New Prague adopts ordinance allowing restaurants to opt in to dogs on outdoor patios, adds $50 permit fee

The New Prague City Council on a unanimous 5-0 vote adopted Ordinance No. 357, adding section 90.14 to the city code to allow restaurants to opt in to permitting dogs on outdoor patio areas. The council then approved Resolution No. 2510302 to add a $50 permit fee to the city's 2025 fee schedule for establishments that choose to allow dogs.

Council members were briefed that Minnesota state statute (transcript reference: "Minnesota state statute 1571 175") enables local governments to adopt opt-in patio-dog rules but also delegates specific public-health limitations to the Minnesota Department of Health. Participants listed several health-related constraints cited in that guidance: servers may not pet animals, dogs must not be allowed to lick plates, and establishments must post signage and permit direct passage of animals from the dining room to the patio if that route is used.

City staff told council that the local permit is intended to ensure establishments attest that they understand and will follow the Department of Health requirements and will display required signage. Staff recommended a $50 permit fee to be added to the city fee schedule to cover administrative processing.

The ordinance adoption was moved by Maggie Bass and seconded by Chuck Nikolai; the vote was recorded as 5-0 in favor. The fee-schedule amendment was moved by Maggie Bass and seconded by Rick Syler; that resolution also passed 5-0. The council did not discuss any conditions beyond the state and health-department limits and the local permit requirement.

The ordinance will be incorporated into the code as section 90.14 (titled: Dogs and outdoor patio area of food and beverage service establishments). The resolution adding the $50 fee was recorded as Resolution No. 2510302. The council did not set an effective date during the discussion; staff indicated the fee would be added to the 2025 schedule if the ordinance is implemented.