New York City’s transportation department is offering dining establishments the opportunity to apply for the “Dining Out NYC” outdoor dining area project with less than 60 days remaining until the deadline. Restaurants that do not meet the new regulations for outdoor dining areas are advised to submit their applications before the August 3 deadline. By doing so, they can continue to operate outdoor dining facilities during the government approval process and complete the outdoor dining area facilities by the specified date.
“Act now, apply today! Restaurants with outdoor dining areas must apply for ‘Dining Out NYC’ by August 3,” said Ydanis Rodriguez, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation. “New Yorkers enjoy dining outdoors, which also brings vitality to the community.”
The NYC transportation department stipulates that restaurants wishing to continue operating outdoor dining areas must complete an online application by August 3 this year or remove the dining area by the deadline. Business owners can submit their applications online via the “Dining Out NYC” official website and access the compliance guidelines for setting up outdoor dining areas: nyc.gov/DiningOut
Nicholas Pettinati, project manager of “Dining Out NYC,” previously mentioned that restaurants with existing outdoor dining areas that do not comply with the regulations can retain their facilities until August 3. If approved for the outdoor dining area, restaurateurs must update the facilities to meet the new standards within 30 days from the date of approval.
Pettinati pointed out that November 1, 2024, is the final deadline for restaurateurs applying for outdoor dining areas to improve their awnings. If business owners fail to construct the dining areas as required, they will receive a violation notice from the transportation department on the first instance. Subsequent violations will result in penalties ranging from $200 to $1,000 based on the severity of the violation and the business owners’ non-compliance record.