Overview
- Speaker Julie Menin announced a push to make roadway dining year‑round again by ending the December–March ban imposed in 2023.
- The legislation will be based on Council Member Lincoln Restler’s proposal, which he plans to reintroduce next week, with a Council hearing expected later this month.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani voiced support for returning to year‑round outdoor dining.
- Participation dropped sharply under the current rules, with about 400 full approvals and roughly 2,600 conditional approvals last year, down from 6,000–8,000 setups during the pandemic peak.
- Key details remain under negotiation, including a possible shift of oversight from DOT to DCWP, reductions to revocable consent fees, and measures to address neighborhood oversaturation concerns.