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Little Hen corrects site plan; board says revised drawings must show ADA clear path
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Summary
Owners of Little Hen presented a corrected site plan that fixed a typo and may restore ADA compliance; the committee requested additional measurements around tree pits and transformer vault clearance before final approval.
Owners of Little Hen told Manhattan Community Board 2 they submitted a corrected sidewalk‑cafe plan after a measurement typo caused an apparent noncompliance concern.
Enrique Tamirano, who identified himself as Little Hen’s owner and CEO, and Paola Altamirano, the restaurant’s director of engagement, explained the original submission appeared to show a 1‑ft‑7‑in error but that the actual configuration leaves approximately 3'2" of clear path when measured from the sidewalk width minus an 8‑ft tree pit. "It just looked like this was 1 foot 7 inches, but it's actually 8 feet from the tree, for both of them. So we should be good," Altamirano said as she shared corrected drawings with the committee.
Committee members cautioned the owners that transformer vaults require a larger clearance than a subway grate and that fixed elements such as a mailbox, lamppost and traffic signal can further narrow usable width. They asked Little Hen to submit revised site plans that explicitly: (1) label any transformer vaults, (2) show measurement reference points (tree‑pit perimeter vs. tree center), and (3) mark the narrowest portion of the cafe so the committee and DOT can verify at least a 3‑ft accessible path.
The owners said they could work to make tables 3 feet wide or otherwise reconfigure seating; they noted limited indoor capacity (about 42 seats) and said outdoor seats are important for weekend revenue.
Next steps: Little Hen will submit corrected drawings. The committee approved the application with modifications contingent on final measurements and site‑plan corrections.
