Downtown business leaders and organizers present DORA plan; council hears concerns on safety, restrooms and enforcement
Loading...
Summary
Heart of Lebanon presented a proposal to create a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) downtown. Business owners and outside visitors described sales and foot-traffic benefits; council members raised questions about enforcement, restrooms, trash and county jurisdiction. No ordinance vote was taken.
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 said.
Organizers proposed a conservative, "soft launch" approach: Thursday and Friday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday noon to 10 p.m., with a one-drink carryout limit and brightly colored, single-use DORA cups intended as a visible control measure. Missy Kulig (Heart of Lebanon) summarized outreach and survey work: in-person surveys (60 respondents) produced about 73% strong support; an online petition (38 respondents) showed roughly 82% support. Participating businesses that signed the petition include Lane & Brown Sporting Gear, Indiana Gifts/IndianaOwned, Ferris Wheel Music, Liberty James, Saint Adrian’s Meat and Sausages, Cowan’s Drugs and others; several retailers signed as "in favor but cannot allow DORA drinks inside" (for example, Arnie’s and Taco Alibi).
Local business owners described experience in other towns and anticipated sales benefits. Austin Schulte, owner of Clues Brews, said unregulated outdoor drinking already occurs at many downtown events and argued a DORA would allow the city and vendors to manage the activity within a lawful framework: "By officially designating a DORA, we can bring this existing behavior into a controlled lawful framework." Brad Culver, owner of Four Finger Distillery, described his Westfield location and said DORA has worked well for events there. A business owner who operates a wine bar in Lafayette said that city saw a 26% increase in sales after adopting a DORA and reported no noticeable increase in disorder.
Speakers and several council members raised questions about enforcement, underage access, trash and restroom availability. Organizers said the proposed cups would be single-use and brightly colored to aid recognition, that servers would still be required to card customers, and that Heart of Lebanon funds portable restrooms at downtown locations year-round. The group acknowledged they had not yet contacted the Boone County commissioners about blocks near the county courthouse and said they would do so.
Several presenters urged a pilot approach with measurable checkpoints. Rob Cochran, president of Tipton Main Street Association, described Tipton’s experience establishing a DORA in 2023 and told the council his town saw increased foot traffic and no enforcement incidents linked to the program.
No council vote was taken; council members asked organizers to return with more logistics (trash management, restroom access, county coordination and draft rules) and suggested the city attorney draft an ordinance for later consideration.
