OH:  Officials study DORA impact on business, youth

OH:  Officials study DORA impact on business, youth

Salem News

By Katie White, Staff Writer

May 18, 2018

While the city considers whether to pursue a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), officials are looking into how it would affect local business, and local youth.

The city is now eligible to establish a DORA because of a wine manufacturing permit recently approved by the state for Sundog Cellars on South Main Street, a new business co-owned by Nicole Ice and Justina Channell.

A DORA is an area approved by the city that allows people to carry beer and wine during special hours and events approved by the city.

City council would need to approve its creation and submit an application to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control before a DORA can be established.

Council members Dan Bekar and Dick McBane said they would like to hear input from other businesses and organizations that host events in the city, and whether they would be in favor.

McBane also wondered about the legality of a DORA, since there are only two precincts in the city that allow alcohol and the rest are dry.

Specifically, the west side of Main Street is dry while the east side of the street is wet.

“Can we create a DORA in a dry precinct?” McBane said.

Ice, who attended the meeting to share more information to council, said that from what she understands it can be done, but that Municipal Attorney Mark Hutson could look into that.

Police Chief Tim Gladis said that if the city decides to create a DORA he is not opposed to the idea, but that plans should be mindful of how to avoid underage drinking, over-serving of alcohol, and keeping people from bringing their own alcohol and circumventing rules.

He also said he has some concerns about police staffing issues with all of the growth the city is seeing lately.

“We are spread pretty thin sometimes,” he said.

He added, however, that he believes all of those issues can be worked out and that the department will work with whomever is

going to spearhead the project.

“We will help any way we can,” he said.

He also said he doesn’t see the DORA as being much different than other events in the city, like the annual Wine Tasting Festival and the 4WD Hardware Jeep Jamboree.

Council member Crystal Siembida-Boggs said that some local students between ages 14 and 16 approached her after hearing about the possible DORA and expressed concerns about having alcohol on Main Street.

“They don’t like the initial idea of it,” she said. “What are we going to do to make sure that Main Street is not a place where they can’t be when events are going on? I don’t want to see these kids feeling like they can’t be downtown.”

She and Ice both said they are happy to see the students react that way.

“That is super cool that they come up to you and talk about it,” Ice said to Siembida-Boggs.

She then said she would like to know what kind of rules students would like to see in place to make them feel more comfortable.

She also stressed that the DORA is not meant to be an every weekend event, and that the goal is for it to be a leisure activity.

“The core group of people that we have that want to do this won’t mistreat it,” she said, adding that if store owners don’t want people to come inside their building with alcohol, that is up to them.

Store owners could even set up shop in front of their buildings if they prefer not to have alcohol inside, she added.

As for other concerns, she said she has already spoken with liquor permit holders in town and they are all willing to pay for wristbands and their owns cups to signify who is of legal drinking age and drinking alcohol approved in the DORA.

“We do understand the concerns and we are willing to work with you in any way shape or form. We are dedicated to making it work,” she said.

The DORA is only in the discussion phase at this point and formal legislation has not been presented to council.

More information about Ohio laws regarding a DORA can be found online at codes.ohio.gov/orc/4301.81.