The summer of 2023 is an exciting time for Downtown Amherst.
City Council and the Ohio Dept. of Commerce approved Amherst’s application to test having a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) in part of our historic district.
This test modifies the state’s open container laws to help local businesses and visitors experience by permitting limited outdoor consumption during specific times within a designated area. This fall, we hope to look at the DORA test and solicit feedback from the residents, safety services, businesses, and government officials. Part of that discussion will ask if we want to continue offering DORA and, if so, what the DORA should look like.
DORAs test will be during selected special events within part of the Historic Downtown Amherst.