Mayor Wu prepared to rescind outdoor dining in the North End

BOSTON, Mass. — In a letter sent to North End restaurant owners Friday afternoon, Mayor Michelle Wu says she is prepared to rescind North End outdoor dining before the start of the season.

“Many North End residents have called for the ending of outdoor dining altogether in the neighborhood,” Mayor Wu wrote. “If a critical mass of restaurant owners also believe this program is unworkable as proposed, then I am prepared to rescind North End outdoor dining.”

This comes after North End restaurant owners vowed to sue Mayor Wu over the $7,500 new outdoor dining fee, calling it “outrageous.”

“She better roll up her sleeves because we’re ready,” said Jorge Mendoza, owner of Monica’s. “She’s going to hear from our attorney in the form of a letter first and then we are going to sue the city of Boston for the unjust treatment of Italian businesses here in the North End.”

Mayor Wu says that members of the North End community have expressed their frustrations to her over the past two seasons of outdoor dining.

“In two public community meetings convened over the past two months, residents expressed deep opposition to any form of outdoor dining,” Wu wrote. “They described themselves as at their wit’s end after two seasons of unprecedented intrusion on neighborhood life.”

The owners claim because Mayor Wu has not imposed similar fees on outdoor dining in other Boston neighborhoods, she is targeting them.

“What she’s doing isn’t fair and it’s prejudice,” Mendoza continued.

The deadline to apply for this year’s outdoor pilot is April 10th.

Mayor Wu’s full letter to the restaurant owner’s is shown below.

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