Palm Beach Gardens, FL Special Events & Permits: Outdoor Heater Rules (2026)

Sec. 78-191(c)(7) of the Palm Beach Gardens Code, part of the minimum standards that apply to any restaurant or food service business with an Outdoor Dining Permit, specifically addresses seasonal equipment: heaters and other seasonal equipment shall not be visible from the public right-of-way when not in use. The same subsection requires that outdoor seating and furnishings generally be stored in a secure manner when not in use, and that any furnishings stored outside be covered with solid colored tarps, so a business running patio heaters during cooler months must plan for a storage or screening solution before installing them rather than leaving them out in the open once the season ends.

Because heaters sit inside the outdoor seating area governed by Sec. 78-191, they are also covered by the section's other standards: the furniture, including heating equipment, must be able to withstand weather exposure under Sec. 78-191(a)(6), must be compatible in color and style with the exterior of the building under Sec. 78-191(c)(6), and cannot carry advertising beyond a small ownership label for security purposes. Outdoor seating that uses heaters remains subject to the section's broader review path under Sec. 78-191(b), meaning a business that wants to add heaters to an existing approved outdoor dining area can be required to submit updated renderings or photographs showing the heater style, storage method, and screening as part of its Outdoor Dining Permit file.

The rule applies year-round rather than only in a defined heating season, since the code ties the visibility restriction to whenever the equipment is not actively in use rather than to specific dates.