Community Alerts 10.25.23

MTA’s Bridges and Tunnels Division shared an updated Construction Bulletin, which notes where construction will take place between October 16 and November 1. The construction is part of the upcoming Central Business District Tolling Program. Amsterdam Avenue between W 60th and W 61st Streets and 45 W 60th St (Columbus Avenue) will be the only streets in the Lincoln Square BID affected at this time. You can view the construction bulletin here.

Community Board 7 is reviewing cannabis dispensary applications. You can review the list of proposed applicants and their locations, none of which are within the Lincoln Square BID. The Board does not have the ability to prevent a dispensary from opening at a given location but can weigh in with comments or suggestions. Join the meeting today, Wednesday, October 25, at 6:30pm via this Zoom link. Although the sign-up for speaking at the meeting has closed, anyone can submit written testimony here, which will be presented to the co-chairs and the Board.

NYC Restaurant Week registration is now open for the Winter 2024 program, with Early Bird registration ending on October 31. NYC Restaurant Week will take place January 16 – February 4, 2024, and is designed to attract travelers and locals to restaurants across the City while offering incredible value on multi-course dining. Please review this flyer for more information, and interested restaurants may complete this form. 

Beginning in fall 2024, buildings with nine or fewer residential units must place trash in containers. The new rule, which was announced by Mayor Eric Adams and the NYC Department of Sanitation earlier this month, is meant to speed up trash collection and prevent rats. The City is currently working with vendors to build the bins.

The NYC Commission on Human Rights is a resource to help businesses be inclusive employers and comply with the NYC Human Rights Law. Review this document to ensure that your business complies with all city, state, and federal laws.

Participatory Budgeting is an approach to allocating government funds in which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget. About half of NYC’s Council Members, including Gale Brewer, participate. Have an idea of how to improve the area? Share your idea this fall via this map. Volunteers will further develop ideas into complete proposals over the fall, and district residents will be able to vote on proposals in April.

The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) increased hourly parking meter rates citywide. Rate increases began in Manhattan on October 16, with costs varying based on location, demand, and duration of parking. Learn more about the rates on DOT’s website.

On October 15, 2023, City Council passed a law establishing a program in which individuals can trade in lithium-ion batteries or powered mobility devices that do not comply with safety standards. The program will take effect 90 days after the bill became a law and expires on September 1, 2025.

On October 24, the City held a hearing on the proposed new rules for Local Law 97, the 2019 law that will require most buildings over 25,000 square feet to meet new energy efficiency and greenhouse emission limits. To learn more about what’s in the proposed rules, review this explainer from the Urban Green Council. Other resources for property owners include the NYC Accelerator, which offers free technical assistance, information regarding financing programs, and service provider recommendations, or the Administration’s “Getting 97 Done” book.

Americans are increasingly finding themselves falling prey to scams like the one documented here by NPR. In addition to the Federal Trade Commission’s national outreach and scam prevention, NYPD continues to work with residents who have been the victim of telephone and email scams. Review the NYPD’s crime prevention and safety tips to steer clear of scams and this helpful flyer about elder abuse scams from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.