Restaurant and Retail Rescue Plan

Restaurant and Retail Rescue Plan

To temporarily lift zoning and open-container restrictions to let local businesses serve customers outside.

Oneida county executive anthony picente says he will soon be discussing "a restaurant and retail rescue plan" with local municipal leaders.

News channel 2's caitlin irla tells us more about this plan and how it could benefit local restaurants.

The county executive's restaurant and retail rescue plan is a tool to help businesses recover.

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None .

None "industry experts say that 30 to 40 percent of restaurants could close if we could not get them open in the next three weeks."

He says he is working with state and local governments, as well as law enforcement to put together a comprehensive codes and ordinance plan that would help cities towns and villages adopt a series of steps to help revive their main streets.

"included will be the ability to grant municipalities the option to suspend local zoning to allow enhanced outdoor seating capacity."

"also, to allow localities to temporarily close state roads or other roads to allow outdoor seating and retail opportunities in downtowns."

Local restaurant owners say they would love to see that.

Don't cg - too short "that would be perfect."

"the whole street would love that."

Standup -"if this does become a reality, it will certanly help several area businesses, especially restaurants that don't already have outdoor seating, like zeina's here on varick street."

"if we can have tables outside, we'd love to we'll bring more workers and do the best we can."

The last thing albert wants to do is turn people away.

"lot of people not going to be happy with that, they come out for lunch the doors open and they can't have lunch."

Picente says he will be sending a letter to the governor regarding these initiatives.

"so you have limited capacity inside, limited capacity outside which equals more capacity for those businesses to operate."

As for albert, he can't wait to finally take down his chairs, whether it's inside, or outside his restaurant.

In utica, caitlin irla, news channel 2.

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