Possible compromise on DORA in the works

Can there be compromise in the disagreement between Noblesville city officials and Hamilton County officials over the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area?

DORA, as it is called, allows restaurant and tavern patrons to carry their alcoholic beverages outdoors to relax on benches or mingle with friends from one location to another in the downtown district. But, county officials don’t want drinking on the Courthouse grounds, which is virtually in the center of the DORA district.

Carmel and Westfield are establishing DORA districts, but Noblesville is in a different situation. Other communities do not have county properties within their business districts. In Noblesville, nearly one third of the DORA area is county property including the Courthouse, Judicial Center, county parking garage and even the Logan Street bridge. Elsewhere in Noblesville is the Corrections Campus, the county fairgrounds, and county-owned Riverview Hospital.

So, the county has understandable interests in the city. And, cooperation between city and county would seem to be necessary. For the most part, relations over the years have been good.

County Commissioner Steve Dillinger says alcoholic beverages on the courthouse grounds except in very specific circumstances is “not going to happen.” Noblesville Deputy Mayor Matt Light says he understands the county position and thinks compromise is possible and likely. He says the county will hear from the city on the matter “in the relatively near future.”

Perhaps Noblesville officials should have advised the county of plans for the DORA district which some business owners want and could draw more business to the downtown area. But, the county has generally never approved of liquor on county property and does not want to see the possible effects from folks drinking on the courthouse lawn which is a well maintained park-like green space in the center of town.

Probably no one wants to have sheriff’s deputies posted on the square to keep away the drinking as has been suggested by some. Compromise would seem to be most likely if the city would exempt the Courthouse property from the designated district except for special events approved by the county.

The general idea has been proposed in private conversations, but to date no agreement has been reached. The DORA district has been created by city ordinance, and awaits approval from the Indiana Alcoholic Beverage Commission before becoming effective.

Columnist Fred Swift has worked in newspapers for decades. He has been sharing his opinions in the pages of The Reporter since it began. Email him at swiftfred19@gmail.com.