Youngstown 1st Ward Councilman Julius Oliver talks about the DORA proposed for downtown Youngstown...Oliver is standing along W. Federal St. in downtown Youngstown...by R. Michael Semple

YOUNGSTOWN — City council could approve an ordinance as early as Oct. 16 to designate 34.4 acres downtown as a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area to permit restaurants and bars there to sell alcoholic beverages for outdoor consumption.

Council on Wednesday hosted a public hearing on the proposal as required under state law. Council took the first step when it approved a resolution Aug. 28 creating the DORA. The public hearing also was mandated as is approval from the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Liquor Control before the ordinance vote can occur.

But it’s all a “formality,” said Councilman Julius Oliver, D-1st Ward, who represents the city’s downtown.

“This will open up the door to have more events downtown without the businesses having to pull permits,” he said. “It allows citizens to go from place to place. We can do more to support businesses and bring more people downtown.”

“Our plan is to use the DORA for economic development to get more people downtown supporting the bars and restaurants that already exist and the establishments that plan on coming,” Oliver said.

He added, “The better this works, the more businesses we plan on attracting to downtown for economic development.”

Two members of the public spoke at the hearing.

Tracy Randall of Alexander Street, the failed Republican candidate for the 1st Ward seat in last year’s election, said she opposes the DORA because of her concerns that with a shortage of police officers that “bringing this into play is going to take away from the neighborhoods if something should happen. That’s why I have opposition to it.”

Economic Action Group will have people in the DORA keeping an eye on potential problems. If there is an issue, a police officer would be called.

Police Chief Carl Davis said, “I can assure you that a robust plan to increase police patrols during the DORA will be implemented. Too much development has gone into the downtown area for us to ignore that. I can assure that from a law enforcement perspective, public safety will remain a top priority.”

The department will use community police officers and members of the Neighborhood Response Unit for the DORA, he said.

“If they can’t accommodate us then we’ll offer overtime,” Davis said.

Randall asked if the police department’s overtime budget was already in a deficit. Davis said, “I don’t really go into that. Public safety is first and paramount to me. I don’t get into the deficit.”

The proposal would require alcohol to be sold in specific plastic cups 4 to 11 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and noon to 11 p.m. Saturdays. Special hours of DORA operation would be permitted in advance by the mayor with the consent of city council under the plan.

The proposed DORA location would include nearly all of downtown, including the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre.

The city has considered a DORA for about five years.

The other comment at the hearing came from Helen McCarthy of Wakefield Avenue, who said she wasn’t in favor or opposed to the DORA, but asked why the public hearing was at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

City Clerk Valencia Marrow said the hearing was set to accommodate downtown businesses that would be affected by the DORA and close for lunch around 2 p.m. Also, she said, most city council public hearings are held around 2:30 p.m.

No downtown business owners attended the meeting.

Councilman Mike Ray, D-4th Ward, said most people don’t come to the city’s public hearings and if they want to make comments, they submit them in writing or contact their council member.

Oliver said he was confident that council would pass the DORA.

“It’s a win-win for the citizens and the businesses,” Oliver said.

Council could vote on the DORA as soon as its Oct. 16 meeting. If not then, a vote would likely occur at its following meeting, Nov. 20.

The Division of Liquor Control has permitted more than 150 DORAs in the state since they were legalized in 2015.

Austintown established a DORA on Patriot Boulevard in May and it includes Biker Brewhouse, Quaker Steak & Lube and Cracker Barrel.