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State Licenses and Permits
Community Board Five Broadway Corridor Liquor License Task Force Report
At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, November 14, 2019, the following resolution passed with a recommendation to approve with a vote of 32 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:
WHEREAS, Community Board Five convened a Broadway Corridor Liquor License (BCLL) Task Force; and
WHEREAS, CB5 tries to balance the needs of the entire community — ensuring the quality of life of the residents, while also allowing for businesses to flourish; and
WHEREAS, CB5 has noticed a dramatic increase in the number of liquor license applications for the blocks around Broadway between Madison Square Park and Herald Square; and
WHEREAS, The number of hotels (and hotel guest rooms) in that area has tripled in the last ten years; and
WHEREAS, New residential development in this area, along with potential development and empty lots has the potential to vastly increase the residential population in this area over the next few years; and
WHEREAS, Due to this vast and abrupt increase in development in the area, the BCLL Task Force evaluated:
- the current conditions in this area - survey of preexisting and more recent licenses added over the past few years, how long they have been in business, their capacity (legal occupancy), identification of method of operation (hours, type of operation, dancing, outdoor space, rooftop, sidewalk cafe, etc.), and other relevant factors determining the recent evolution and current status of the area including identification of residential buildings, bike lanes, sidewalk congestion, and other factors making a special circumstance for this area; and
- how the influx of hotels into this area may be relevant; and WHEREAS, Over a period of four months, the BCLL Task Force gathered information by meeting with residents, businesses, block associations, neighborhood groups, and building owners, as well as engaging in direct community outreach; and
WHEREAS, The report of the BCLL Task Force (attached hereto, the "BCLL Report") was presented to PSQL and supported unanimously by the Committee after discussion took place at the PSQL meeting on October 30, 2019, with comments and input taken from the public; and
WHEREAS, The BCLL Report made various recommendations to ensure the normalized growth and development of the area from 26th Street to 31st Street, between 5th Avenue (including the West side of 5th Avenue) and 6th Avenue (including the East side of 6th Avenue), which area shall be designated the “Broadway Corridor Restricted Licensing Area” or “BCRLA”; therefore be it
RESOLVED, In furtherance of the foregoing, Community Board Five adopts the Policy on the Broadway Corridor Restricted Licensing Area attached hereto; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five urges the New York State Liquor Authority to review the BCLL Report and its findings and to support the restrictions contained in the Policy on the Broadway Corridor Restricted Licensing Area as applied to applications relevant thereto; and be it further
RESOLVED, Due to the vast increase in capacity of bar and restaurant space in the BCRLA, along with increased traffic and smaller size of sidewalks on Broadway, CB5 shall use a heightened degree of due diligence for approval of sidewalk cafes in the BCRLA; and be it further
RESOLVED, To develop more accurate data regarding congestion in the BCRLA, CB5 requests that the NYCDOT conducts traffic studies and pedestrian count analysis throughout the BCRLA.
[SEE HERE FOR A PDF OF THE FULL BROADWAY CORRIDOR TASK FORCE REPORT, AND POLICY]