ATHENS, Ohio — Athens City Council at its committees meeting Monday discussed the potential expansion of the city’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area to incorporate Athens’ West Side neighborhood.
DORAs are special designated areas where Ohio municipalities may relax open container laws. Athens has had its DORA since 2021; in 2024 the DORA expanded down Stimson Avenue.
Planning and Development Committee Chair Alan Swank said April 27 that the city received a request to add into its DORA the area around Tavolino, at 9 N. Shafer St., and West End Ciderhouse, at 234 W. Washington St., with a route along Byard, Shafer and Smith streets.
That request came from West End Ciderhouse, Mayor Steve Paterson told the Independent via email. City Planner Meghan Jennings said in an email that owner Deanna Schwartz requested the expansion last year, in May 2025.
Schwartz told the Independent in an email she believes DORA expansion will be “a positive economic driver” for the West Side, especially in the summertime.
“We’ve felt a little excluded with the summer events around town tied to DORA,” Schwartz said in an email. “We need that extra motivation that events offer to get folks into town, especially being off the beaten path. I look forward to seeing the proposed route and discussing collaborative possibilities with other businesses along the way.”
Athens’ DORA is primarily located in the Uptown area; its western boundary is around the Depot-Station streets intersection, and its eastern boundary ends around the Stimson Avenue fire station.
Athens’ DORA is active the Friday before Ohio University graduation through the Sunday before Ohio University fall semester classes begin, from noon to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon through 8 p.m. Sundays.
Committee member Megal Almeida, 1st Ward, said she didn’t have any concerns about DORA coming into the West Side.
“I think it would be a nice addition to support our local businesses, kind of draw the community in a different capacity,” Almeida said. “I like it, and thinking of folks that I know on the West Side just off the top of my head, I feel like they would be supportive of this as well.”
Council member Jessica Thomas, At-Large asked about potentially creating a small DORA, just for the West Side.
Patterson said creating a second DORA has been considered in the context of the redevelopment of The Ridges, and he suggested “reserving” a second DORA for a different area in the future.
State law limits DORAs to 320 acres in cities with populations under 50,000. Athens’ DORA covers 53.88 acres, Jennings told Swank by email.
State law also requires municipalities to review the DORA five years after its start, including a public hearing, and either renew or dissolve the designation. Swank said the city is conducting that review now. A public hearing is scheduled for June 1.
In the meantime, the city is collecting feedback from the public regarding the past five years of Athens’ DORA.
Swank said the DORA saves time and expenses for both the city and business owners.
“This relieves them and us of having to get a liquor permit for each and every one of these events, and really streamlines the process,” he said.
Swank read an email from Athens Police Department Chief Nick Magruder stating that over the past five years, “we [APD] have not had a single issue” with DORA.
“I truly don’t see anything that needs to be improved or any concerns,” Magruder wrote to Swank. “The best thing we can do is keep the DORA dates as is. Sorry for the short response, but it truly has not been an issue for the PD.”
As in years past, there will be a DORA kickoff event in Uptown Athens beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 16 — this year, in conjunction with the third annual Athens Porchfest.
Jackie O’s requests street closures
Athens Porchfest will feature performances by over 100 artists across town over the May 15–17 weekend. One of the final performances will take place at Jackie O’s Taproom, at 25 Campbell St., featuring the Wild Honeybees, Mdou Moctar and more.
Transportation Committee Chair Beth Clodfelter, At-Large, introduced an application to close portions of Campbell and Grant streets near the Jackie O’s Taproom from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, May 17.
Access to AMVETS Post 76, at 20 Campbell St., should not be impacted by the closure, Patterson said. Aimee Delach, a lead Porchfest organizer, spoke in support of the closure.
“I want to thank you for considering this,” Delach said. “I think, just as a safety matter, it’s a really good idea to do this closure — that’s a constricted, tight area,” Delach said. She estimated that around 500 people will attend the closing Porchfest performances at Jackie O’s Taproom.
The council will consider the street closure at its next regular meeting Monday, May 4. Clodfelter said she will request a suspension of the rules Monday in order for the ordinance to pass in time for the event.
Council member Michael Wood, 3rd Ward, suggested that in the future, as the event grows, the city and Porchfest organizers may consider closing streets down. Delach said Porchfest street closures are “probably not a viable solution”in the long term, though organizers may be interested in blocking off smaller sections for the event.
Athens City Council’s next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, May 4, at Athens City Hall, Council Chambers, third floor, 8 E. Washington St. Meetings are also streamedonline. Regular sessions are on the first and third Mondays of the month; committee meetings are on the second and fourth Mondays.
