INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis may soon have its first designated outdoor refreshment area, or DORA.

The Rules and Public Policy Committee of the Indianapolis City-County Council will hear a proposal that could make Irvington a place where customers can publicly take their drinks from the bar to the outdoors and walk around.

The state government lists 46 DORAs, including ones in Carmel and Speedway.

The Irvington proposal has people divided. Supporters say this will boost business, while others say they’re concerned about safety.

Democratic City-County Councilor Andy Nielsen, who represents the area, said he’s listened to residents’ concerns and is tweaking the proposal in time for Tuesday’s meeting. He said he’s heard overwhelming support. “Anywhere from neighbors, community leaders, and other businesses that they’re excited about for our neighborhood. It’s going to be a positive development, but we also heard some of the comments on Tuesday (during the last meeting) and got to work.”

Initially, the proposal covered one large area: Bonna Avenue and East Washington Street between South Auduben Road and South Ritter Avenue.

Under Nielsen’s new amendment the area is broken down in two smaller sections along South Audubon Road between Bonna Avenue and East Washington Street. Nielsen says the change is to ensure that streets where customers can drink are more focused next to bars instead of on residential areas.

“There were a few neighbors who were concerned about the residential properties, the number of homes in the physical DORA and we took that to heart. This will allow DORA to operate as it was intended. The new map and old map, while they look different, they are operationally the same,” Nielsen said.

Nielsen added another change, which will include recyclable drink cups for participating DORA bars to limit waste. Nielsen said participating bars will be responsible for providing these cups and trash cans.

“The DORA is really exciting. It’s allowing all the businesses who choose to participate in it to make money and to be on the same playing field as breweries and alcohol distributors that come into town.”

Bar owner Carey Shea said the DORA could bring more revenue not just for his bar but for the surrounding businesses as customers walk around the mapped areas. At the moment, he said, his bar is limited when it comes to large public events including the annual Irvington Halloween Street Festival. Those events can bring in 40,000 to 80,000 people.

“The important thing to know about is the change is very little. People can already walk around with open containers in the city, they just can’t take it from a business. What this allows is during events when we have other breweries and other alcohol distributors come to town, they’re allowed to sell that alcohol and people can walk around those festivals. But (currently without DORA) if people were to come into our business, people can’t leave our business (with a cup of alcohol in hand).”

Shea said Dora will be regulated and bartenders can still deny alcohol to unruly people if they’ve had too much. He said it might make it safer for the community.

As of now, he said, residents can walk around drinking if the alcohol came from their home or a liquor store.

On Tuesday, the committee will hear the proposal at 5 p.m. in the City-County Building and make recommendations. The event is open to public feedback.

The full City-County Council could vote on an Irvington DORA as soon as Dec. 1.

If it passes the council, the DORA could be in effect early 2026.

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