White Plains allows on-street dining with a $400 per spot charge

Food establishments in White Plains will be allowed to expand their outdoor table service to three contiguous street parking spaces provided they get a permit from the city’s commissioner of public works and pay a $400 permit fee for each parking space used.

A food establishment is defined by the city as “any operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves, vends, or otherwise provides food for human consumption.”

The White Plains Common Council unanimously voted to authorize the in-street cafes, which have been dubbed “streeteries.” Permits for the street cafes would be valid until Nov. 1.

reopening Hudson valley Larchmont restaurants — Al fresco took on a new meaning in Larchmont in June as restaurant dining rooms spilled out onto Larchmont Avenue to accommodate customers as well as abide by state distancing rules. Photo by Peter Katz

It would be up to the city’s parking commissioner to determine that eliminating spaces for parking would not have a negative impact on the area. The commissioner would have to approve the temporary, portable barriers that the restaurants or other food establishments would set up to separate diners from traffic. The “streeteries” would have to close by 11 p.m. Food and beverage service would be limited to only those people seated at tables.

The city positions the action as part of its ongoing efforts to assist businesses that have experienced hardships as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Not everyone has the big wide sidewalks they have on Mamaroneck Avenue, so I think this is a great opportunity to help some of the other restaurants out,” Mayor Tom Roach said.

Common Council Member John Martin said, “A number of people are still concerned about indoor dining so this gives an opportunity to expand on outdoor dining at a very reasonable cost, so I applaud the action. I know that the Business Improvement District does as well.”

The ordinance authorizing the streeteries specifies the furnishings that can be used, such as removable awnings and umbrellas that have no advertising other than the name of the food establishment. Anyone violating the provisions of the ordinance would be subject to prosecution in court and liable for a fine of $250 a day for each violation.

A city spokesperson advised the Business Journal that a number of resaurants have already requested information about permits,which the Department of Public Works has provided, and their applications are awaited.