Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rensselaer board approves Main Street designated outdoor refreshment area permittees
Summary
The Board of Public Works and Safety approved five Main Street establishments as designated permittees for a proposed designated outdoor refreshment area (DORA), authorized mayoral signature on state forms and confirmed signage and cup-labeling rules. The ordinance map and vendor list will be sent to the state.
The Rensselaer Board of Public Works and Safety voted to approve five businesses as designated permittees for a proposed Main Street designated outdoor refreshment area and authorized the mayor to sign paperwork to submit the ordinance to the state.
Assistant Superintendent Josh Eldridge presented a map of the proposed DORA boundaries and told the board the yellow outline shows the area being proposed while blue areas indicate spaces where the city would allow outside vendors to operate. "The outlined area in yellow is where we're proposing the boundaries to be," Eldridge said, adding he had placed red stars on the map where the board will need to provide signage to show where people enter and exit the DORA and what rules apply.
Eldridge described operational rules: patrons who buy a refreshment inside an approved establishment would be given a labeled plastic cup and may carry that cup into the designated area; catering permittees could also participate in the blue vendor areas. He said the forms from five retail establishments were complete and signed by authorized representatives: Embers; Fenwick Farms; Ida's Mexican Cuisine; Order of the Eagles; and Mount Ridge Pizza and Grill.
Mayor (chair) motioned to approve the five named permittees for inclusion with the ordinance paperwork; the board approved the motion by voice vote. Eldridge said he will upload the ordinance and the signed permittee forms and asked that the mayor sign the state forms that show the city has approved their participation.
Eldridge and Police Chief Matt Anderson told the board they checked with several similar-sized communities that operate DORAs and found no significant negative feedback tied to the DORA programs. The board discussed signage and enforcement briefly before approving the permittees.
The approval sends the ordinance and the five designated permittee forms to the state for the next administrative steps; the mayor will sign the submitted paperwork.
