During its July 12 meeting, Georgetown City Council considered allowing restaurants to let dogs in outdoor dining areas as well as ways to address crowd-related issues at Blue Hole Park.

The council denied a resolution with a 3-4 vote that would have permitted restaurant owners to seek a variance from the Texas food establishment rules from the Williamson County and Cities Health District to allow pet owners to have their pets in outdoor dining areas or restaurant patios.

City Council Member Keith Brainard said the resolution was about allowing restaurant owners the right to decide if they would like to be pet friendly.

“To me this is really not about dogs; this is about freedom,” he said. “Freedom of restaurant owners to cater to customers they want to cater to, and it’s about freedom of customers to eat at a restaurant or not eat at a restaurant of their choosing.”

One resident spoke in favor of the resolution.

“This is really about choice,” Georgetown resident Jeff Barrett said. “Right now the restaurants have no option whatsoever.”

Several City Council members, including Ty Gipson, Steve Fought and John Hesser said they wanted to rules to remain the same.

“I think it’s an invitation to disaster,” Fought said. “I love dogs, but I don’t want to eat next to somebody else’s dogs.”

Gipson, Fought, Hesser and Council Member Tommy Gonzalez voted against the resolution.

During the meeting, City Council Member Rachael Jonrowe also presented concerns about crowd-related issues at the city’s Blue Hole Park, including parking problems and other rule violations.

“If you’ve looked toward Blue Hole, you’ve probably noticed that the crowds are sizable, especially on the weekends,” Jonrowe said. “My recollection is that the crowding started happening last summer.”

Several residents spoke at the meeting about overcrowding as well as additional problems with excess trash, including cigarette butts and broken glass.

“Generally people are very genial … but the place is getting trashed out,” Georgetown resident Steve Koran said.

City Manager David Morgan said city staff was already working to address some of the issues, including creating better parking signage and increasing police patrols in the area.

The council directed city staff to continue to address the issues and bring back possible policies or rules at a later City Council meeting.

“We should give the staff the opportunity to look at [possible fixes],” Fought said.