Councilmember Kristy Marmorato's Weekly Newsletter

Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato

Dear Neighbors,

This week, we continued our commitment to supporting our community in Easter activities, meeting with community agencies, and other important highlights. It is always a joy to engage with our amazing community and ensure we keep providing valuable events that meet the needs of our constituents.

In this newsletter, you will find details about the district events that took place this week, along with information on various upcoming events we have planned.

It is an honor to represent you in the New York City Council and continue fighting to keep our community safe, healthy, and prosperous!

Sincerely,

Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato

District 13, Bronx

Happening Today!

Senior Brunch at NYBG April 17th, 2025 Check out our video above!  This past Saturday was a truly beautiful day for over 200 of our incredible seniors at the New York Botanical Garden, celebrating our very first Senior Day Brunch!    From enjoying brunch and creating jewelry to tea demos and exploring the Orchid Show, it was a day filled with laughter, joy, and unforgettable memories. Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato was honored to host and spend time with the amazing individuals who laid  the foundation of our community      A huge thank you to New York Botanical Gardens for partnering with us and to every senior who joined us to make the day so special   Easter Egg Hunt with 45th & 49th Precincts

We had an egg-cellent time on Thursday sponsoring the Easter Egg Hunt with the 45th & 49th precincts!

Over 9,000 eggs were hidden and eagerly hunted by hundreds of excited kids and their families 



A huge thank you to our NYPD partners for always going above and beyond for our community!

District 13, we hear you!

District 13, we heard you loud and clear: Last summer’s chaotic boat parties disrupted our waters, our summers, and our community!

Now, we have joined forces on Saturday, with NYPD Harbor Patrol, the Coast Guard, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the New York State Liquor Authority, and ‘White Boy’ himself, all of whom are dedicated to spreading the message: reckless boating and behavior will not be tolerated.

Our office, along with these dedicated agencies, is committed to ensuring our waters stay safe and peaceful for District 13!

Easter Festivities in District 13! 

We kicked off Saturday with the Easter Bunny and our  wonderful friends from Allerton Ave! It was a lively and joyful start to the day, filled with  community spirit and all the fun Easter festivities! From  meeting the Easter Bunny to enjoying the cheerful  atmosphere, everyone came together to make it a  memorable morning  . Easter over at Pelham Parkway! Our second stop on Saturday: Pelham Parkway! It’s always  a true pleasure to visit our friends in this vibrant community  and spend time with the neighbors who make this part of  D13 so unique and special. The warmth and spirit here are unmatched, and we're excited  to keep the Easter celebrations going strong across the district  throughout the weekend! It's moments like these that remind  us of the incredible sense of togetherness that makes our  community so wonderful. Continuing the festivities in Throggs Neck! Our third stop brought us to the wonderful Throggs Neck  community at Ferry Point Park . It’s always such a fun  and lively event when we’re with our friends from the  Throggs Neck Community Alliance and all our amazing  community partners. The energy and excitement here never disappoint, and it's a  great reminder of how special this neighborhood truly is!  We’re grateful for the chance to come together and celebrate  the season with everyone! Last stop: City Island! Hoppin’ over to City Island was definitely an eggstra  special stop on our Saturday tour!  The vibrant  energy and warm welcome we received made it a  memorable part of our day. From the beautiful views to the friendly faces, City Island  brought its own unique charm to our Easter celebrations,  and we couldn’t be happier to share the moment with such  an amazing community! Happy Easter! April 20th, 2025 We hope everyone had a joyful and blessed Easter! May this  special time have brought peace, hope, and renewal to you  and your loved ones. As we reflected on the season of new beginnings, we cherished the moments that brought us together and spread kindness  throughout our community. Happy Easter to all!  Remembering Pope Francis April 21st, 2025 With heavy hearts, we mourn the loss of Pope Francis—an  extraordinary leader whose unwavering commitment to peace,  dignity, and faith touched the lives of millions around the  world. Throughout his life, he was a tireless advocate for  justice, compassion, and unity, inspiring countless individuals to live with kindness and humility. His legacy will undoubtedly continue to guide and inspire  future generations, reminding us all of the importance of  love, tolerance, and understanding. May he now rest in peace,  his memory forever etched in the hearts of those he so  profoundly impacted. Walk-through with Throggs Neck Houses  and NYCHA On Tuesday, we conducted a walk-through with Throggs  Neck Houses and NYCHA. Taking accountability means  showing up, listening to the concerns, and working hand  in hand with the community. Now that we’ve identified the issues, my office is dedicated  to collaborating with city agencies to find real, lasting  solutions. Our constituents deserve to live in safe, clean,  and secure housing. Earth Day!  April 22nd, 2025 Yesterday we celebrated Earth Day, and we thank NYS DOT  for a community cleanup on Otis & Hollywood Ave. It’s all about doing our part to protect the environment  and maintain a clean, beautiful neighborhood. Every action, no matter how small, contributes to making a  positive impact! Let’s keep moving forward, together. Lifeguard Recruitment  Veterans Services Upcoming Events

Councilwoman Marmorato 

718-931-1721

District13@council.nyc.gov

NYC Council Releases Report Outlining Outdoor Dining Laws and Policies to Provide Clear Roadmap ahead of Hearing to Identify Problems Faced

 

Today, the New York City Council released a new report that outlines the legal and policy framework of outdoor dining and its relationship to the current state of the City’s new Dining Out NYC program. The report, released the same day as a Council hearing to examine challenges with implementation of the new program, highlights problems faced by restaurants seeking to participate in outdoor dining.

It also clarifies how the most recent law (Local Law 121 of 2023), which was required to establish outdoor dining under reinstated laws that require procedures and fees for granting public land to private entities, expanded opportunities for outdoor dining and reduced its costs compared to the previous program under law. The last outdoor dining program under law, prior to the pandemic, only allowed sidewalk cafes in certain parts of New York City. The Council’s post-pandemic efforts expanded the geographic eligibility for outdoor dining through citywide zoning changes and allowed roadway dining for the first time under local law.

While broad opportunities for sidewalk cafes and roadway dining were first permitted during the pandemic state of an emergency that suspended local laws and the required licensing and fees for private use of public space under revocable consent, court decisions required the reinstatement of law. This distinction between what is allowable within an environment where local laws are in effect and one where they are suspended has skewed an understanding of the outdoor dining landscape. Nonetheless, there have been many issues with the new law’s implementation. Restaurants have raised several issues with the program’s administration, including with the application and review processes, delays, design requirements, and other challenges.   

Read the Council’s full report here.

Key takeaways include:

•   After the pandemic had waned, a 2023 lawsuit argued there was no longer a legal emergency justification for the suspension of laws that permitted the temporary outdoor dining program.
•   The New York State Supreme Court ruled that the mayor’s ongoing issuing or orders to suspend 26 different local laws to allow outdoor dining violates state law.
•   The establishment of Dining Out NYC was an effort to continue a legally permissible, permanent outdoor dining program beyond a state of emergency.
  •   It changed the City’s zoning restrictions to permit outdoor dining across the five boroughs instead of only in a limited set of zoning districts, primarily in Manhattan.
  •   It reduced the allowable timelines in the application process for revocable consent licenses, which are required for public space to be granted for use by private entities, compared to their pre-pandemic counterpart.
  •   Though some businesses may have decided to forgo participation due to the reinstatement of license fees required in a program under local law, compared to the fee-free pandemic program, it is now cheaper for restaurants to participate than it was in the previous permanent program prior to the pandemic.

New York City has always had outdoor dining in the form of sidewalk cafes. In March 2020, there were 1,224 active sidewalk cafe licenses, the majority of which were in Manhattan. During the pandemic, through a COVID-era emergency order that suspended local laws, a temporary outdoor dining program permitted restaurants to operate outside of compliance with local laws. This was a lifeline for restaurants to survive and for continued socialization at a time when indoor dining capacity was limited. The establishment of the Dining Out NYC program was an effort to continue a legally permissible, permanent outdoor dining program beyond a state of emergency.

Attorney General James Urges Drizly Delivery Workers to File Claims to Receive Funds from $4 Million Settlement

 

Eligible Delivery Workers Are Encouraged to File Claims to Receive Funds by July 15, 2025 

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that delivery workers who worked for liquor stores that sold on Drizly are now able to file claims to receive funds from her office’s $4 million settlement with the now-defunct alcohol delivery platform owned by Uber. Last year, Attorney General James announced that she had recovered $4 million in withheld tips from Drizly for failing to ensure delivery workers received their rightfully earned tips. The claims portal is now open, and eligible delivery workers are encouraged to submit their claims by July 15, 2025.

“Delivery workers are essential to our communities and deserve to be compensated fairly,” said Attorney General James. “I was proud to secure this settlement to ensure that those who were shortchanged by Drizly’s practices would receive the tips they rightfully earned. I urge all eligible workers to file their claims and get the money that they are owed.”

Attorney General James secured $4 million from Drizly in December 2024 after an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that Drizly actively encouraged customers to leave tips for delivery workers and led customers to believe that the entirety of those tips would go directly to the delivery workers who earned them. In reality, all tips instead went to store owners for distribution, which did not always happen.

The $4 million settlement will be distributed among eligible delivery workers who completed deliveries for a store that used Drizly between January 1, 2018 and August 31, 2023. The OAG has hired Simpluris, an outside company, to manage the payments from the settlement fund. To receive restitution, individuals must submit a claim by July 15, 2025. Claims can be filed through the official settlement website at www.NYDrizlySettlement.com.

The OAG worked with Drizly to develop a list of former delivery workers who may qualify to receive settlement funds, and qualifying individuals began receiving notices on April 7, 2025 via direct mail, email, and text message.​ Individuals who believe they qualify but have not received a notice are encouraged to file a claim online.

Attorney General James is also warning delivery workers against potential scams related to the settlement. Individuals should not share their personal or financial information with anyone offering to assist them with filing a claim. For official information or assistance, OAG urges all eligible New Yorkers to contact Simpluris directly:​

• Phone: 1-866-675-2754 (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET)​
• Email: info@NYDrizlySettlement.com​

For more information about the settlement and to file a claim, visit www.NYDrizlySettlement.com.