City Council OKs Storefront Gate Bill
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The City Council passed a bill Monday that will put an eventual end to the solid metal security gates business owners pull down at night to protect their stores.
Owners are required to phase out the gates by 2026 and replace them with partially see-through gates that resemble metal mesh.
Supporters say the new gates will benefit police and firefighters responding to emergencies, because they can look through the gates to better assess the situation.
Bill sponsor Peter Vallone Junior says the change will improve the city.
"Our streets will no longer look like a graffiti strewn war zone after closing time. We pass many bills here at the Council but very few are like this one where we will actually see a concrete result where our city will be more beautiful and be safer," Vallone Junior said.
The mesh gates cost about $10,000, an estimated 10 percent more than the solid metal gates.
Council members say 17 years is enough times for owners to make the change.