Mishawaka council approves outdoor drinking district for downtown's Ironworks Plaza

MISHAWAKA — The city joined a list of Indiana cities where people can enjoy an open drink in a designated area after the Common Council approved the measure Monday night.

A designated outdoor refreshment area (DORA) will open up in Ironworks Plaza and Beutter Park in as early as 60 days, city officials said. A new state law has allowed cities and towns to set up districts to allow people to carry open drinks during select hours and days.

Mishawaka has designated an area in Ironworks Plaza encompassing Beutter Park and some nearby areas where people can buy drinks in special cups and carry them in the defined space.

Matthew Lentsch, director of development and governmental affairs, said the city now will gather details like the cups used by approved vendors, the signage for the district boundaries and the final approval from the Indiana State Alcohol and Tobacco Commission.

Under the ordinance, people will be able to buy drinks from approved vendors in the zone and carry them in an area roughly from Main Street on the east, Front Street except for the area south of The Mill to the south, the parking area past the Ironworks Events Center to the west, and Beutter Park — but not the Riverwalk sidewalk — to the north.

The city has touted the designated drinking area, calling it another tool in bringing people who come downtown to further enjoy the freedom of socializing without the restrictions of alcohol in the parks.

The area will be open to the outdoor drink rules only from 4 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

A "last call" provision will be in effect where licensed vendors would have to stop serving drinks for the DORA 30 minutes before its end. The DORA also would not be in effect on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The council voted 8-1 for the DORA ordinance, with Council member Lou Ann Hazen voting no for the ordinance as well as the change in the parks' rules prohibiting alcohol on park land. The ordinance will allow drinking in parks only during the hours and locations where the designated refreshment area is established.

Mishawaka Assistant Police Chief Alex Arendt presented the department's position that the patrols currently in the parks would be able to enforce the designated area. While he said the new DORA would be new, he said the departmental review of the area came to the conclusion that it could be patrolled effectively.

"We've shown time and time again that through festivals, through all kinds of activities that the riverfront, Ironworks Plaza, Beutter Park, the (Ball-Band) Biergarten are places that people come to," Lentsch said. "What happens is that a person goes to Social Cantina, and they have to finish their drink before they walk to the Biergarten or walk around the plaza."

Council members were concerned over the hours of the designated area. Council member Dale "Woody" Emmons said he was not in favor of the Sunday hours for the DORA. The hours — 11 a.m.-4 p.m. — coincide with the Farmers Market that takes place in the summer months along Ironworks Drive.

Council member Lacy Hahn said she still hopes that the city's review of the DORA — which will remain in operation until only Oct. 31 this year by ordinance — will give consideration of other potential designated areas, like the downtown vendors that are along Main Street and Mishawaka Avenue.

Mayor Dave Wood said the new designated drinking area will only enhance the city's way of attracting people as well as helping area vendors.

"We just want to be in the forefront on the advanced edge of economic development," Wood said "Families like them. We felt that Mishawaka was the perfect test bed for something like this ... we have some circuit-breakers in there so if there becomes issues with it, we can stop it immediately. Also if it succeeds, we have a review period in there where we can add other DORAs."

Email Tribune staff writer Greg Swiercz at gswiercz@sbtinfo.com

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Mishawaka council approves outdoor drinking district for downtown's Ironworks Plaza