Downtown New Albany could soon see designated outdoor zone for drinking adult beverages

NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- Downtown New Albany could soon become a place where you can sip an adult beverage while taking a stroll.

The city council will consider an ordinance Monday evening that would make much of downtown a "Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area" (DORA) as soon as this summer.

The ordinance would allow people to buy their adult beverages and take them outside, or to other participating establishments.

"I would think it'd be OK. I just worry about the children, that's pretty much it," said New Albany resident Deja Powell. "But besides that, I think if adults can be adults, I think everything will be fine."

A DORA is a "specified area of land designated by a city that would be exempt from certain open container laws," according to the New Albany City Plan Commission, which said the city's DORA would span "the entire downtown area" as well as "some of the outskirts."

Map of DORA.png — This map outlines New Albany's proposed "Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area," which is being discussed during a city council meeting on Monday, June 5, 2023. (WDRB photo)

According to the ordinance, the city already conducts "regular monitoring" of the proposed DORA area, which spans several downtown blocks. New Albany's current police headquarters is also located within the DORA district. Additionally, the commission cites the recently passed Senate Bill 20, which allows an Indiana city or town to "designate an outdoor location as a refreshment area."

In a letter to the city council, the commission cites a Comprehensive Plan adopted by the city in 2017 with a goal to make the city a "'vibrant, welcoming, inclusive, compassionate community where progress will be for the betterment of all."

One of the goals of the plan, the commission said, is to "'Invest in infrastructure and amenities to make New Albany a premier location to live, learn, work, dine and shop,'" to "'encourage a balance of uses in the Downtown District to make it a regional designation with a healthy mix of activity during the day and evening.'''

The commission cites this plan and the fact that the city has already implemented several projects to reach these goals, including transforming one-way streets to two-way streets, and the rebuilding of East Main Street, construction of which is still ongoing.

The city's idea to create this designated area is meant to attract more foot traffic downtown to "further boost the local economy." It's also something many businesses in the area think will work.

Two New Albany pizza restaurants, 8th Street Pizza and Parlour, hope to see more customers if the ordinance passes.

"I think it'll be a great thing," said Jeff Minton, owner of 8th Street Pizza. "You've got multiple restaurants, all within walking distance, so you can just , you can have a beer here and an appetizer somewhere else and then, you know, a meal somewhere else and I think that's really cool."

It's a welcome boost in potential traffic for downtown businesses that have seen a dip amid multiple construction projects.

"I think it's going to bring a lot of business," said Jeremy Dickinson, general manager of Parlor Pizza New Albany. "Hopefully this kind of helps compensate for the closures of the roads and bridges and we'll be glad when it's over with."

If approved, signs would be placed around the designated area and at each participating business to indicate the boundaries of the zone.

Each business would also have to use cups with special logos, which Minton believes is a small price to pay for the potential benefits.

"We all want to succeed, and we want everyone else to (too)," he said.

The city council discussed the proposal during a second reading at its meeting on Monday. While the idea gained support from many, it also drew some criticism.

"I would like to see some sort of trash pick-up, as a resident, because as it currently goes, you could walk outside any of the late-night bars on a Friday or Saturday and see their cups all out there or bottles or cans," said one speaker.

The city council will take a final vote on the ordinance during a meeting next Thursday, June 15. If it passes, it would head to Indiana's Alcohol and Tobacco Commission for approval. If approved, it could go into effect as early as next month.