ASHLAND — Downtown Ashland’s first event to feature a 22-acre designated outdoor refreshment area (DORA) will be at the end of this month.
The DORA in Ashland will allow anyone over the age of 21 to purchase alcoholic drinks in a designated cup from permitted establishments. The patron would then be allowed to carry the beverages within a defined downtown area.
Ashland City Council unanimously approved legislation in May. The Ohio Liquor Control Commission approved the DORA over the summer,making it the 124th in Ohio.
DORAs are meant to spur economic activity in a downtown, or business-centric area. Establishing these zones within Ohio has been allowed since 2015.
Ashland Main Street, the main proponent of creating Ashland’s DORA, went to Facebook with the news Monday saying “we are ready to bring yet another layer of grooviness to downtown Ashland.”
Though approved in May, the city has waited for signage and cups to be delivered and to have a meeting with liquor permit holders within the 22-acre perimeter, said Ashland Mayor Matt Miller.
That meeting occurred in council chambers on Friday, Oct. 13.
He also said the city has been working on launching an online page dedicated to explaining the city’s DORA on its website. That page became live Friday.
The 12-ounce DORA cups were delivered to the city in late September. City staff is working on getting decals posted on participating establishments.
The details
There are 11 liquor permit holders within the 22-acre area.
- A-Town Tap
- Amvets Post 0096
- Bullshooters
- Joan’s Tavern
- Linder’s Sports Bar & Grill
- Ohio Fire
- Riley’s Night Club
- The South Street Grille
- Uniontown Brewing Company
- VFW Post 1067
- SPOKE LLC (Wagon Wheel)
Miller said all 11 permit holders have decided to sell DORA cups.
Other businesses along Main Street and in the downtown DORA area will have the choice to either allow DORA cups inside or not. That distinction will be made clear with color-coded decals.
The DORA will only be in affect during approved events — such as St. Patrick’s Day or Music on Main. Event organizers will have to apply for a DORA approval and possibly pay a fee, according to the city’s application.
For the first event, the city bought 3,000 cups to distribute to each liquor permit holder. During future events, the liquor permit holders will be responsible for ordering DORA cups through Ashland Main Street at $0.25 apiece.
Each cup costs around $0.08, Tunnell said. So every extra dollar made will be used by Ashland Main Street to pay for expenses incurred from DORA-specific events.
When is the first DORA event?
Ashland Main Street’s annual Costume Crawl event will serve as the city’s first event in which the DORA will be allowed. The Oct. 27 event is geared toward adults and features a costume contest and a DJ in Foundations Plaza. It will take place from 5 to 9 p.m.
Every other event will need to obtain approval from the city.
Event organizers would need to apply for a DORA approval and possibly pay a fee, according to the application.
“Each event will be thoroughly reviewed by the city of Ashland before approval … Event organizers may be required to pay for overtime for public services/safety workers or for special duty officers to guarantee appropriate public health and safety requirements,” reads the application.
Not an ‘alcoholic free-for-all’
Miller reminded folks that laws on public intoxication still apply during DORA events.
“There will be a presence from our police department,” he said.
State law says public intoxication could lead to a minor misdemeanor for disorderly conduct.
Sandra Tunnell, Ashland Main Street’s executive director, said she doesn’t want people to think DORA events are going to be the wild west.
“I think some people think this is going to be some sort of alcoholic free-for-all,” she said. “That’s not at all what it’s meant to be … it just adds something else to the ambience.”