PERRYSBURG — Public hearings were held for both of the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area applications, covering downtown and Levis Commons, on Tuesday.

Each application would cover larger areas, satisfying previous policing concerns expressed by Police Chief Patrick Jones.

“I don’t really have any concerns about the expansion. I did have concerns when we started the DORA a couple years ago, when we started it up, as in, how big are we going to make this, and what kind of issues are we going to have?” Jones said at a Tuesday hearing on DORA. “Over the last year the DORA has been active downtown and the only issues we have had is people going outside the boundaries.”

Jones explained to council that the only options he saw were to enforce the boundaries, or expand them.

During special events, he found the current patchwork of boundaries were confusing.

Most of the issues that have come up were during special events and when food trucks parked outside the boundaries.

“With this expansion, that should eliminate those problems, for the most part,” Jones said. “The events would be within the boundaries of the DORA and people could move more freely from the farmers markets to the food trucks and down to music at the market.”

The other concerns expressed by residents prior to the establishment of the downtown DORA in 2021 have not happened.

“It hasn’t turned into a Mardi Gras-like scene, like some people thought that it might. If people are going to have those issues, they are going to have them whether there is a DORA, or not,” Jones explained.

He reiterated what he had said in previous meetings, that no citations have been given and verbal warnings about violations were enough.

Jones said he would be open to boundaries extending from Elm Street to Walnut Street and Front Street to Fifth Street. There would also be a portion of Hood Park included, as an expansion to Louisiana Avenue.

Jones has spoken with Perrysburg Schools Superintendent Tom Hosler about the expansion, who had “no outright opposition.” He had looked into possible insurance issues, that are not apparently a problem.

Councilman Mark Weber said that Way Public Library officials did not have concerns about the expansion.

Law Director Kate Sandretto said that Perry’s Landing representatives were also supportive of the new boundaries.

“Going forward, I’m comfortable with the expansion that we have, and with the proposal at Levis. I hope the council takes a serious look at these, pass them and put them into effect,” Jones said.

No votes were taken, as it was a public hearing and not a full meeting of council.

Rita Nelson, Levis Commons general manager, also talked to council.

The primary difference from the original application is size. Levis is expecting three new restaurants to go in, but they would have been outside the original boundaries.

“It is a bigger footprint than the original proposal,” Nelson said.

Jones said that she had worked with him, Administrator Bridgette Kabat and Sandretto to put together this second application.

The first application was in 2019. The reason for a possible second DORA is because of changes in state laws that now allow for two DORA locations in a city the size of Perrysburg.

“Basically everything in that application is stuff that we’re agreeable to,” Jones said.

He said that the downtown DORA had initially been put together by a group of downtown businesses, but evolved and is “the city’s DORA now.”

“The application for the expansion is something the Kate, Bridgette and I put together, and I’m behind that 100%, because I did the leg work on that one,” Jones said.

He said the initial idea of expansion originated with some of the council members, some DORA permit holders and residents.

Councilman Tim McCarthy, a lawyer, was an early fan of the downtown DORA. He said he has not seen any legal issues develop.

“I have not seen any at all. I was really impressed with the Levis proposal last time, but I just felt based on communications I received about the issue, there was a pretty strong consensus for downtown. Now we can have two,” McCarthy said. “Since I live a half block from downtown, I can tell you I don’t really see much difference at all. I have not seen any problems. I see people walking around enjoying themselves. I don’t see any traffic issues. I think it has been an incredibly good success.

“I think people will find that it really doesn’t present the traffic concerns and the kind of rowdiness concerns when they were first authorized in Ohio,” McCarthy said. “I think it has been a great success and I’m glad the chief agrees.”