Samir Lavingia Testimony: Manhattan Community Board 5

I'm actually the transition environment vice chair, and I was on the open restaurants task force, and I'm currently on the committee that reviews all the outdoor dining applications at Manhattan Community Board 5.

I love outdoor dining.

It's so great to replace parking spaces with place for people to dine outside.

And my quality of life has really improved significantly since being able to do so with my friends and family in my neighborhood.

I live near Columbus Circle that used to be so crowded on the sidewalks with the old sidewalk um requirements, and the new clear path requirements make it a lot easier to walk around to get around, especially in such a tourist-friendly area, and it's just such a better use of space in terms of what I think doesn't work and what could be fixed.

Right now, uh outdoor dining, uh you can only do it on Sundays after 10 a.m.

I think it's a little bit silly that I can't have a breakfast on a Sunday morning uh before 10 a.m.

outside.

The process is very confusing for businesses.

We often see businesses have to have to hire expeditors uh and come to community board five, and I think the system should be a lot easier, so we need less of that.

I think the program should be a year-round program.

Good weather isn't limited to certain times of the year anymore, and there are winter days where it's gorgeous outside, and um having to have restaurants break down their dining uh structures every time means that only Tony restaurants are able to open, which means affordable options for outdoor dining are really lacking in my neighborhood.

Uh so thank you for allowing me the time to speak, and I look forward to an improv improved version of the program in the future.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

I'm gonna call the next panel, which is four members.

Mary, Kathleen Collins.

Hi, Mary here.

Thank you.

I agree with sorry, Mary.

Uh just wait till the chair.

Yeah, let me just call the whole panel.

Mary, Kathleen Collins, Christopher Leon Johnson, and Ned Shilansky.

Okay, Mary, you can sorry about the music, but you know it'll end in a minute and put us out of our misery.

The music.

Okay, Mary, please begin.

Can I speak now?

Yes, yes, please do.

Thank you.

Hello?

Chair, is that fine?

Yes, please.

Thank you.

Yeah, Mary, we we can hear you.

Please begin, Mary.

Mary, can you hear us?

Just one moment.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm not hearing you.

Chair, is that fine?

Okay.

Yes, Mary.

Can can Mary hear us?

Yes, Mary.

You could you could testify now.

Thank you.

Mary here.

Uh I'm against the outdoor dining.