Testimony by Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of Open Plans on NYC Outdoor Dining Program