Open Restaurants passage marks historic moment for public realm

Open Plans to continue pushing for crucial year-round option

Design guidelines to be determined in public rulemaking process

New York, NY — Today the City Council passed a permanent Open Restaurants bill, codifying a DOT-managed program that will operate in the curb lane from April to November.

Statement from Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director at Open Plans:

"New York City’s public realm has entered a new era. By passing the city's first-ever curbside dining program, the City Council has acknowledged the powerful role our curbs can play in economic and social well-being. What began as a pandemic-era necessity has endured, evolved, and will now be a beloved and reliable fixture of city life."

"The bill isn’t perfect; reclaiming space for people is never easy. We believe the best version of Open Restaurants would allow the flexibility for an outdoor meal in March as well as May. But as a next step, this vote is historic. And Open Plans will continue to advocate for the year-round option, as well as any other rules that will help make Open Restaurants the best it’s ever been."

"This passage was the result of hard work, from Council Member Marjorie Velazquez, Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu, Mayor Adams, Speaker Adrienne Adams, and tireless advocates – as well as everyday New Yorkers who made it clear that outdoor dining has transformed our streets for the better. We look forward to participating in the public discussions around design guidelines, and will continue to support the City and DOT as they manage Open Restaurants as one piece of an ongoing evolution toward people-centered streets."