EXCLUSIVE: Gounardes, Brannan want city to forgive fines for eateries in NYC Open Restaurants program
With New York City delaying indoor dining during Phase 3 of the city’s reopening, restaurants are struggling despite NYC Open Restaurants, which is an effort to implement a citywide multi-phase program to expand outdoor seating options for food establishments to promote open space, enhance social distancing, and help them rebound.
According to local restaurants and several reports, the program added new guidelines after the initial set of rules was released in June, giving restaurants only 24 hours to comply and costing them thousands of dollars.
State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Councilmember Justin Brannan are demanding that the city forgive any fines levied in the NYC Open Restaurants program on restaurant owners who have been forced to change their outdoor seating plans due to the shifting guidelines.