Cedar Park restaurants will be able to apply for a permit that allows patrons to bring dogs to outdoor patios should City Council approve a proposed ordinance March 26.

City Council heard the first reading of the proposed ordinance March 12. The ordinance, if approved, would fill a gap in the city code, said Amy Link, Cedar Park assistant director of development services. The city has an animal control ordinance that allows restaurants to seek a variance that allows dogs on their patios. But the ordinance did not establish a process restaurant owners could follow to apply for the variance, Link said. The new ordinance would establish such a process in which restaurant owners would register with the city. Link said the Williamson County & Cities Health District would grant final approval of each restaurant’s application and would have authority to inspect restaurants for compliance. To receive the variance, restaurants must have patios that are free of outdoor cooking and have entrances that are separate from the restaurant’s front door. Restaurants must also provide outdoor signage letting guests know the restaurant allows dogs on the patio. Dog owners at the restaurant must keep their dogs on leashes, Link said. If the ordinance passes, the city would maintain an online list of dog-friendly restaurants. She said city staffers examined other city ordinances and discussed the proposed ordinance with members of the Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce and the county health district. “Some of the negative comments were thinking this was a required option that a restaurant would have to allow for dogs on patios,” Link said. “But it is not. It is strictly an option for restaurant owners to take advantage of.” Mayor Matt Powell said Rick Redmond, owner of Lone Starr Grill & Bubba’s Backyard, is one of several Cedar Park restauranteurs who have been awaiting clarification on the city's ordinance. “I asked [Redmond] to review this ordinance and suggest any changes for his needs,” Powell said. “He called me back just a little while ago and said it looks perfect.”