New Albany Council Schedules Hearing on Continuing Village Center Outdoor Refreshment District
A Nov. 3 public hearing will consider approving the continued operation of the 41.9-acre Village Center refreshment area.
The New Albany City Council posted a meeting agenda for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. The agenda lists a public hearing on Resolution R-48-2026, a resolution to approve the continued operation of a designated outdoor refreshment area for the New Albany Village Center. Community members and local business owners can address Resolution R-48-2026, the formal legislative measure required to continue the district, during the scheduled public hearing.
The upcoming council vote marks the district's first required statutory evaluation since city officials established the zone. Under Ohio Revised Code 4301.82, a municipal legislative authority must review the operation of an outdoor refreshment area five years after its creation and decide by ordinance or resolution whether to approve its continued operation or dissolve it. If the council votes to dissolve the district, the refreshment area ceases to exist and state authorities revoke all outdoor refreshment designations, whereas approving its continued operation allows the area to remain in effect, according to state liquor provisions. The statute also mandates subsequent five-year reviews following any approval of continued operation.
New Albany Village Hall at 99 W. Main St., where City Council will hold a public hearing on Nov. 3, 2026.
Credit: Google Street View · © 2026 Google · Google Street View panorama JAz3TQV1MvogC7zZFzaL2w, captured September 2024
District Footprint and Venues
According to city district records, the Village Center refreshment area spans approximately 41.9 acres and encompasses portions of the Market Square development, Rose Run Park, and the arts district. The city's performing arts facilities include the Charleen & Charles Hinson Amphitheater.
According to municipal guidelines, a designated outdoor refreshment area is exempt from Ohio open container provisions, allowing patrons to purchase alcoholic beverages from participating bars and restaurants and carry them in designated containers outside and into participating businesses within district boundaries. The city lists five participating merchants serving as designated permit holders: Bendi Wok N' Bar at 160 W. Main St., BrewDog at 97 E. Dublin-Granville Road, Hudson29 at 260 Market St., Mellow Mushroom at 260 Market St., and Rusty Bucket at 180 Market St.
Operating Rules and Safety Standards
District hours run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and during pre-approved community events. Each DORA beverage must be served in a new, unused official DORA cup, and only one DORA cup is permitted at a time per participant.
Under city refreshment regulations, visitors cannot bring outside alcohol or take beverages outside district boundaries, and patrons must be 21 or older to participate. According to district rules, patrons cannot enter a participating liquor establishment with a beverage purchased elsewhere and must recycle the cup before entering another liquor establishment or exiting the district. In addition, window decals indicate participating merchants, shops that allow drinks inside, and ones who would rather patrons drink elsewhere.
No person may possess an open container of beer, wine, or intoxicating liquor while in or on a motor vehicle within the district. Violating DORA rules can result in a $150 penalty per ORC 4301.62. To protect visitors, the city maintains a safety plan that outlines officer patrol responsibilities, extra police patrol protocols, and ongoing review schedules.
Public Hearing Details
The City Council meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, at Village Hall, 99 W. Main St. The meeting agenda includes a poll for public comment.
The published agenda also provides a live stream link for the meeting.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
City Council · 2026-11-03 · agenda
Supporting evidence (5)
The New Albany City Council posted a meeting agenda for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
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{Body=City Council, Content type=agenda, Document coverage=Embedded document text, Meeting date=2026-11-03, Municipality=newalbanyohio.org, Posted=2026-10-26, Status=Agenda posted}
The agenda lists a public hearing on Resolution R-48-2026, a resolution to approve the continued operation of a designated outdoor refreshment area for the New Albany Village Center.
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12. RESOLUTIONS AND PUBLIC HEARING: RESOLUTION R-48-2026 A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF A DESIGNATED OUTDOOR REFRESHMENT AREA (DORA) FOR THE NEW ALBANY VILLAGE CENTER
The City Council meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, at Village Hall, 99 W. Main St.
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Tuesday, November 3, 2026 6:30 pm Village Hall, 99 W. Main Street, New Albany, Ohio 43054
The meeting agenda includes a poll for public comment.
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16. POLL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:
The published agenda also provides a live stream link for the meeting.
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Live Stream Link
https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4301.82
Supporting evidence (3)
Under Ohio Revised Code 4301.82, a municipal legislative authority must review the operation of an outdoor refreshment area five years after its creation and decide by ordinance or resolution whether to approve its continued operation or dissolve it.
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Five years after the date of creation of an outdoor refreshment area, the legislative authority of the municipal corporation or township that created the area under this section shall review the operation of the area and shall, by ordinance or resolution, either approve the continued operation of the area or dissolve the area.
If the council votes to dissolve the district, the refreshment area ceases to exist and state authorities revoke all outdoor refreshment designations, whereas approving its continued operation allows the area to remain in effect, according to state liquor provisions.
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If the legislative authority dissolves the outdoor refreshment area, the outdoor refreshment area ceases to exist. The legislative authority then shall provide notice of its action to the division of liquor control and the investigative unit of the department of public safety. Upon receipt of the notice, the division shall revoke all outdoor refreshment area designations issued to qualified permit holders within the dissolved area. If the legislative authority approves the continued operation of the outdoor refreshment area, the area continues in operation.
The statute also mandates subsequent five-year reviews following any approval of continued operation.
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(2) Five years after the approval of the continued operation of an outdoor refreshment area under division (I)(1) of this section, the legislative authority shall conduct a review in the same manner as provided in division (I)(1) of this section. The legislative authority also shall conduct such a review five years after any subsequent approval of continued operation under division (I)(2) of this section.
https://newalbanyohio.org/village-center/dora/
Supporting evidence (12)
According to city district records, the Village Center refreshment area spans approximately 41.9 acres and encompasses portions of the Market Square development, Rose Run Park, and the arts district.
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The DORA is approximately 41.9 acres and encompasses portions of the New Albany Village Center, including portions of the Market Square Development, Rose Run Park and the City’s Arts District.
The city's performing arts facilities include the Charleen & Charles Hinson Amphitheater.
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Performing Arts Charleen & Charles Hinson Amphitheater
According to municipal guidelines, a designated outdoor refreshment area is exempt from Ohio open container provisions, allowing patrons to purchase alcoholic beverages from participating bars and restaurants and carry them in designated containers outside and into participating businesses within district boundaries.
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According to the Ohio Revised Code 4301.82, a DORA is a specific area within a community, exempt from open container provisions of Ohio law. The DORA legally allows patrons to purchase and openly carry alcoholic beverages from participating bars and restaurants and then take those drinks, in designated containers, with them outside and into other participating businesses and retail shops within the DORA boundaries.
The city lists five participating merchants serving as designated permit holders: Bendi Wok N' Bar at 160 W. Main St., BrewDog at 97 E. Dublin-Granville Road, Hudson29 at 260 Market St., Mellow Mushroom at 260 Market St., and Rusty Bucket at 180 Market St.
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Bendi Wok N' Bar 160 W. Main Street BrewDog 97 E. Dublin-Granville Road Hudson29 260 Market Street, D Mellow Mushroom 260 Market Street, A Rusty Bucket 180 Market Street
District hours run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and during pre-approved community events.
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Village Center DORA will be in operation from 5 to 10 p.m. each Thursday through Saturday and during pre-approved community events.
Each DORA beverage must be served in a new, unused official DORA cup, and only one DORA cup is permitted at a time per participant.
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Each DORA beverage must be served in a new, unused official DORA Cup.Only one (1) DORA Cup is permitted at a time per participant.
Under city refreshment regulations, visitors cannot bring outside alcohol or take beverages outside district boundaries, and patrons must be 21 or older to participate.
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Do not explore outside the DORA boundaries with your beverage.No BYOB. All beverages must be purchased at a participating establishment.Patrons must be 21 or older to participate.
According to district rules, patrons cannot enter a participating liquor establishment with a beverage purchased elsewhere and must recycle the cup before entering another liquor establishment or exiting the district.
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Do not enter a participating DORA liquor establishment with a DORA beverage purchased elsewhere.Recycle the DORA cup before entering another liquor establishment or exiting the DORA district.
In addition, window decals indicate participating merchants, shops that allow drinks inside, and ones who would rather patrons drink elsewhere.
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Window decals indicate participating merchants, shops that allow drinks inside and ones who would rather you drink elsewhere.
No person may possess an open container of beer, wine, or intoxicating liquor while in or on a motor vehicle within the district.
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No person shall possess an open container of beer, wine, or intoxicating liquor while being in or on a motor vehicle within the DORA
Violating DORA rules can result in a $150 penalty per ORC 4301.62.
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Violating the DORA rules can result in a $150.00 per ORC 4301.62
To protect visitors, the city maintains a safety plan that outlines officer patrol responsibilities, extra police patrol protocols, and ongoing review schedules.
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Pursuant to ORC § 4301.82(B)(5) and (F)(1)(d), a Safety Plan has been developed to ensure public safety within the DORA. The New Albany Police Department is committed to working with the community and the businesses within the DORA to preserve and maintain the safety and security of all who visit and work within. The Public Safety Plan includes officer patrol responsibilities, extra police patrol protocols, and a schedule for reviewing and updating the Public Safety Plan.