Cole's owners wary of competition if Amherst's DORA goes ahead

This story has been updated to reflect Councilwoman Stephanie Smith also opposed recessing for the month of August. AMHERST — The owners of Cole's Public House are wary of competition that could take their customers if a special downtown Amherst drinking district is created. Robert Lucas and Brandon Wheeler voiced their concerns Monday in a City Council public hearing. "The worst thing that could happen to us is to set up a beer truck right outside our door," Wheeler said. Council has largely supported a proposal for a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area — a zone where, under an exception in state law, customers would be allowed to walk around freely with alcohol in hand. Nearby Lorain and Sandusky are among the 70 Ohio cities that have already put DORAs in place in their downtowns. Amherst's drinking zone would be limited to special events by permit only, with approval by the mayor or safety services director. Specific rules would only be crafted after Council approves the zone's creation. Mayor Mark Costilow said the DORA would be "very limited in scope" and permit approval would require plans for a police presence and trash removal at the event organizer's expense. "We're really just hoping that this gives an opportunity for brick and mortars that are already here to sell an extra beverage when people are on the way out of the establishment," he said. The intent is to boost downtown bars and restaurants' ability to turn a profit, not to hurt them, Costilow said. Wheeler said he doesn't oppose a DORA, but there are already 15 downtown Amherst businesses with liquor licenses, and no room for more competition. Nor does he want food trucks drawing off customers from his South Main Street restaurant. "We would not want that," said Councilman Martin Heberling, D-at large, who repeated that helping existing businesses is the primary purpose of the proposed DORA. A 2018 ordinance passed after a great deal of debate all but bars food trucks from operating downtown, due to fire regulations that require them to park away from buildings on private property. "The reason you don't see them is because we have a very restrictive ordinance," Council President Jennifer Wasilk said. Those rules would remain in place even with the DORA, she said. Main Street Amherst, the nonprofit that promotes the city's business community, is behind the push for the drinking zone. Director Teresa Gilles is seeking to use it for monthly Walkin' on Wednesdays mini-festivals through the summer months. "We don't want this to be a Mardi Gras," she said Monday, addressing concerns that customers could get tipsy and out of control. "Anybody that knows me knows that I'm born and raised on Put-in-Bay, so I know the good and bad that comes with public intoxication," Lucas said. "So I just want to make sure that we're putting ourselves to really make this successful and not a detriment." Costilow repeated that if the DORA were to cause disruptions, he and Safety Services Director John Jeffreys would be the first to call for it to be dissolved. State law requires city councils to renew their DORAs every five years, but officials don't have to wait, Costilow said — the zones can be shut down anytime. The DORA decision will cause Amherst City Council to skip its tradition of taking off the entire month of August for vacation. Special meetings will be necessary to adhere to state rules for creating the district. With that in mind, council members Chuck Winiarski, Jake Wachholz, Brian Dembinski and Stephanie Smith opposed a summer recess — the vote was 2-4, with Councilman David Janik absent. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.