CAMBRIDGE, Ohio (AVC News) — The Cambridge City Council has approved a request to establish a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, or DORA, in downtown Cambridge.
The majority of decisions and discussion came during the council’s Finance Committee meeting July 6 following discussion about the proposed boundaries, public safety and feedback from downtown businesses.
The proposed DORA map was reduced from the original request after city officials reviewed concerns about the size of the area and public safety. Officials said the revised proposal was discussed by the mayor, safety director, police chief and city engineer.
Support for the proposal came from several individuals and organizations, including Cambridge Main Street and the Cambridge-Guernsey County CIC. The mayor of Dennison also attended the meeting and shared experiences with DORAs and communities in Tuscarawas County.
Kim Harra, director of Cambridge Main Street, told council members she spoke with 15 downtown business owners who do not hold liquor permits about the proposal. She said 14 supported establishing the DORA, while one was opposed.
Business owners who support the proposal said they believe it could encourage people to spend more time downtown, visit local shops and participate in community events.
Bill Arnett of the Cambridge Improvement Corporation said the proposal could potentially be submitted to the Ohio Department of Commerce for approval, with the state process expected to take approximately four to eight weeks.
Several people also spoke in support of the DORA during the meeting.
Andrea Johnson, secretary of the CIC, said she recently attended an outdoor concert in Coshocton where she saw a DORA in operation and felt it helped bring people into the downtown area.
Eric Schlosser of Downtown Arena also expressed support, saying he had heard positive things about DORAs and was excited to see one established in Cambridge.
Council President Jeff Leonard also said he received a letter from Jennifer Vincent supporting the proposal.
See the full council meeting here:
There was also opposition to the DORA, including concerns about public drinking, the potential impact on families and people in recovery, and whether downtown churches had been adequately consulted.
A message from Presbyterian Church Pastor Jeff Berguson was read during the meeting. Berguson said he was concerned that allowing open consumption of alcohol downtown could discourage some families from visiting and create problems for churches and others who do not drink.
One resident also read a letter raising concerns about the potential costs associated with additional police presence, security, cleanup or other impacts if the DORA resulted in increased alcohol-related problems.
Some council members said they had heard little direct opposition to the proposal, while acknowledging that some residents had not been aware of the DORA discussions.
Councilman Zaleski said he was not convinced the proposal had received enough public support and voted against it. He said he believed the city should establish more events downtown before implementing a DORA.
Other council members emphasized that the DORA would not mean people could simply walk downtown with any alcoholic beverage. Participants would be required to use designated cups, and council members said the city would be able to address problems involving individual businesses.
Council members also noted that a board would be established to oversee the DORA and make adjustments if necessary. The DORA could also be repealed if it does not work as intended.
Following the discussion, Councilman Laughman made a motion to approve the request to establish a DORA in downtown Cambridge. Councilwoman McMillen seconded the motion.
The motion passed 6-1 in their August 10th meeting, with Councilman Zaleski voting no.
The approval moves the proposal forward to the state approval process.
Last Updated on August 11, 2026 by AVC News
