CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — After a long-awaited decision on the application, Cedar Lee District will allow alcoholic beverages on the go.
Ordinance No. 077-2024 authorizes the establishment of the first-ever Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area in Cleveland Heights.
The proposal was first read in April. It underwent a rare five readings before Cleveland Heights City Council members approved the ordinance.
The Ohio Department of Liquor Control signed off on the application this month.
“We felt that DORA would bring more vibrancy and more exposure to all the businesses,” Cleveland Heights City Council President Tony Cuda said. “A lot of these businesses have suffered during COVID, and now here's a chance to have something special. I've seen them in Cincinnati. I've seen them in Pittsburgh. They work fantastically. I think it's going to draw people to Cleveland Heights.”
One of the leading efforts behind the Cedar Lee District Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area is CLE Urban Winery Owner Destiny Burns.
Burns said that when the proposal was being drafted, City Council and those pushing for the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area “cherry-picked” from other similar ordinances to best suit the Cedar Lee District.
“I have been a major loud advocate for DORA for several years, working with the city hand in hand, working with the other merchants hand in hand to bring this to life. We've really been advocating for it for a long time,” Burns explained.
She added the Cedar Lee Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area has been in the works for about two years.
The Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area will cover 17 acres in total from Dellwood Road to the cross-section of Cedar and Lee.
Cleveland Heights’ Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area will mark more than 170 in Ohio.
“They can come in here and try some appetizers, some of our wine, then they can go over there, try some of their appetizers, their wine. [They can] kind of like bar hop, if you will. I think that's an excellent idea,” Anatolia Café Front of the House Manager Zackaria Mustafa told News 5.
The Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area will be available in the Cedar Lee District seven days a week. Hours vary.
- Monday-Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Saturday from noon to 11 p.m.
- Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.
As the city’s largest commercial district, there’s already heavy foot traffic in the area. With the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, Burns believes it’ll bring in sweeping numbers.
“I think it will bring more people to the district because it's something new. It's something novel. It’s something that enables you to do something you can't do in other places. It's a point of interest for sure,” Burns said.
Both Burns and Mustafa said their businesses are ready to take on more customers.
Boundary signs will be put up this week to indicate where Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area cups are not to be used.
Additionally, stickers will be displayed in business windows. A “ Purchase DORA” sticker means drinks can be bought and taken from the business. An “Enjoy DORA” means alcohol is not sold in the permitted cups, but customers are allowed to bring in the cups with outside beverages. A “No DORA” sticker means no outside alcohol is permitted inside that business.
Wristbands will also be provided to those who pay $1 for the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area cups.
The Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area cups are offered in two sizes: nine ounces and 12 ounces.
“We want to thank the City of Cleveland Heights, especially the Economic Development Department, the Planning Department and the Public Works Department. It has been a real labor of love working together. We'd like to also thank the City Council for their support in getting this legislation through. It really shows that there is real interest and support in the business districts here in Cleveland Heights to help us level up and we're still all recovering from COVID. Let's not make any mistake about that. Tools like this are really going to help us recover and even up our game,” Burns explained.
If Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area users take their beverages outside boundary lines or are seen re-using/misusing the cups (refilling), they’ll risk a $150 open container citation by Cleveland Heights Police.
If all goes well and Cleveland Heights decides it wants another Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, the city can have up to three.
This upcoming weekend will be the first weekend Cedar Lee District’s Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area will be in effect.
Heights Music Hop will take place:
- Friday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Saturday, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Cuda told News 5 that more than 50 bands have been booked for the event. He expects thousands to attend over the weekend.
