MISHAWAKA — The city is making its second attempt at establishing a downtown outdoor refreshment district where people can carry drinks from designated vendors in a defined area.
Called a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), state law now allows cities and towns in Indiana to set up an area where licensed businesses could sell alcoholic drinks that people could carry outside the establishments in specially designated cups. With special stickers and cups, strictly defined areas and certain times of operations, the DORAs are known to offer people more freedom to experience parks and city amenities without the rules against open container laws.
An ordinance for first reading on Monday, May 6 before the Common Council would set up a DORA for the Ironworks Plaza and Beutter Park areas. The first reading simply will introduce the proposal for council consideration. Matt Lentsch, director of development and governmental affairs, said the city intends to announce a public information meeting later this month to discuss the measure before the council’s second reading and public hearing on the proposal in the future.
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Last August, a DORA proposal was introduced to the council but was tabled after many public comments and the public hearing.
Lentsch said the city spoke to residents of The Mill apartment complex located adjacent to the DORA. Meetings with the West End and Twin Branch neighborhoods gave the city insights that resulted in changes to the original DORA ordinance.
The current DORA ordinance submitted to the council would do the following:
● Create a trial period for the DORA. The city would set up the DORA from July 1 to Oct. 31 on a trial basis. The ordinance would be evaluated after that time period to see whether the designation would continue through the winter hours or be suspended until the spring of 2025.
● Limit days and hours of operation. The area would operate from 4 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. There would be a “last call” provision in effect where licensed vendors would have to stop serving the drinks for the DORA 30 minutes before its end. The DORA also would not be in effect on Mondays and Tuesdays.
● Reduce the DORA footprint. The Riverwalk area and the street area along West Front Street by The Mill complex were removed from the DORA for safety reasons, Lentsch said. The reductions would eliminate concerns from apartment dwellers over people walking along the street and the river.
Lentsch said the city believes the DORA measure will serve to attract more visitors and citizens to the downtown businesses and restaurants while showing them the recreational opportunities there.
Last year, the Indiana General Assembly set up the DORA process. Many communities have set up DORAs to stimulate economic development and bring people to the area as a way to enhance the visitor experiences. The city would also need approval from the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission to establish the district.
The city of Warsaw last week had its DORA approved by the state. Other states, including Michigan and Ohio, have established DORA regulations on their books, and many cities and towns, including Niles, have had the outdoor refreshment districts in place for years.
Email Tribune staff writer Greg Swiercz at gswiercz@sbtinfo.com
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: City to consider new downtown outdoor drinking area proposal