Zionsville Town Council considers designated outdoor refreshment area

Zionsville leaders are considering the creation of a designated outdoor refreshment area in the town's historic Village. (IBJ photo/Eric Learned)

Zionsville could become the first Boone County community 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 Zionsville Town Council on Tuesday night heard an introduction of plans to create a designated outdoor refreshment area, or DORA, that would encompass areas in, around and south of the town’s historic Village.

Zionsville’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.

Existing open container laws do not prohibit people from carrying alcoholic beverages outside in Zionsville, but the proposed measure would limit open consumption of alcoholic drinks in the district to those purchased at participating businesses.

“This initiative seeks to promote vibrancy for residents and visitors and provide new opportunities to enjoy shopping and dining, increase foot traffic to local businesses, and promote a welcoming and walkable spirit of our downtown,” Zionsville Superintendent of Parks and Recreation Jarod Logsdon told Town Council members.

So far, four restaurants have applied to be designated permittees in the DORA district: Cobblewood (160 S. Main St.), Hopwood Cellars (12 E. Cedar St.), Rush on Main (112 S. Main St.), and The Friendly Tavern (290 S. Main St.).

Zionsville’s DORA district would be bounded by East Poplar Street to the north, South Elm Street and Dahlia Street to the east, Old 106th Street to the south and South Second Street and the White River to the west.

The district would not initially include Creekside Corporate Park where NTT IndyCar Series driver Graham Rahal owns his GR Brands headquarters and hosts social events, but Logsdon said changes can be made to the DORA’s boundaries in the future. The state allows communities to create up to seven DORA districts.

Zionsville’s DORA district would be in effect from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays.

The maximum fill limits for beverages sold within Zionsville’s DORA would be 16 ounces for beer or flavored malt drinks; 12 ounces for wine, cider or a premixed cocktails; and 10 ounces, including up to two ounces of liquor, for liquor or a liquor-based cocktail.

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 either 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.

Councilor Craig Melton said he is “nervous” about enforcement of the DORA district.

“I feel like the policing of it’s going to be a challenge,” he said.

Another council member, Sarah Esterline Sampson, wondered how the DORA would work when many restaurants and bars in Zionsville close before 11 p.m.

“The timing of it, while it sounds great, and I know it encompasses our special events, if our restaurants all close at nine, and that just means everyone can get a drink before they leave and go stand in the streets,” she said. “So would we need more streetlights and police at that point in time?”

Councilor Evan Frank said he is not concerned about people misbehaving.

“I don’t see some of the issues forthcoming with people standing in the street and getting wildly drunk,” he said. “I think it’s going to be just completely fine.”

Town Council members will continue discussing the DORA district at a future meeting.

Members of the Carmel City Council, Noblesville City Council and the Westfield City Council have approved DORA districts for their cities in Hamilton County. Carmel and Westfield are awaiting approval from the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, while Noblesville received the OK in July from the state agency.

Noblesville lobbied for a bill to allow DORA districts beginning in 2021. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed House Bill 1349 last year, making Indiana the fifth state to allow DORAs—following North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The ATC has approved DORA districts for 20 Indiana communities—Bargersville, Batesville, Fort Wayne, Greensburg, Griffith, Huntingburg, Jasper, Jeffersonville, Kirklin, Lafayette, Lawrenceburg, Logansport, New Albany, Noblesville, Roanoke, Shelbyville, Speedway, Warsaw, Winona Lake and Yorktown.