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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 309-03
October 29, 2003

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION CREATING REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR NEWSSTANDS

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Law

“The first bill before me today is Introductory Number 569-A, sponsored at my request by Council Members Katz, Avella, Comrie, Weprin and Yassky.  This legislation marks the culmination of a process begun over one year ago by our Administration to develop a comprehensive coordinated street furniture program that will dramatically alter the City’s streetscape by improving the design and maintenance of the City’s varied street furniture. 

“In August, the City Council approved the authorizing resolution that will enable the Department of Transportation to issue a request for proposals for a coordinated street furniture franchise.  The franchise holder ultimately selected will be asked to design, install and maintain a new generation of bus stop shelters, newsstand structures, and self-cleaning automatic public toilets.  Additional public service structures may also be included, such as information and computer kiosks.  Intro. 569-A is the final piece that will allow DOT to move forward in making the coordinated street furniture program a reality.

“The legislation, which is the result of many months of collaboration with the City Council, prescribes the regulatory framework and siting requirements for newsstands and permits the street furniture franchise holder to place advertising on the newsstands.  There are several important aspects of the legislation that I would like to highlight:

“The legislation ensures that all current newsstand operators licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs will receive a new newsstand, designed, installed and maintained by the franchise holder - at no cost to them. 

“The legislation reduces the DOT inspection criteria to a list of core public safety siting and relocation criteria that are essential to the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public.  It also minimizes the potential relocation of existing newsstands and the burden of siting criteria on newsstand operators. 

“The legislation will allow advertising on newsstands, subject to certain size and content restrictions.  In exchange for the right to sell advertising on newsstands as well as other street furniture, the franchisee will assume the substantial capital investment in designing, building, installing and maintaining these structures on an ongoing basis. 

“We anticipate that the franchise will generate millions of dollars a year in advertising revenue for the City.  It should exceed what other major cities with similar street furniture programs receive, given New York’s lucrative advertising market and the geographic size and population of our City.

“Newsstands are an important amenity that provide pedestrians with the ability to purchase newspapers, magazines and other popular items on our City sidewalks.  Our Administration worked hard with the Council to develop legislation that would minimize the disruption to newsstand operators without compromising public safety.  I believe that Intro. 569-A successfully achieves that balance.

“In challenging fiscal times like these, a coordinated street furniture program offers the City the unique opportunity to transform the look and feel of its streets, creating a vibrant and aesthetically pleasing streetscape befitting a world-class city like New York without the burden of public investment.

“I would like to thank Speaker Miller, Council Member Melinda Katz, and the Council’s central staff, including Land Use Director Gail Benjamin, for all of their hard work and cooperation on this project.  I would also like to thank Felix Ciampa of City Legislative Affairs, Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff, DOT Commissioner Iris Weinshall, DCA Commissioner Gretchen Dykstra and all of their staffs who worked to make the City’s coordinated street furniture program a reality and something we can all be proud.”







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