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Evansville council adopts amended downtown DORA, narrows boundary to avoid one church
Summary
The Evansville Common Council voted unanimously to adopt an amended ordinance creating a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) in downtown Evansville with modified boundaries and participating permit locations.
The Evansville Common Council on March 10 adopted an amended ordinance establishing a designated outdoor refreshment area, or DORA, for downtown Evansville, with revised boundaries and specific participating businesses.
The ordinance, G-2025-05, was amended to move the southern boundary north from Cherry Street into Walnut and extend into portions of Locust, changes the city said were needed to secure required letters of consent from nearby churches. The council declared the ordinance adopted by a 9-0 vote.
The change followed a presentation from a city official thanking the council for an earlier unanimous vote to form the DORA on Feb. 10 and explaining that Indiana law requires any church or K–12 school within 200 feet of a DORA to provide a letter of consent. The presenter said the revised boundary includes consent letters from Signature School, City Church, Encounter Church and Trinity United Methodist Church and excludes a church that preferred not to be included because of its recovery work.
The presenter also said the amended ordinance adds several bars and restaurants as permitted DORA locations that were not in the original map, naming Pangaea Pizzeria and Zuki Downtown as examples. The presenter told the council the body has authority to form up to seven DORAs within its jurisdiction and that once a boundary is formed it is permanent unless the council acts to remove it.
During the roll call for final adoption, Councilwoman Mosby, Councilman Hieronymus, Councilwoman Carruthers, Councilwoman Kayla Lindsay, Councilman Brinkmeyer, Councilwoman Allen, Councilman Green, Councilman Johnson and Councilman Schrockman voted “aye.” The ordinance was declared adopted 9-0.
The council opened the floor for public comment but no public speakers spoke on the DORA during the recorded portion prior to the vote.
The DORA will move forward as amended while the city continues the application process with the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission.
