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Fortville prepares downtown DORA signage and temporary measures for Summerfest kickoff
Summary
Following Alcohol & Tobacco Commission approval, Fortville staff will install required DORA boundary and business signage, distribute vendor decals and temporary signage for upcoming events, and discuss optional promotional cups and T‑shirts for a kickoff; RDC allocated funds to help cover signage and materials.
Fortville staff told the council that the town’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) is active in state records and that the last step to full compliance is installing required boundary and business signage.
Town attorney Alex and staff member Andy said the Alcohol & Tobacco Commission has processed the designation and that participating restaurants will receive updated permits. Because permanent signs may be delayed, staff will install temporary boundary signs and business window decals so DORA rules are enforceable for Summerfest and other near‑term events.
Andy outlined practical steps: door‑to‑door distribution of temporary signage to participating businesses, window decals to identify authorized vendors, boundary signs that read entering/leaving the DORA, and stickers for cups to indicate permitted beverages. “We will have a boundary map sign that we’ll have double‑sided that we’ll be able to put up on Main Street showing the boundaries of the DORA,” he said.
Staff discussed optional promotional items (kickoff cups and quality T‑shirts) and noted legal limits: the town cannot require businesses to purchase cups from a particular vendor. The RDC has already committed $10,000 toward signs and stickers; staff asked the council to consider whether the RDC should also support promotional items.
Administratively, staff will file designated‑vendor forms with the ATC for any businesses that want to opt in; those additions can take from two days to several weeks to process. Council asked staff to prioritize boundary and required business signage and to post participating businesses and a boundary map on the town website.
