All that is needed now for the city of Warsaw to have its first Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) is the state’s blessing.
Monday, the Warsaw Common Council approved, on second reading, two ordinances regarding DORAs in the city. The first ordinance establishes the rules for DORAs, while the second ordinance designates the area for the Downtown Warsaw DORA. The first reading of the ordinances took place at the council’s Feb. 20 meeting.
In July 2023, the state passed the legislation needed for Indiana communities to create DORAs. A municipality can now create up to seven areas within its jurisdiction allowing citizens to purchase alcohol at designated establishments and consume the beverage anywhere within the DORA boundaries.
In presenting the first ordinance on the DORA rules Monday, City Planner Justin Taylor said the rules would be sent down to the state if the council adopts them. “The state would then grant us approval, and then the second piece would designate the area - any areas that we would want to designate as outdoor refreshment areas, these are the rules that would govern that,” he said.
He said he’s had a lot of business owners approach him, as he was sure the council members did as well, discussing the DORA. “The excitement about it is just spreading around town, so real excited that you guys are considering this.”
Council President Jack Wilhite, who was not at the Feb. 20 meeting, said, “First I would like to say, Warsaw is a good - some would say great - place to live, work and play. This comes from the harmonious spirit of its citizens. There’s been a good deal of discussion as to what it means to pass this DORA ordinance.”
He said some have expressed concerns about the message a DORA sends, specifically if the city is encouraging adult beverages. Wilhite said they are neither encouraging or discouraging it.
“However, I do desire to facilitate collaboration between small businesses downtown,” he said.
Wilhite provided council members, the mayor and the media with some information that he requested from Warsaw Police Department Capt. Joel Beam. The information lists public intoxications in the city for the past year.
“The purpose of it serves as a baseline for future deliberations,” Wilhite said.
In the past year, there were a total of 52 alcohol-related incidents, but only nine were public intoxication by alcohol in the downtown area. Of those nine incidents, two were for the same person - at 7:10 p.m. March 24, 2023, and 7:53 p.m. March 25, 2023. Wilhite said he thinks those numbers are low “and good for us.”
He continued, “I do not believe this DORA will substantially upset the harmonious environment we enjoy, but should that happen, we can look back to this standard we have come to enjoy and expect. We can base some of our deliberations off of it.”
His second point was directed to Main Street Warsaw, whose executive director, Rob Parker, was in attendance.
Wilhite requested the DORA map be put on the DORA cup next to the QR Code or integrated with it. If the map is on the cup, it would be easier for people to know what the designated area was. He said that while the QR Code is a great idea, some older citizens may not be as likely to scan the QR Code to get to the map.
Parker said it was certainly something Main Street Warsaw could look at, as they will be providing the cups to the businesses within the DORA. Councilwoman Diane Quance was concerned that if the DORA changes, the cups also would have to be changed. Parker said he didn’t think anyone was going to go out and buy 100,000 cups tomorrow, but if the DORA changes, they’ll change the cup.
“And we’ll do it as necessary for each district that is approved, if there is another district approved in the future,” he said.
The downtown DORA’s border begins at the intersection of Lake and Main streets, runs east along Main Street, south along the west side of Indiana Street, turns west along the north section of Jefferson Street, turns north on Columbia Street, heads east on Center Street, turns north on Lake Street and terminates at the intersection of Lake and Main streets.
According to the ordinance, those businesses being included in the DORA are Mad Anthony Brewing Co., Paradiso, Anthology Whiskey Room, Oku Roji, B+B Courthouse Market, Rocksteady Pizza Parlour, Rex’s Rendezvous, Downtown Eatery & Spirits, One Ten Craft Meatery, Biryani Kitchen and one labeled as “Ghost Spot - Mi Lindo Acapulco.”
Mayor Jeff Grose pointed out that the rules ordinance that a sign must be posted at each exit of the DORA. Taylor said they will need about 25 signs downtown, which will be made in-house and posted at the corners where the DORA ends.
Parker said the establishments participating in the DORA will have maps so people will know where the area is even before they leave an establishment, so there’s multiple layers informing people of where the area is.
Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins commented that the statistics Wilhite provided from the WPD were interesting because most of the incidents occurred outside of where the DORA is planned to be.
Taylor said once the city has one DORA under its belt, it can evaluate ideas for other DORAs if any others are approved.
Quance said she appreciated all the work Main Street Warsaw has put into it and their willingness to continue to try to make it a success. She said the partnership is what is needed to make the DORA a success.
“It is strongly supported by all the downtown restauranteurs that I’ve talked to. They’re so excited about it,” Parker said.
After the first ordinance on the rules was approved by a vote of 6-1, with Frush abstaining, the council then looked at the second ordinance designating the downtown Warsaw DORA.
The discussion on the second ordinance centered around the DORA capturing as many of the downtown service businesses as possible that have liquor licenses. The state has to approve each of the businesses on the list of 11 that are on the list.
The second ordinance also was approved 6-1, with Frush abstaining.