DORA at Brownsburg

Proposed Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) in Brownsburg location.

If approved, you could soon be enjoying adult beverages while out and about in Downtown Brownsburg. 

“The Town of Brownsburg is always looking for new ways to support our local business community,” Community Relations Senior Manager, Shelby Abner said. 

Therefore “we began talking about a potential DORA when it first became available to municipalities.”

DORA stands for designated outdoor refreshment area, and Brownsburg is currently undergoing approval for their own. Essentially a DORA allows patrons 21 and over to legally purchase, carry and consume alcoholic beverages within the specified parameters. 

Approval is granted through the ATC, Alcohol and Tobacco Commission - a process that typically takes around 90 days according to Abner.

While it hasn’t yet passed, the town anticipates the DORA to officially begin later this fall.

So why open things up to allow drinking in public? 

For one, Abner shared that the DORA is expected to increase revenue for local businesses and vendors. Permitted vendors include Bru Burger, Rush Off Main, Thai District, Books & Brews and others. 

Only drinks sold by designated vendors may be consumed within district boundaries. Beverages purchased outside of the DORA limits may not be consumed.

The town is also hopeful that this change would elevate the overall downtown experience while promoting economic development.

As far as the safety aspect, if approved DORA would be limited to set boundaries and within certain day/hour parameters. 

The Town of Brownsburg website currently lists the days and hours of operation (once approved) as follows; Monday-Thursday: 12-10 p.m., Friday-Sunday: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Abner shared that in developing this area Brownsburg worked closely with the Police Department as well as other communities who have established DORA’s. 

“We’ve been intentional about planning for the DORA and working across departments to establish clear guidelines and expectations,” the communications manager explained. “As with any new initiative, we’ll continue to monitor how the DORA operates and make adjustments as needed to ensure it remains a positive addition to the community.”

For more details, including DORA specifics visit https://www.brownsburg.org/878/Downtown-Brownsburg-DORA.