Huître on Court Street

Some may find the outside tables on Smith and Court Streets charming. I, on the other hand find that it has become more and more difficult to walk down those streets in the evening and on week-ends. What with the tables, the parking meters and the dogs tied to said meters, it has been getting impossible. Yes, sidewalk cafés add life to those blocks, but mostly, they mean revenue for the restaurateurs. The local residents have to deal with the noise, dirt and the lack of walking space.
The first step in getting a license to operate a sidewalk café is to go in front of the Community Board. Now I know that C.B.6, which oversees my neighborhood, has heard from residents that there are just too many sidewalk cafés here. I also know that the Community Board is getting an unbelievable amount of complaints about noise.

But our Community Board has been hard at work approving even more outside dining permits. On the Agenda for tonight's meeting is a vote to conditionally approve an unenclosed sidewalk café for the new french bistro Huître on Court Street in the old OTB @ 320 Court. Imagine, the place has not even opened and our Community board is already voting on allowing 15 tables and 34 seats. The place has no track record as a good neighbor yet, but hell, lets give the place 34 more ways to make money.
And you know that they will vote yes, because our Community Board mostly votes yes. They seem to like restaurateurs better than local residents. I for one feel bad for the people living around the corner on Sackett Street. If the sidewalk café is approved, their life is about to change.


photo credit: lihayward on flikr