NEW ALBANY, Ind. — The New Albany City Council is considering an ordinance that would allow open containers in some parts of downtown.
The ordinance would create a Designated Outdoor Drinking Area, or DORA. How the move would play out in New Albany was up for discussion at Monday night's council meeting.
Under the ordinance, people could purchase alcoholic beverages and drink them outside, within the designated area.
According to the ordinance proposal, residents could not bring their own drinks, rather they would need to purchase beverages at businesses participating in the DORA.
The move follows the signing of a law by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb in May, which gave way for DORAs to be established in the state.
Several people at Monday's meeting supported the idea, citing the opportunity to boost tourism in New Albany. Others raised concerns about things like safety, proximity to churches, and keeping the downtown area clean.
"There is a lot of litter on Friday and Saturday nights, not included in the DORA right now," resident Andrew Nicholson said. "So, I would like to see some type of trash pick-up or something as a resident, because as it currently goes, you can walk outside of almost any of the late night bars on a Friday or Saturday night and see their cups, bottles and cans."
No decision has been made on whether to implement the DORA ordinance just yet. The council is expected to seek further input from local businesses.
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