The permits expired nine years ago. Here’s what Bradenton is doing to stay pet friendly
According to bringfido.com, there are 62 pet-friendly restaurants in Bradenton with outdoor dining areas where pet and owner can enjoy the atmosphere together.
However, those restaurants are violating the law because the city let its ordinance regarding the allowance of pets in outdoor dining areas lapse nine years ago and those permits obtained from 2007-09 are no longer valid.
The city hopes to rectify the situation with the renewal of its ordinance on Oct. 24 that will allow those pet-friendly restaurants to apply for updated permits. City officials said the problem arose when some restaurant owners were being asked by state restaurant inspectors for their permit only to realize that they expired in 2009.
Charlie Clary, a former state senator, was successful getting the Dixie Cup Clary Control Act passed in 2006. The bill is named after Dixie Cup, his beloved Yorkshire Terrier. It authorized local municipalities to pass ordinances allowing pets into designated outdoor dining areas.
Not knowing what issues may have arisen from the bill, the Legislature stipulated an automatic sunset of permits, which expired in 2009. The legislation withstood the test of time, but the permits did not.
Bradenton has carried on with its pet-friendly philosophy and has not enforced the lack of permits, but state restaurant inspectors have forced the city’s hands into action. Thus far, according to records, no one has been cited, but the warnings are starting.
“People have come a long way on what they want to see with this,” city administrator Carl Callahan said. “It’s been very commonplace, so we wanted to come back with it. It’s not for inside dining, just outside dining, but they’ll have to have that permit.
“There hasn’t been a lot said about it, but we are starting to see some enforcement from inspectors.”
Manatee County has recently done the same. Planning and Community Development Director Catherine Hartley said there will be a small processing fee associated with restaurants wanting to keep or become pet-friendly and will bring that fee forward through a resolution at the Oct. 24 regular city council meeting.