By Sam Wildow
TROY — Voters in Troy upheld the city’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) during Tuesday’s election.
According to unofficial results, the DORA received 3,080 votes, or 58.8%, in favor of upholding the ordinance and 2,151 votes, or 41.12%, against the ordinance.
“We’re excited about the turnout Troy had,” said Brian Cardinal, a member of the Promote Troy DORA group. “We’re glad to see the community came together to put this in place (and) help support the local businesses.” He said they were excited by all of the support the group had from Troy Main Street, the Troy Area Chamber of Commerce, the Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau, and local businesses both downtown and throughout the community.
“It has been wide-spread support,” Cardinal said.
DORA, established by the state of Ohio in 2015, allows visitors age 21 and older to purchase an alcoholic beverage from an approved and liquor-permitted establishment, then stroll and shop within the DORA boundaries. Currently, 56 communities in Ohio have DORA districts.
“We are pleased that we will have the opportunity to implement a DORA in our downtown business community and to give it the same opportunity for success that has been found in so many other communities in our region and around the state,” Mayor Robin Oda said. Oda said they have not heard about issues being caused by a DORA in other communities, including from the police departments in those areas.
On March 15, the Troy City Council voted 7-2 to approve the ordinance to apply for the DORA application. Council members Bill Rozell and Bill Twiss voted “no” on the DORA. Troy’s DORA application was approved by the state around April 1.
Troy’s DORA will encompass a 20.24-acre area including the Public Square and parts of downtown. It will operate Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. Alcoholic beverages purchased from participating, liquor-permitting businesses can be consumed outdoors and in businesses displaying signage that says they accept DORA drinks.
More than 50 Ohio communities have established a DORA since 2015. The average size of a DORA district is 51 acres and 84 percent of all DORAs in Ohio open their DORA throughout the entire week.
The referendum on the Nov. 2 ballot nullified the previous start date of the DORA, which was set to launch in April. According to the Ohio Revised Code, the city must wait five days after the Board of Elections certifies the results. The Board of Elections is scheduled to certify results on Nov. 17. The city could reinstate the DORA as soon as after the Thanksgiving holiday, but the city has not committed to a start-date yet.
“We will wait for the election to be certified by the Board of Elections, plus an additional five-day required waiting period. Any other announcements will be forthcoming,” Oda said.
