John Grimes Testimony: West Village Resident

Hello, uh, I'm John Grimes.

Uh, can you hear me?

Sorry, I'm the first one to do that.

Yes, we can.

Thank you.

Great, great, thanks.

Uh, thank you.

I am a 35-year resident of the West Village, and I have experienced the impact of the outdoor dining program firsthand.

Um, I actually agree with some of the comments that have been made about the program being an unmitigated disaster, but that is because in my view, the underlying premise of the program is critically flawed.

While necessary during a pandemic, the pandemic is now over.

What we have now remaining is an illegal giveaway of public land to the hospitality industry with very little payments, notwithstanding the comments on that.

And without having done an environmental impact study that would take into account the impact on the environment, including the ambience environments, noise.

No one has talked about the environment here, really, which is astounding to me.

Uh I am opposed to any change to the program that would loosen the rules or provide for year-round outdoor dining.

From my personal experience, my quality of life has been severely harmed by this program and the associated noise and drunken behavior from the establishment of my immediate neighborhood.

I live in a historic district and I'm required to keep my property looking as it did basically in the 19th century under the landmark laws, which I'm happy to do.

In contrast, the sheds are mostly eyesores, and in my neighborhood are used for outdoor drinking, not outdoor dining.

I heard some comments about limited seating, but seating is irrelevant if patrons are standing around and drinking, spilling out into the sidewalk.

These sheds are not a solution for sidewalk crowding.

Instead, they contribute to it.

I have made personally over a hundred complaints to 311 of the New York State Liquor Authority with no relief.

Party goes on outside my house, and until recently, year-round.

I heard some interesting comments about the rules being based on bad actors, but in my experience, bad actors are allowed to proliferate.

I also heard a lot of complaints about the new roadway setups that are supposed to be removable, but as the sheds are now going back up, we see they're the same enclosed structure, which, if a lot of proliferate year-round, your time has expired.

Thank you.

And I oppose any loosening of the current rules.

Thank you.

And please.

Next speaker, please.

You may begin.

Hi, uh, my name is Kiana.

I live on the Lower East Side, and I'm testifying today in favor of all outdoor dining accommodations, including sidewalk seating, roadside dining, and open streets, which are some of the only ways immunocompromised New Yorkers and other folks at high risk of complications from COVID and the flu can safely enjoy New York's restaurants.