CARMEL, Ind. — Carmel could soon add an outdoor refreshment area.
An ordinance was introduced Monday night to create a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, or "DORA," in the city. The district would roughly follow the Monon Trail, between Carmel Drive and Main Street.
Last month, councilors in Bargersville and Westfield approved DORAs for their communities. The district includes participating businesses who pour drinks into specially marked plastic cups for people to carry with them throughout the district.
Under Carmel's plan, customers would be allowed to take no more than two open alcoholic beverages out of a participating business into the DORA. Beer and flavored malt beverages will be limited to 16 ounces; wine, cider and premixed cocktails can be no larger than 12 ounces; and liquor or a liquor-based cocktail can be up to 10 ounces, including up to two ounces of liquor.
Currently, three businesses have submitted applications to be part of the DORA, including Fork and Ale House, 101 Beer Kitchen and Anthony's Chophouse and 3UP.
Carmel's proposal includes an exception to a ban on alcohol on the Monon Trail for the parts of the trail that fall within the district. The plan has been sent to the city council's Land Use Committee for review.
So far, 13 Indiana cities have been approved for this kind of district.
