PERRYSBURG, Ohio — Perrysburg City Council rejected the designated outdoor refreshment area proposal for Levis Commons Tuesday evening.
One council member abstained from the decision while the other six voted not to approve it.
"The committee is definitely disappointed," Levis Commons marketing director Allison Schroeder said. "We were hoping to be able to bring this to Levis Commons but we fully respect all of the research and diligence that city council put into this."
The proposal was discussed for months and Levis Commons tried getting it approved by adjusting a few items on its initial project.
While businesses in downtown Perrysburg tried to argue their area would be better suited for a potential DORA, some in the community were completely against having it at all.
"I believe that the creation of a DORA for either Levis Commons or downtown Perrysburg is inappropriate and unnecessary. DORAs have no effect on the amount of liquor sold within their boundaries and they have a negative effect on sales of other neighboring retailers who do not sell liquor. The basic effect of DORAs is that they allow inebriated people to walk in the street in close proximity to regular shoppers and other citizens going about their business," a statement released by Perrysburg City Councilwoman Deborah Born said.
"Levis Commons was what we thought was the better approach," Perrysburg Mayor Tom Mackin said. "Council did its due diligence and we're very comfortable with that decision."
"The application that Levis Commons put before us was very thorough, but it just doesn't seem to me like it's the right fit," Councilman Mark Weber said.
Part of that is because of the competing bid that came in after Levis Commons proposed a DORA. Bars and restaurants in Perrysburg's downtown wanted the drinking zone there instead.
Legally, there can only be one in the city.
"This was never intended to be an 'us versus them' in our mind," Schroeder said. "We wanted to bring it to Perrysburg in general."
When asked if he would have voted in favor of the Levis Commons DORA if the downtown proposal were not an option, Councilman Tim McCarthy said, "I don't believe I would have because they reduced it from 135 to 85 acres, but that's still a large area for a DORA."
Now, it's back to the drawing board for folks at Levis Commons. Schroeder said it is unclear if leaders are able to apply for a DORA permit again in the future.
Meanwhile, debate on downtown Perrysburg's DORA application could begin in the coming months if Mayor Mackin brings the issue before council. Mackin told WTOL he would evaluate that proposal and make a decision down the road.