Downtown business leaders and organizers present DORA plan; council hears concerns on safety, restrooms and enforcement

A group representing downtown businesses and the Heart of Lebanon on Monday presented a proposal to create a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) around the downtown square and asked the council to authorize the city attorney to draft an ordinance for future consideration.

Rob Crawford, chair of Heart of Lebanon and a downtown property owner, described the group’s outreach and said the proposal is intended to help patrons "linger longer" at restaurants and shops by allowing licensed establishments to sell alcoholic beverages in a designated public area during specified hours. "The DORA is a designated outdoor refreshment area... allowing for designated areas and communities to have what they consider open carry of alcohol containers so that, it makes it a little easier to streamline processes when having events," Crawford…