Wu Announces Citywide Permanent Outdoor Dining Program

Special to the Regional Review

Mayor Michelle Wu recently announced the City of Boston’s Permanent Outdoor Dining Program that will see less outdoor dining in the North End when the program starts on May 1.

In a statement, Wu said, “The City will not be permitting on-street outdoor dining in the North End this year. Restaurants in the neighborhood with adequate sidewalk width will be eligible to apply for outdoor dining if their proposal complies with accessibility and licensing requirements. Restaurants with privately owned spaces seeking to have outdoor dining patios are encouraged to apply through the Inspectional Services Department. 

The scheduled closures of the Sumner Tunnel and continued congestion around the North Washington Street Bridge construction project are expected to put a greater strain on North End traffic this summer and make it harder for residents and first responders to navigate the area. With about 95 restaurants in just over a third of a square mile, the North End has the densest per capita number of restaurants in the state. This has brought unique challenges and quality of life issues expressed by residents over the course of the temporary programs, including increased traffic, sanitation issues, and accessibility problems for older residents and those with limited mobility. The City will be creating a task force to determine how these issues could be remedied in future iterations of the permanent program. This year, the City will buy back jersey barriers from North End restaurant owners and provide relief for costs related to storing these items. â€œ

The City previously held two Citywide meetings to brief business owners and residents on the permanent program and collect feedback. City officials have heard from residents throughout the temporary program and used neighborhood concerns to build the permanent program. Restaurants applying for the program are encouraged to actively involve residents, community members, and civic groups to discuss future plans for outdoor dining patios on any public space. Residents and community members can share their comments regarding restaurants applying to the program to the dedicated outdoor dining email address ([email protected]) before the business’s Boston Licensing Board hearing date. Residents and community members with feedback are also encouraged to attend the scheduled Boston Licensing Board hearing. 

The issue of outdoor dining has been a hot-button for both residents who have aired concerns about noise, parking and safety and restaurant owners who have said that they need both on-street and sidewalk outdoor dining for their businesses.

As recently as March, both the North End Waterfront Residents Association (NEWRA) and North End Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) held a joint meeting on outdoor dining where many residents aired their objections to outdoor dining.

A spokesperson from NEWRA said, “The North End Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) applauds the City’s decision to suspend on-street outdoor dining this season. This decision was made after multiple meetings with residents and businesses and took the special circumstances of the neighborhood into consideration, including nearby major construction projects.  North End restaurants are thriving, aided by the neighborhood’s location on the Freedom Trail and the Waterfront and its proximity to the TD Garden. These attractions bring millions of visitors to the North End every year. We are happy for the restaurants’ success which is not reliant on outdoor dining. Now it is time for the restaurants to give some thought to the needs of the residents who have accommodated and supported them for the past three years. We need our fire station to be able to respond to fires and medical emergencies without delay.  We need to access our sidewalks to get to our health center, our post office, our churches, our banks and other local services. We need less noise, whether we are working at home or trying to get some sleep. The City’s decision is fair to everyone.”

While residents were pleased with the city’s announcement, restaurant owners claimed the decision was unfair and will once again file a suit to restore outdoor dining in the community.

Residents have opposed outdoor dining on the streets of the North End since it was first introduced and were reportedly planning to do the same this time around, citing the same reasons they presented in the past.

One resident, Darlene Romano, following the meeting at St. Joseph’s on Prince Street told the Review, “As a resident I am glad the outdoor dining has been put on hold in the North End.”

She added, “I don’t think anyone realizes the impact outdoor dining has, not only on the quality of life for the people who live here but also for our safety.”

During the COVID 19 pandemic outdoor dining played a key role helping restaurants get through the bad times. The city approved a two-year pilot program enhanced business as well.

Restaurant owners at the St. Joseph’s public meeting suggested a possible compromise with the community to make outdoor dining work for everyone.

One resident claimed, “Where was the compromise during the years of outdoor dining that disrupted the community. There wasn’t any.”

Segun Idowu Chief of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion (OEOI)  also announced at the meeting the formation of a task force to study outdoor dining in the neighborhood that would include residents, restaurant owners and various city departments.

He did not mention how long the study will take to come to a final resolution.

The restaurant owners said that they will be filing a lawsuit apparently claiming that it’s not fair to postpone outdoor dining in the North End only.