The Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE) — Mayor Mamdani’s charter revision panel — holds its Queens public hearing Monday, July 13, at 5 p.m., the borough’s chance to weigh in before the commission finalizes proposals for the November ballot.
COGE released a preliminary staff report (PDF) this month after five hearings and more than 780 pieces of testimony citywide, including from Queens residents and business owners at its June 22 hearing. The report isn’t binding — it’s a staff’s summary of what the commission heard, plus areas it may explore further — but it signals where charter changes could be headed.
Four topics worth watching locally:
- Outdoor dining and street permits.
- The report says the process for getting a sidewalk or roadway cafe permit can cost small businesses thousands in publication fees alone — one restaurant owner told the commission the full process ran $70,000. Citywide, only 1,405 outdoor dining licenses were fully issued as of mid-June, down sharply from the COVID-era peak.
- Waterfront permitting.
- The commission is weighing whether to move all waterfront construction permitting into the Department of Buildings, consolidating authority currently split with the Department of Small Business Services; a split even waterfront advocacy groups call confusing to navigate.
- Street safety projects.
- Redesigns like bike lanes and pedestrian islands currently trigger a mandatory multi-agency review — regardless of how minor the redesign — that can delay safety fixes by up to a year, per the report.
- Construction permitting delays.
- The report cites an average four-year gap between filing a building permit and completing housing construction, citywide.
Testimony can be given in person at the July 13 hearing or submitted in writing. Details at nyc.gov/COGE.
How to increase your public testimony’s impact through preparation, practice, and humanity.
Queens Hearing 2
- Monday, July 13, at 5:00pm
Queens Borough Hall, Helen Marshall Cultural Center
120-55 Queens Boulevard
Kew Gardens, NY 11424 - RSVP for Queens Hearing 2
- July 13 Meeting Details
- Watch the July 13 Public Hearing
The Ledger will follow up on each of these topics as COGE’s process continues.
