PERRYSBURG — A downtown group of businesses, centered around Louisiana Avenue, has also submitted
application materials for a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area within city limits, but it is not on the
agenda for consideration by the city council.
A DORA designation would allow individuals to purchase alcohol from a license holder and walk around with
an open container outside the premises, but only within the designated geographic area. Based on the
population size of Perrysburg, the city can only have one DORA, by state law.
The other DORA application is for Levis Commons.
“I think the residents should be able to view both applications,” said Patrick Lahey, owner of Stella’s
Restaurant and Bar on Louisiana Avenue. “I’m a huge supporter of downtown Perrysburg… This isn’t about
creating a party zone. It’s more about keeping us competitive with the other DORA areas.”
“The city administration had pros and cons for both,” said Shannon Solt, public information officer for
the city.
Both applications fulfilled the statutory requirements, she said.
Among the concerns were safety, sanitation, an increased tax burden, a larger entertainment district,
preservation of the downtown character and future growth potential, Solt said.
“Because Levis Commons already has an entertainment district, it kind of lends itself to a natural
advantage for there to be a DORA there, because there is already a shopping center, two hotels, 12
restaurants and multi-family residential places, of all those places, 14 are already qualified permit
holders,” she said.
“Whereas the downtown application has only five (permit holders).”
The concern of the downtown Perrysburg group is preservation of the local character. They see competition
from other areas in Northwest Ohio.
“This is not about the downtown liquor permit holders, but keeping the downtown area competitive,” Lahey
said.
Matt Gustafson, owner of the Rose and Thistle on Louisiana Avenue, said he has concerns about the impact
on Perrysburg if one went into Rossford or Maumee. Toledo, Sylvania and Napoleon already have DORA
locations.
“I’m for my neighbors and this community. We’re small town business owners in it for the long haul,”
Gustafson said. “Every restaurant is personally owned, not owned by a big corporate entity.”
Gustafson listed the many events held in downtown Perrysburg that would be bolstered by a DORA, including
the farmers market, Octoberfest and Winterfest events.
The downtown DORA application requested hours of operation would include sales from 3-11 p.m. Monday
through Saturday and 3-10 p.m. on Sunday. An extra hour would be allowed for consumption.
The downtown application covers 13 acres, centered on Louisiana Avenue, from the south side of Front
Street down to the railroad tracks, and one block each for East and West Second Street. Lahey said it
does not include any residential area.
Jim Matuszak, council president, said Mayor Tom Mackin has recommended Levis Commons and not downtown as
a DORA. Council can approve or not approve the Levis Commons application. No vote is scheduled for the
downtown group.
“The mayor can only bring an application forward,” Matuszak said. “He is not obligated to bring forward
other applications.”
Mackin referred this reporter to the city’s public information officer for administration comments.
Solt said that Levis Commons is the better fit for a DORA.
“Levis Commons has 135 acres which we can use for DORA, 45 of which are not developed and that lends
itself to growth for new businesses. Whereas your are pretty landlocked in downtown Perrysburg. The only
time land becomes available, is if a business leaves. So it’s harder to bring businesses downtown,” she
said.
The city administration also preferred Levis for tax reasons and logistics.
“We would have to hire more police officers and more people for public service, because it would be open
every day. Levis Commons already has that built in and they are willing to let us use it for no extra
anything,” Solt said. “Basically, taxpayers won’t be paying more.”
Matuszak expressed concern about the proximity of both residences and schools to the proposed DORA sites,
as well as taking business away from other established businesses that might be just outside the DORA
location.
“Do I think they are more likely to need police intervention in an area where there is drinking? Sure,”
Matuszak said. “Alcohol, in my opinion, rarely leads to good things.”
He also brought up the concept of increased potential for drunk driving.
“If you encourage them to drink, they are probably going to drink,” Matuszak said. “They’re trying to
generate more revenue … in Levis Commons.”
He also expressed concern about a DORA area being in a location that is considered upscale or family
oriented.
The Levis application includes hours of operation from noon-11 p.m., which Matuszak said council could
modify.
Councilman Jonathan Smith has expressed concerns about policing with a DORA, a subject that was also
brought up in a May meeting on the concept of having a DORA in Perrysburg.
That meeting was attended by members of the city administration, Mackin, Police Chief Patrick Jones,
Matuszak and Councilman Barry VanHoozen.
“I think safety was everyone’s primary concern,” VanHoozen said.
He added that Jones discussed the use of private security guards and more than 25 security cameras in the
Levis Commons geographic area. The Levis application also includes a reference to the possible hiring of
off-duty officers for special events.
There are also residences within the Levis DORA application area, which is not the case for the downtown
area, according to the applicants.
VanHoozen was not involved in the application process for either location; he lives in one of the
Brownstone Villas located in Levis Commons.
“There are 18 unit owners and everywhere around us are renters,” he said.
VanHoozen said he has discussed abstaining from voting on the Levis Commons DORA with Laura Alkire, the
city law director.
“She said only if I have a vested interest. Otherwise, I have to vote,” VanHoozen said.
The vested interest would be if he owned a bar or restaurant, and would receive personal financial
benefit, he said.
“I can’t let my personal interests affect it,” VanHoozen said of a possible vote. “If this is the
direction Perrysburg wants to go, I will support it.”
He is not necessarily in favor of a downtown DORA.
“I look at downtown Perrysburg as family-centric. I have had a number of people express concerns about
having a family night and co-mingling alcohol with it,” VanHoozen said.
These concerns were echoed by Councilwoman Deborah Born.
She said she hasn’t decided how she feels about a DORA at Levis Commons, but has been collecting comments
from Perrysburg residents who live close to the downtown area.
“Several residents had expressed displeasure about possible trespassing and the location being close to
schools and churches,” Born said.
The city administration had many of those same concerns, Solt said.
“The other reason is because downtown is such a community oriented residential area. Residents from the
historic district already have voiced concerns about having a DORA downtown and were concerned about
noise, safety and security,” she said.
A public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 3. Ohio Revised Code requires that city council must take action
no later than Oct. 6.