Latest news with #DORAs
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ashtabula Council passes variety of zoning moratoriums
ASHTABULA — City council passed moratoriums on a wide variety of items in hopes of reviewing city businesses while looking to the future. 'Basically what we are doing is putting a pause in the city,' Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere said. He said the city is updating its master plan, and needed to put some businesses on hold so studies can take place to review how they affect the city. Timonere estimated it will take about a year and a half to complete the process. He added if there is a situation where council wanted to lift a moratorium, they could do so, but only once. 'It doesn't affect anyone who is already in business,' Timonere said. Ashtabula City Solicitor Cecilia Cooper said any present business can stay in business and even expand at the same location, but if they move, the moratorium would come into effect. The first moratorium was place a hold on the construction of any accessory structure over 200 square feet. Moratoriums on certain kinds of businesses consist of auto and truck rentals, boarding houses, check cashing or pay day lending businesses, vaping and tobacco stores, food trucks with permanent locations, junk or scrap yards, motor vehicle fuel dispensing, small box retail stores, thrift stores and used or new vehicle stores. Council also passed an ordinance to create a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area in the Ashtabula Harbor. A DORA is a designated area which is exempt from certain open container laws. The proposal will be sent to the Ohio Department of Commerce, which regulates DORAs throughout the state. The city of Geneva recently opened a DORA in its downtown area. Council approved an ordinance allowing Timonere to enter into a partnership with Ashtabula County and the Ohio Development Services Agency for housing grant funds. Council also approved a resolution allowing the city to enter into a water pollution loan fund for the design phase for work at the Ashtabula Water Department, not to exceed $700,000. Timonere said this is part of $100 million proposed projects over a 10-year period. Timonere was granted approval to enter into a contract with the Ashtabula County YMCA to hire lifeguards at Walnut Beach, with the cost of the contract not to exceed $25,620.78. The funding to create an Americans with Disabilities Act parking lot adjacent to the inclusive playground at Walnut Beach was approved with Capp Steel, not to exceed $29,500. Council accepted the donation of the playground from the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and approved a $3,100 change order for a paving project. Plans were approved to the transition of a tennis court at Harbor Topky Library into two Pickleball courts, at a cost not to exceed $23,458 with Site Technology Inc. Three potential amendments to the city charter were approved for placement on the Nov. 4 ballot. The amendment would allow the city manager to approve expenditures up to $50,000 without council approval, approve change orders up to $50,000 and allow the city manager to okay contracts if they are not more than 10% over an engineer's estimated cost. Timonere said the change is needed because the cost of almost everything is over the present limit of $10,000, which was created in 1996. A 6th Street restoration project was approved on a contract with Koski Construction not to exceed $19,975. An emergency air line repair at the Ashtabula Wastewater Department was approved by emergency, as the repair is essential to the operation of the plant. A one year contract with Jefferson Healthcare was approved. Council approved proposed renewals for a five-year 1.5 mill levy for parks and recreation and a .3 mill levy for senior citizens. The final item of business involved the approval for Timonere to apply for a more-than-$400,000 grant to resurface the southern part of Hulbert Avenue. Council continued discussions regarding the condition of the CSX underpass on Lake Avenue. Timonere thanked Anthony Oquendo for his ongoing efforts regarding the bridge. Timonere said the city has little ability to do anything related to railroad properties which are overseen by the Federal Railroad Administration. Council voted down a 75% tax abatement for an Ohio Avenue developer, saying they felt the developer should get a seven-year 100% abatement, as other projects have received.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ashtabula considering DORA for the Harbor
ASHTABULA — City administration is exploring the possibility having a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area in the Harbor, Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere said at a Monday council meeting. Timonere said DORAs are areas where people can buy alcoholic beverages and walk outside with it to other participating establishments. There are a lot of steps involved in applying for a DORA, including involving city council and asking for public input, Timonere said. 'They recently passed this in Geneva,' he said. 'I had a great meeting the Geneva City Manager on the process.' Timonere will be meeting with harbor business owners soon to talk with them about it, he said. City administration is looking into other parts of Ashtabula for DORAs as well, he said. 'With our population, we're allowed to have three areas considered for a DORA,' Timonere said. 'There's a lot of acreage that goes along with it, so I think if we start out with a certain map, we can always expand it.' Council approved additional funds for restoration work following construction of an inclusive playground at Walnut Beach Park. The playground is being built by Capp Steel Erectors. The city entered into a contract with the company Oct. 10, 2024. The contract's expansion adds $6,025 to the original cost. Timonere said there will be ribbon cutting with the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities after work is complete. Public works have been getting to street maintenance, Timonere said. 'This winter was brutal on these roads,' he said. City council voted to renew two levies. One is 1.5-mill levy funding the city's parks. Ward 4 Councilperson Jodi Mills is grateful for the levy's funding, she said. 'It's been a great asset,' she said. Mills said unlike other municipalities, the city does not have just one main park. 'A lot of times [people] don't realize all these little parks we have,' she said. Council President John Roskovics said the city utilizes its levies well. 'We do a great job of taking those levies and multiplying their effect,' he said. The other renewal levy is 0.3 mills, and is for the operation of the Senior Citizens Service Center by the Ashtabula County Council on Aging. Timonere said council will later have to decide whether to proceed after the Ashtabula County Auditor's Office comes back with how much money the levies generate. After that, council will have to approve ballot language from the Ashtabula County Board of Elections. The levies should be on the ballot in November from there, Timonere said. The city entered into a $11,400 contract with Brobst Tree and Stump Service for yard waste disposal services. Timonere said a contract is approved annually.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Evansville city council approves ordinance for outdoor drinking area downtown
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — The ability to walk around part of downtown Evansville with an alcoholic beverage will soon be a reality. City council members unanimously voted and approved an ordinance tonight, clearing the way for the city to create a designated outdoor refreshment area, or DORA in downtown Evansville. 'It seems like a very exciting addition to our community,' says Ben Trockman, the Evansville City Council president. City leaders say it will help local businesses grow. Adam Trinkle, the Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District Executive Director, presented the ordinance before the city council. He says he got the idea after seeing the success of DORA in other Hoosier communities, like Fort Wayne and Noblesville. 'DORAs attract foot traffic, benefiting restaurants, bars, retail shops, entertainment, and other spaces. This activity leads to increased sales, job creation, and a stronger local economy through revenue and increased sales tax revenue,' says Trinkle. Trinkle says the current outline is intentional and is designed to include a wide range of businesses downtown. It begins at the corner of Northwest 1st Street and Riverside Drive, following the curve of the riverfront up to the Pigeon Creek Greenway passage until Mickey's Kingdom Park. Mary Allen is on the city council and says many constituents are on board with the idea, but adds she has seen some safety concerns. 'I have had several constituents text me and are in support of it. And I have seen some concerns on social media about potential crime, public intoxication, and those types of things. But histories that other cities have implemented show this not to be true,' she says. Trinkle says the area would have time restrictions. It would be open from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weeknights and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. If approved, the DORA hours of operation would be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily between the months of June and July. Trinkle also says all entrances and exits would have signs. 'It is a clear indicator to folks who come into the DORA, that they can't bring an outdoor beverage or for folks who are exciting the DORA that they can't leave with that beverage,' Trinkle says. All of the drinks would be in special cups, which Trinkle says would be recycled. He says the next step is working on permit applications through the Alcohol and Tabacco Commission. He hopes to have the area open sometime this spring. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
