NYC Voters Weigh Five Ballot Questions on Outdoor Dining, Bike Lanes and City Efficiency

Every New York City voter faced five proposed amendments to the city charter on the November 3 ballot, all stemming from a government-efficiency panel convened by Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration. Question 1 would streamline outdoor dining permits by merging sidewalk-café and roadway applications into a single process, removing mandatory hearings and the City Council's veto power over sidewalk cafés; proponents say the change would cut the approval timeline from eight months to two months and save restaurants up to $1,800 in fees. Question 2 would reduce paperwork burdens for city contractors. Question 3 would speed up bike and bus lane construction by shrinking the number of agencies required to sign off on street projects, which city officials say would accelerate approvals by an estimated 33%; the current charter defines any bike lane as a 'major transportation project' requiring multi-agency consultation. Question 4 would simplify construction permitting. Question 5 would set a formal target for the city's reserve funds. The measures were put on the ballot by Mayor Mamdani's Commission on Government Efficiency and drew broad support from business and transportation advocates, though some neighbourhood groups raised concerns about reduced community input on outdoor dining decisions.