Dayton approves first outdoor drinking area
Virus delays launch of Oregon District outdoor drinking.
The city of Dayton has approved its first outdoor drinking area, but because of the new coronavirus, there’s no telling when street beers and curb cocktails will be allowed.
Customers will be allowed to take drinks outside on East Fifth Street in the Oregon District and some nearby areas, like sections of Wayne Avenue, if and when life returns to something like normal and bars and restaurants get the OK to resume fuller operations.
The Oregon District also has to put in signage, acquire and sell designated cups or containers and take other measures to launch the outdoor drinking area.
After remaining indoors, sheltering in place and engaging in social distancing, Daytonians may be eager to celebrate with drinks outside when the opportunity comes.
Outdoor drinking could help promote a walkable, vibrant area with increased activity, said Emily Mendenhall, co-owner of Lily’s Bistro.
“We (want) to create this really dynamic, beautiful downtown area,” she said.
Recently, the city commission approved an ordinance establishing the boundaries and rules for the Oregon Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area.
The legislation technically takes effect in mid-April, but city officials said they do not expect the outdoor drinking area to be operating that soon — and that was before the coronavirus led to widespread business closures and disruption.
When implemented, the outdoor drinking area will allow patrons of participating bars, restaurants and other businesses to buy alcoholic drinks in special containers they can take outside.
People will be allowed to drink outdoors in the designated area, which spans from South Main Street to the west to Bainbridge Street to the east.
People will not be allowed to carry their drinks into other establishments that sell alcohol, but they will be able to visit shops and businesses that do not serve alcohol that permit it.
The drinking area’s hours of operation would be noon to midnight every day of the year except St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) and the last Saturday of October (Hauntfest).
City of Dayton staff did research on and contacted multiple jurisdictions with outdoor refreshment areas and found that they had few problems with the districts and viewed them as assets, said Tony Kroeger, Dayton’s planning manager.
Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said she believes the Oregon District could become the most popular outdoor drinking area in the state.