Frisco City Council voted 4-2 to table voting on proposed updates to the city's health ordinance during its March 15 meeting. Council will vote on the proposed changes at the next regular meeting.
One of the proposed changes to the ordinance includes allowing dogs on restaurant patios.
Frisco City Council members Bob Allen and John Keating voted against tabling the vote. Allen expressed his support of allowing dogs on restaurant patios.
"I also think it's a business decision ..." he said. "... I think we have a large number of citizens that are interested in having [dogs on restaurant patios] and want to enjoy that patio with their pet. I frankly don't see a problem with it."
Under the updated ordinance, dogs would be allowed on patios at the restaurant owner's discretion. If a restaurant owner allows dogs on patios, the patio must be cleaned at least every 12 hours, and dog waste must be cleaned within five minutes.
Dogs could not be served food while on the patio, but they could be given water in a disposable container.
Council member Tim Nelson was the first to raise concerns about dogs on patios.
"I'm not at a point where I can be in favor of this, but I'd like to see some more work done," he said.
Nelson said he would like to see more specific language in the ordinance change—such as having consistent signage and a description of how an owner should handle a dog—to ensure the safety of the dogs and restaurant patrons.
Council member Will Sowell also spoke against the proposal.
"We are a city of 25,000 kids that are [grades kindergarten through fifth]," he said. "They don't know how good your dog is."
Other proposed updates to the ordinance include:
- all food employees must successfully complete a food handler training course, accredited by the state, within 60 days of employment, and
- food trucks that operate in conjunction with an event would be required to have at least one person on site with an accredited food handler certification.
