Cuyahoga Falls gives go-ahead to outdoor refreshment zone

Visitors to downtown Cuyahoga Falls will soon be able to enjoy an alcoholic beverage while strolling by the shops and diversions.

Council unanimously approved creating a designated outdoor refreshment area Monday night, which means that people can carry open containers of alcohol in specific, pre-approved cups within a certain part of the city.

The DORA's boundaries are between Front and Second streets, with Moe's Restaurant on the north end and HiHo Brewing Co. and Grant Avenue on the south. Businesses within the zone that hold liquor permits will be eligible to participate. The DORA will cover about 77 acres on a mile-long stretch along Second and Front streets, including concourses next to the Cuyahoga River.

A look back: Cuyahoga Falls considering downtown DORA zone for outdoor drinking

"It will be a great thing for businesses in Cuyahoga Falls," said Ward 1 Councilwoman Rachel Loza. She said a public hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 6 to give residents an opportunity to weigh in on the DORA's impact.

There are more than 120 DORA districts in Ohio, including Akron, Hudson, Kent and Barberton.

In a DORA, customers can drink alcoholic beverages outside the establishments serving them, but they must be served in readily identified clear plastic cups, said Connor McHugh, the assistant law director, in an earlier presentation.

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Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cuyahoga Falls City Council approves DORA district downtown