News Flash

City Commissioners recently approved a measure that will allow patrons to bring their dogs to dine at the outside areas at restaurants in DeLand.

While many of the city’s restaurants today would be considered dog-friendly, the measure approved at the city’s February 6 meeting brings the city in line with state law. The Dixie Cup Clary Local Control Act, approved by the state legislature in 2006, allowed cities and counties to legalize dogs at restaurants. Without the local exemption, dogs dining in outside areas is not considered legal per state statute.

“DeLand is a dog-friendly community, even celebrating them with the annual Mardi Gras Dog Parade," said Mayor Chris Cloudman. “When we learned that local restaurants were being subjected to violations from the state for allowing canine companions, we were happy to enact a local ordinance to opt into a state provision that allows the practice to continue.”

Businesses that wish to opt in to the city’s dog dining license will be able to do so at no cost to the applicant and must adhere to sanitation protocols set forth by the provision of the Dixie Cup Clary Local Control Act. The license will automatically renew annually unless otherwise requested by the restaurant. 

For more information, people may go to the city’s website and sign in through the Accela portal, log in and create a planning application: https://www.deland.org/197/Accela-Citizen-Portal