Village Mayor Robert Lewis appointed a committee of village trustees, including Gerry Lundquist and Peter Negri, to review Garden City's Alfresco Dining Code. A third committee member is still being decided, according to Village Clerk Brian Ridgway. Mayor Lewis specifically called for a review of the code, which studies the village's outdoor dining hours and furniture at restaurants like Waterzooi, Seventh Street Cafe and Maxwell's before next season. Ridgway notes the committee is not reviewing one specific restaurant but the entire local law.

Residents like Kathy Turner, who live in close proximity to such restaurants, welcome the review. "I've complained about the late night noise - people fighting and cursing in the parking lot, the loud music. I even caught someone urinating in the parking lot," she said. "My daughter and I are so happy to hear you're starting to review alfresco dining. If there's anything you could do I would greatly appreciate it."

Mayor Lewis suggested Turner call the police. "I grew up by the Nassau Blvd. station my whole life where people would park and drink. We never went out to ask them to leave - we just called the police," he said.

Turner said she's called the police numerous times but doesn't know what actions are taken after she makes the complaint. "I've called for the loud noise and I've called to report men urinating in the buffer zone," she said. "I don't know what goes on after I call."

Another resident suggested planting heavier pines in the village's various buffer zones to decrease any late night noise. "I do feel bad because we live near commercial areas but we're dealing with a whole new type of business that's running very late into the evening," she said.

The following restaurants received outdoor dining permits for 2001 and are currently up for review:

Seventh Street Cafe

Riesterer's Bakery

Guido's Pizzeria

Baskin Robbins/Dunkin' Donuts/TOGO's

Garden City Pizza

Victory Oyster Bar and Smokehouse

Waterzooi

Kings Supermarket

Upper Crust

TCBY

Culinary Heights

Garden City Bistro

Hoffman's Deli

Maxwell's