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Carmel could become the third Hamilton County city to approve a district where people would be allowed to purchase alcoholic beverages from approved vendors and carry them outside to be consumed within the district’s boundaries.
The Carmel City Council on Monday night heard an introduction of plans to create a designated outdoor refreshment area, or DORA, in the city’s central core.
Carmel’s DORA would let people ages 21 and older purchase alcoholic beverages from participating bars, restaurants and vendors, and carry them outside and into other shops in the district that allow drinks.
Open container laws do not prohibit people from carrying alcoholic beverages outside in Carmel, but the proposed measure would limit open consumption of. alcoholic drinks in the district to those purchased at participating businesses.
“People that have concerns about people drinking in public, it’s legal in Carmel. Anybody can walk around Carmel with an open container,” Carmel City Council member Matthew Snyder said at Monday’s meeting. “What this does is it puts guardrails on it. It makes it more secure.”
Alcoholic drinks are not permitted at the city’s parks, so councilors will also consider an ordinance to amend the alcohol prohibition on sections of the Monon Greenway that would pass through the DORA.
So far, three restaurants have applied to be designated permittees in the DORA district: Fork and Ale House (350 Veterans Way, No. 150), 101 Beer Kitchen (1200 S. Rangeline Ave, Suite 101) and Anthony’s Chophouse and 3UP (201 W. Main St.).
“You can bring a bottle of wine from home and be right there in [Midtown Plaza], and under our rules right now, there’s nothing stopping somebody from doing that at the moment,” Councilor Adam Aasen said. “But what they’re not doing is purchasing it from Fork and Ale, who’s a business right next door.”
Carmel’s DORA district would be bounded by First Street NW to the north, Third Avenue SW and Fourth Avenue SW to the west, West Carmel Drive to the south and First Avenue SE to the east with some variations along the eastern border. The district would include the Arts & Design District and Midtown. Times the DORA would be in effect have not been determined, but they cannot violate state law, which prohibits sales between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m.
People would be required to carry plastic cups with the DORA logo throughout the district. Businesses and restaurants would have signs saying DORA beverages are welcome, sold or not permitted inside.
Patrons would be limited to two beverages at a time, and drinks would only be allowed within the DORA boundaries. Exit signage would be posted at the boundaries of the DORA.
The maximum fill limits for beverages sold within Carmel’s DORA would be 16 ounces for beer or flavored malt drinks; 12 ounces for wine, cider or a premixed cocktail; and 10 ounces, including up to two ounces of liquor, for liquor or a liquor-based cocktail.
Residents who spoke at Monday’s meeting expressed concerns about people’s behavior while drinking downtown, how DORA rules will be enforced and how the DORA would impact Carmel’s family-friendly areas.
Council members sent the proposal to the Land Use and Special Studies Committee where councilors Matthew Snyder, Shannon Minnaar, Anita Joshi and Teresa Ayers will examine the DORA district.
Members of the Noblesville City Council and the Westfield City Council have approved DORA districts for their cities in Hamilton County. Both cities are awaiting approval from the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission.
Noblesville lobbied for a bill to allow DORA districts beginning in 2021. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Bill 20 last year, making Indiana the fifth state to allow DORAs—following North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. Communities are allowed to have up to seven DORA districts.
The ATC has approved DORA districts for 13 Indiana communities—Batesville, Fort Wayne, Greensburg, Huntingburg, Jasper, Jeffersonville, Kirklin, Lawrenceburg, Logansport, Shelbyville, Warsaw, Winona Lake and Yorktown.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to state that Senate Bill 20 authorized the creation of designated outdoor refreshment areas.
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I wonder if the patrols will step up and if we’ll see DUI’s increase?
I’m wondering if Indianapolis is somehow exempt from needing to apply for a DORA? I remember rules against drinking in public being lifted for the Super Bowl, and don’t recall them ever being put back into place. I don’t live in Indy anymore, or drink anymore for that matter, but I remember there being plenty of bars that let you take your drink with you if it’s in a plastic cup. I also talked to cops before with a mixed drink in my hand while walking down the sidewalk. Does anyone have insight on this?
It is perfectly legal in marion county – most cops just pretend it is not to harass people in the entertainment districts
Open carry of alcohol has always been legal in Indiana, Indianapolis just made an effort to promote that during the Super Bowl. It remains legal, so I have no idea why any of these “Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas” are necessary.
As a resident who lives within the proposed DORA district, I feel this is actually a step back for me. If this becomes law, I can no longer bring a bottle of wine and enjoy a picnic at Midtown Plaza. Instead, only those who are buying drinks can do so. Those BYOBing are made criminals.
I agree—this feels like a step back.
So long as BYOB is not impacted, this is wonderful