"The next bill before me today is Introductory Number 668, sponsored by Council Members Monserrate, Weprin, Fidler, Gennaro, James, Recchia, Stewart, Liu and Speaker Miller.  This bill re-establishes a moratorium on the imposition of penalties for certain violations of the City's Zoning Resolution or Building Code as they relate to storefront awnings.

"Intro. 668 is an extension of Local Law 35 of 2004, which continued a moratorium on the imposition of penalties for awnings that were in violation of either the City's Zoning Resolution or Building Code.  In addition to providing small businesses financial relief from potentially large penalties, this moratorium gives the City an opportunity to consider amendments to the rules governing copy and content of storefront awnings and to conduct a public education campaign to explain the rules to small businesses.  The bill before me today re-establishes this moratorium by extending it from November 30, 2005 to May 31, 2006. 

"Throughout the coming months, the Department of City Planning and the Department of Buildings, in conjunction with other City agencies and affected members of the public, will continue reviewing the existing awnings regulations and codes to determine what changes may be appropriate, with the goal being to strike a balance between the aesthetic desire to see more uniform signage throughout the streetscape and the sometimes competing desire to limit the regulatory burden on small businesses.

"I would like to thank Department of City Planning Director Amanda Burden and Department of Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster and their staffs for their continued work toward awnings reform.  I would also like to thank the Council for shepherding this bill through the legislative process."