CB6 sanitation committee seeks DSNY pickup from community baskets
Residents described leaking trash baskets and broken doors; the committee voted 8-0 to seek a way for neighborhoods to buy alternatives.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — committee seeks dsny cooperation on community-purchased, revisit exemptions from truck side-guard requirements, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
Neighborhood groups can buy certain DSNY-approved baskets, but must replace them if they break or disappear, according to the agency’s liaison.
On Sutton Area sidewalks, trash baskets leak and doors won’t close. Public commenters told Manhattan Community Board 6’s Public Safety & Sanitation Committee that existing baskets are difficult to clean and have left liquid seepage and black mold on sidewalks. They estimated that 85–90% of the area’s approximately 75 “better bins” are broken. The committee voted 8-0 to ask City Council to require the NYC Department of Sanitation to collect trash from alternative baskets purchased by neighborhood groups.
The vote followed a May 7 forum where neighborhood associations and the East Midtown BID raised basket concerns with DSNY. The Public Safety & Sanitation Committee’s chair said groups want to buy enclosed baskets better suited to their streets. As the chair understood DSNY’s position, groups choosing other models would need to move trash from those baskets into DSNY bins for city pickup. DSNY Community Affairs Liaison Marissa Yanni said the agency’s former sponsor basket program no longer operates, though groups may buy models DSNY already uses. The purchasers would have to replace damaged, broken or stolen baskets.
Committee members discussed adding the reported seepage and mold to the resolution as public-health concerns. Yanni asked residents to email exact locations of broken baskets so she could pass requests to DSNY’s borough office, while noting inventory limits. The resolution will go to Council Member Harvey Epstein, Council Member Virginia Maloney, the Borough President and the Mayor; any legislation would have to originate in the Council.
Revisit exemptions from truck side-guard requirements for vehicles regulated by NYC Business Integrity Commission
Manhattan Community Board 6’s Transportation Committee wants the city to revisit exemptions from truck side-guard requirements for vehicles regulated by the New York City Business Integrity Commission. The committee passed its resolution unanimously, with seven votes in favor. The request follows a fatal collision involving a person on a bike at 14th Street and 1st Avenue; the full community board had already requested a safety study of that intersection.
The Transportation Committee’s chair said this resolution focuses on trucks without side guards. The proposal asks that existing exemptions be removed so covered vehicles would have to carry them. Committee members discussed sanitation and construction trucks among the vehicles regulated by the Business Integrity Commission and clarified that other categories could be affected.
Members raised related questions about high truck cabs, blind spots and whether cameras or other safety equipment should be required. They acknowledged that some vehicle rules may be outside the city’s authority. The Transportation Committee’s vote advances a narrower request: revisit the side-guard exemptions for trucks within the commission’s regulatory reach.
CB6 licensing committee approves Jean Claude sidewalk cafe
The Manhattan CB6 Business Affairs & Licensing Committee unanimously approved Jean Claude’s application to add sidewalk seating for liquor service at 1076 First Avenue. Its on-premises liquor license had been approved months earlier. A nearby committee member supported the addition but stressed the need to keep sidewalk space clear.
The approval would let Jean Claude serve liquor outdoors, with sidewalk space a stated concern.
CB6 transportation committee seeks safer Midtown Tunnel turn
Manhattan Community Board 6’s Transportation Committee voted 7-0 to request a DOT review of First Avenue and East 37th Street, near the Queens Midtown Tunnel approach. After viewing a constituent’s video, members sought possible changes including a concrete island, turn-signal changes, a redesigned turn and accessibility upgrades; the resolution goes to the full community board.
Turning vehicles cross the bike lane near the tunnel approach, where pedestrians and cyclists also travel.
CB6 parks committee backs opening fenced 59th Street lots
Manhattan Community Board 6’s Parks & Cultural Affairs Committee voted 8-0 to support a Community Board 8 resolution seeking public access to two fenced East 59th Street lots near the Queensboro Bridge. Honey Locust 59 proposed opening the DOT and DEP sites, without committing to a particular use.
The vote supports a request to make two fenced agency lots available for public use.
CB6 licensing committee postpones position on bodega bills
The Manhattan CB6 Business Affairs & Licensing Committee discussed state bills S9032 and A9284, which would expand alcohol sales at grocery stores and bodegas beyond beer. Members raised questions about health, enforcement and effects on liquor stores, then agreed to research the proposals further before considering a resolution.
The bills could change where residents buy wine and liquor, but the committee has taken no position.
- Manhattan Community Board 6 — Public Safety & Sanitation Committee. During discussion of the DSNY basket issue, public commenters described severe sanitation problems with existing “better bins” and wire baskets, including broken doors, black mold, and liquid seepage. They urged policy changes to allow alternative enclosed bins and asked for prioritization of repairs and replacements.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
Manhattan Cb6 had 24 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCECommittee Seeks Clarification on Storefront Lease Bill. Members discussed City Council Intro 0090-2026, which concerns storefront lease agreements, and raised questions about its effects on vacancies, transparency and rent increases. They planned outreach to BID and Council offices for clarification; the committee also noted that planning-fellow matching was incomplete and reviewed other outstanding action items.
- GOVERNANCEChair’s report: ESCR parallel conveyance project traffic changes near Avenue C (E 20th–E 23rd Streets). The chair briefly reported on upcoming ESCR parallel conveyance project changes affecting Avenue C between East 20th and East 23rd Streets, including temporary traffic rerouting and removal of parking under the FDR. Members discussed observing the changes and possibly considering a future action if the routing proves beneficial.
- GOVERNANCENYC Parks Department Report: Rat Mitigation, East Midtown Greenway Maintenance, Tudor Grove Playground, Dog Run Liaison Request, and Enforcement at Peters Field. NYC Parks staff provided updates on rat mitigation work (including 1,094 open rat holes fumigated), maintenance on the East Midtown Greenway (845 garbage cans of weeds/pruning), removal of scaffolding at Tudor Grove playground, a request for a liaison for the Murphy’s Brothers dog run, and plans for increased enforcement regarding off-leash dogs at Peters Field.
- GOVERNANCENYC DOT report and committee Q&A (including public participation during DOT segment). NYC DOT’s Colleen Shadan provided updates on pending responses to CB6 resolutions, street repaving, and streetlight repairs. Committee members raised issues including 15 mph “green waves” on avenues, communication about floodgate testing and bus stop closures, an NYU shuttle bus stop on an internal road near 20th Street/Stuyvesant Town, and an offset bus lane segment on Second Avenue.
- GOVERNANCENew application: temporary retail permit and on-premises liquor license, Busherie Mory Hill LLC (Busherie), 563rd Avenue / 160 East 38th Street. The committee heard a new application for Busherie at the former Rio Grande/Consulate space, with hours matching the prior approval and POPS obligations acknowledged. The applicant discussed signage, public access, and potential public tables in the POPS area. The committee approved unanimously.
- GOVERNANCEAlteration: on-premises liquor license, East Co East Church Street LLC (Gem Saloon), 753rd Avenue — add sidewalk cafe. The committee reviewed an alteration application for Gem Saloon to add a sidewalk cafe, noting the city licenses process and that doors would be open until 10:00 or 11:00. Members raised pedestrian flow concerns due to the location’s heavy foot traffic and lively conditions. The committee approved the alteration unanimously.
- GOVERNANCECannabis retail dispensary license renewal: CLLD LLC (Cannabis Bikes), 459 Lexington Avenue (application address referenced as 581 Realy). The committee reviewed a cannabis retail dispensary license renewal for CLLD LLC (Cannabis Bikes). Members praised the community impact plan as unusually detailed and measurable, while urging more targeted benefits within CB6 and better local outreach. The committee approved the item by unanimous vote.
- GOVERNANCEChair’s Report and Old/New Business. The chair gave a brief report, noted preference to defer old/new business to the next meeting, and invited any time-sensitive items. Members discussed the idea of joint resolutions with other committees and noted a transportation-related issue about guard rails and trucks.
- GOVERNANCERevised/amended action: superseding prior full board action for a coffee shop SLA categorization (Cafeteria NY, 211 East 14th Street). The committee discussed a need to revise a previously passed full board action related to an SLA application for Cafeteria NY at 211 East 14th Street, described as a categorization issue (coffee shop vs. bar/tavern). The committee agreed to pass an amended action to supersede the prior one, by unanimous consent.
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