Photo Courtesy of John McCarten/NY City Council
Speaker Corey Johnson and the City Council passed a number of bills at last week’s Stated Meeting.
By Michael V. Cusenza
The City Council last week approved a bill aimed at reducing the burden awning sign violations have placed onsmall businesses.
According to a New York Times report, complaints to 311 referencing a City statute requiring special permits for businesses to hang signs or awnings larger than six square-feet have increased considerably over the last year.
“Once a complaint to 311 about unlicensed signs or awning is filed, the City is required to investigate and may issue violations that carry a minimum fine of $6,000,” The Times wrote. “Replacing a sign can cost thousands more.”
The recent uptick in complaints has taken a toll on borough shopping strips, including Jamaica Avenue.
Introduction 728-B would establish a temporaryprogram for the resolution of outstanding judgments resulting from accessorysign (awning) violations. It would also establish a two-year moratorium on the
issuance of additional accessory sign violations, as well as a temporaryassistance program to facilitate the re-installation of accessory signs forrespondents who have already paid related penalties. The measure would alsoestablish an interagency task force to explore issues related to accessorysigns, and require the Department of Buildings to provide a report to the council that contains information about accessory sign violations. Finally,the legislation would establish a waiver of all work without a permit penaltiesissued in relation to the hanging of an accessory sign from Dec. 28, 2017 going forward.
“From Day One, Intro. 728 hasbeen about delivering relief to small businesses. Walk up Fulton Street in mydistrict, or 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, or Union Street in Flushing,and you can witness first-hand the toll that this enforcement blitz has takenon our mom-and-pop shops, family-owned restaurants, and other small businesses,” said Councilman Rafael Espinal (D-Brooklyn). “The bill I am sponsoring will put a stop to that, and ensure we are working withsmall businesses, rather than unfairly penalizing them for laws that most didn’t even know existed.”
The council also voted in favor of the Student Transportation Oversight Package, a series of measures aimed at strengthening and increasing safety measures onthe City Department of Education’s school bus system. One of the bills features a requirement that all school buses be equippedwith a two-way communication device and GPS tracking devices.
Another STOP bill would require the DOE to report on complaints and investigations relating to school bus transportation services. Introduction 929-B would require the department to report twice a year on all of the calls and complaints received fromparents and guardians about school bus services, the investigations DOE openedinto school bus employees, the number of those investigations that were
substantiated, and a description of outcomes taken by DOE in the event of asubstantiated investigation.
“Every parentfeels anxious when someone else is responsible for their child’s safety, howeverbrief, and these bills will provide additional protections and give parentsaccess to the information they need when they make requests to the DOE’s Office of Pupil Transportation,” said Councilman Joe Borelli (R-Staten Island), the measure’s sponsor.
