Amid lawsuits against city, some New Yorkers say they need to review new rules for outdoor dining

New York — The city says it saved 100,000 jobs. al fresco dining during a pandemic.

But now some people who live near the restaurant say all those dining and sidewalk tables need to be upgraded, CBS2’s Alice Gaynor reported Monday.

Outdoor dining sheds were once the solution for restaurants and people making noise in their homes.

Bella Luna co-owner Guray Yuksel said:

Midtown’s Manisha Patel said, “During the pandemic, it was highly regarded, but not so much now.

They are troubling to some, citing safety and quality of life concerns.

read more: Mayor Adams: Abandoned, unsightly outdoor dining shed to be demolished

Upper West Side resident Michael Kenna videotaped the noise outside his bedroom window with his cell phone. As a result, special windows had to be installed in his building. He is one of several people suing the city over its open restaurant program.

“I’m not against outdoor dining at all,” said Kenna. “But there are no rules.”

Kena said the lawsuit occurred after reaching out to multiple agencies and feeling unenforceable.

“Unfortunately, it seemed like the only way to get attention,” Kenna said.

last month, Mayor Eric Adams outdoor dining Announced task force composed of Transportation and Health Administration and NYPD to address quality of life issues.

So far, 65 abandoned or non-compliant canteens have been demolished, according to the DOT. However, one from Hell’s Kitchen has been sitting there for weeks.

The city says it’s working to come up with a permanent open restaurant program.

“We will listen to what the city council does,” Adams said.

read more: Lawsuit seeks to end New York City’s outdoor dining program over excessive noise, trash and rats

Andrew Rigie is Executive Director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance.

“These were installed in June 2020. The restaurant had no money. We were in the midst of a crisis, so it had not weathered. I didn’t,” Lizzie said.

He says he needed initial temporary guidelines to accommodate everyone.

“Before the pandemic, we had about 1,200 licensed sidewalk cafes, mostly in Manhattan. This emergency program will allow restaurants across five boroughs to participate in outdoor dining. I was able to.

He added that he expects fewer restaurants to participate given the approval process and some fees.

read more: Outdoor dining in New Jersey will continue until at least November 2024

Bella Luna on the Upper West Side has spent tens of thousands of dollars on two outdoor sheds, and the demand is still there.

“They still want to sit outside,” Yuxel said.

Elsewhere, others agree.

Alfred Pena of Long Island said, “We’ve put in a lot of extra equipment so you can always bring your dog.

Brooklyn’s Isabel Cox said, “The atmosphere in the city has improved, but I think there’s a lot that can be done to improve it.

Before that, restaurants are just waiting for the city to enact new rules.