PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Dunedin city leaders are set to consider changes to the outdoor dining ordinance.
This ordinance is causing controversy among restaurant owners. The current rule requires restaurants and bars to close their outdoor patios at 11 p.m. during the week and midnight on the weekends.
We spoke to Michael Bryant from Dunedin Brewery. He said his restaurant is grandfathered in, so he does not have to comply with the current ordinance, but it still hurts his business.
“Even if my business is grandfathered in the rest of my community, being shut down at 11 p.m. doesn't help the business community,” Bryant said.
The ordinance has been in place since 2011, but restaurants say they noticed a change in enforcement this summer. Bryant said if it continues this way, it will hurt tourism and business and change the feel of Dunedin.
“You don’t go to Dunedin for one stop. You go there and visit a few breweries or a brewery, a restaurant and a shop,” Bryant said.
The proposed changes will be presented to the City Commission for a first reading on Aug. 1 and a second reading in September.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
