Muncie’s ‘designated outdoor refreshment areas’ are active, says city

Muncie’s designated outdoor refreshment areas – known as DORAs – are now active.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, this allows bar patrons in some sections of the city to take an alcoholic beverage outdoors onto city sidewalks and from one bar or restaurant to another.

The Muncie City Council passed the DORA plan last November and the state gave its approval in May.  City officials had to finalize what businesses will take part before opening up the experience in three districts: Downtown Muncie, the Village next to Ball State University, and a corridor of McKinley Avenue between McGalliard and Memorial.

The DORA district rules are in effect seven days a week between noon and midnight.  The state requires signs throughout the zones and for businesses to use required cups with a special logo.  Muncie officials also say window clings will identify what businesses are taking part.

When the measure was in front of the city council, Ball State University, its police department, and the Muncie Police Department all spoke in favor of the plan.  At the plan’s first reading in front of the council in October 2024, Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour and the council members sponsoring the ordinance say both the Muncie Police Department and Ball State University Police Department are already patrolling the areas and don’t see a problem with the DORA designation. They say all other rules governing alcohol consumption stay in place.

The town of Yorktown adopted the second DORA ordinance in the state in 2023.  Its town manager has said Yorktown’s DORA did not have a single alcohol-related incident in 2024.

Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host.  Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.