Dear Open Restaurant Participants:
The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has issued a Snow Alert:
Due to the incoming winter storm, Open Restaurants roadway dining is SUSPENDED all day Monday, February 1, 2021.
Sidewalk seating may continue while roadway seating is suspended. The City will notify restaurants when they can reopen roadway seating for outdoor dining. At this time, the City is not asking that restaurants remove any roadway barriers or structures.
While DSNY has trained to remove snow on streets with roadway dining structures, restaurateurs must also take steps to protect their property and the public:
- Remove or secure any tables and chairs in the roadway.
- Remove all electrical heaters in the roadway.
- Use snow sticks to increase visibility of roadway dining structures.
- If possible, remove any overhead coverings, or regularly remove snow from overhead coverings.
Reminder: Property owners, including restaurants with outdoor dining structures, may NOT push snow into the street. This impedes snow clearing operations and is illegal. Snow may be moved against the building, to the curb line, or areas on private property. Sidewalks should be passable for all pedestrians, including a minimum 4-foot clear path, where possible. Do NOT block fire hydrants.