New Philadelphia residents and business owners continue weighing in on the proposed outdoor drinking area for art on the alley and other downtown events.
Supporters and opponents alike shared their thoughts Monday evening during a public hearing at city hall.
Among community members to speak included Don Whittingham, who owns The Delaware, and he reiterated his pledge to establish a yearly blues festival if council moves forward with the DORA.
Mayor Joel Day proposed the outdoor drinking designation, which would apply to a few blocks between 1st Drive and Second Street and have eight establishments participating.
“Everything from trash collection to police protection it’s really going to be no different in my mind. The cost goes to the organizers.”
Meanwhile, Revive Church pastor Tom Cunningham is concerned about littering and other potential problems, despite none being reported by the DORA communities that Day and other city officials contacted.
“There’s going to be public urination, there’s going to be fighting, there’s going to be trash, and there’s going to be a number of things. There’re houses involved in there if all the residents are understanding what their front porch view might be like.”
The consultant who prepared the city’s application told council she wasn’t aware of any DORA-related issues in other communities she has helped achieve the designation.
“I truly have not. I wish I could give one example, but I can’t. Folks aren’t doing this to get drunk. If they want to get drunk, they’re just going to go inside and sit at the bar and get drunk.”
With a new law in place, Ray Avenue northeast resident Ted Knapp fears what might come next.
“With the change in marijuana laws it will just be a matter of time, in my opinion, until it is introduced in outdoor designated areas. New Philadelphia should maintain its integrity by denying the DORA movement.”
Following the public hearing, council directed law director Marvin Fete to prepare legislation authorizing the application for members to consider at a future session.
The only no vote came from Councilwoman Cheryl Ramos, whose suggestions included appointing someone from the recovery community to the DORA oversight board.
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