Dunedin business owner hopes city will extend outdoor dining hours

DUNEDIN, Fla. – If you want to eat and drink at bars and restaurants in Dunedin past 11 p.m. on weekdays and after midnight on weekends, it has to be done inside.

A city ordinance that has been in place since 2011 said all patrons of any outdoor area “whether located on private property or within the public right of way, shall cause all patrons to vacate the permitted area by 11:00 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights, inclusive; and by midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.”

Reboot Arcade and Bar’s manager, George Courtney, said the ordinance is affecting his business and others in downtown Dunedin.

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“[Customers] have every right to go and enjoy a beer or sit outside if they like, because in the fall, it’s very nice here,” Courtney said. “So, if we continue to not innovate and have other businesses that are going to look at this ordinance as very draconian and dangerous, it’s going to hurt tourism because the Dunedin area has always had a thriving nightlife.”

He recently started a petition to push city leaders to extend outdoor dining hours. So far, he has more than 3,000 signatures.

“Not all of these businesses are created equal. Some places have a lot of seats outside. They have a lot of [outdoor] space and a very small indoor space, so, their outside space is extremely important for their business,” Courtney said.

A group of neighbors nearby said they want the businesses to do well, but also want the city to enforce the current ordinance. Courtney is hoping for a compromise that everyone can live with.

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“I’m not advocating for really, really loud noise. I’m not advocating for violence or screaming or anything like that, but at the end of the day, there’s already a sound ordinance in place. And I really do believe that everyone that lives in downtown core should understand that, you know, you live downtown, so you can expect a little bit of noise and a little bit of hustle and bustle,” Courtney said.

The city’s planning agency will talk about the topic at its July 22 meeting. They’ll make recommendations for the Dunedin City Commission, which will talk about the issue at a meeting later this year. 

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