What Wildwood did was add language to the city Land Use Code to allow restaurants to ask for permission to have dogs in outdoor dining.
http://www.wildwood-fl.gov/vertical/....23_Agenda.pdf
This is required because if there is not local authorization then non-service dogs are prohibited by law. Florida law allows local counties and cities to exempt permitted restaurants from that prohibition. First the local government must adopt a permitting procedure which requires the restaurant to apply individually for a doggie dining permit. The information on the permit:
shall require, at a minimum, the following information:
1. The name, location, and mailing address of the public food service establishment.
2. The name, mailing address, and telephone contact information of the permit applicant.
3. A diagram and description of the outdoor area to be designated as available to patrons’ dogs, including dimensions of the designated area; a depiction of the number and placement of tables, chairs, and restaurant equipment, if any; the entryways and exits to the designated outdoor area; the boundaries of the designated area and of other areas of outdoor dining not available for patrons’ dogs; any fences or other barriers; surrounding property lines and public rights-of-way, including sidewalks and common pathways; and such other information reasonably required by the permitting authority. The diagram or plan shall be accurate and to scale but need not be prepared by a licensed design professional.
4. A description of the days of the week and hours of operation that patrons’ dogs will be permitted in the designated outdoor area.
Additionally there are several requirements the restaurant must follow to protect the health of the public:
Chapter 509 Section 233 - 2012 Florida Statutes - The Florida Senate
1. All public food service establishment employees shall wash their hands promptly after touching, petting, or otherwise handling dogs. Employees shall be prohibited from touching, petting, or otherwise handling dogs while serving food or beverages or handling tableware or before entering other parts of the public food service establishment.
2. Patrons in a designated outdoor area shall be advised that they should wash their hands before eating. Waterless hand sanitizer shall be provided at all tables in the designated outdoor area.
3. Employees and patrons shall be instructed that they shall not allow dogs to come into contact with serving dishes, utensils, tableware, linens, paper products, or any other items involved in food service operations.
4. Patrons shall keep their dogs on a leash at all times and shall keep their dogs under reasonable control.
5. Dogs shall not be allowed on chairs, tables, or other furnishings.
6. All table and chair surfaces shall be cleaned and sanitized with an approved product between seating of patrons. Spilled food and drink shall be removed from the floor or ground between seating of patrons.
7. Accidents involving dog waste shall be cleaned immediately and the area sanitized with an approved product. A kit with the appropriate materials for this purpose shall be kept near the designated outdoor area.
8. A sign or signs reminding employees of the applicable rules shall be posted on premises in a manner and place as determined by the local permitting authority.
9. A sign or signs reminding patrons of the applicable rules shall be posted on premises in a manner and place as determined by the local permitting authority.
10. A sign or signs shall be posted in a manner and place as determined by the local permitting authority that places the public on notice that the designated outdoor area is available for the use of patrons and patrons’ dogs.
11. Dogs shall not be permitted to travel through indoor or nondesignated outdoor portions of the public food service establishment, and ingress and egress to the designated outdoor portions of the public food service establishment must not require entrance into or passage through any indoor area of the food establishment.
So you obviously will not see any dogs on chairs or off leashes. You will see sanitizer on every table. You will see the tables and chairs sanitized between patrons. You will not see any dogs being in contact with dishes or utensils. You will not see servers petting the dogs if they are serving food or drinks or handling tableware. Right?