Carmel council to consider removing The GOAT’s restrictions

When The GOAT reopened along the Monon Greenway this spring, it was dependent on the tavern adhering to a lengthy list of commitments put in place by the Carmel City Council in 2022 designed to ensure it would be a good neighbor. 

 Now, the council is considering removing those restrictions. An ordinance that would do so is set to be introduced at the Aug. 5 council meeting at Carmel City Hall. 

The GOAT opened in the summer of 2020 but closed in April 2021 when the Carmel Board of Zoning Appeals denied a variance (originally overlooked by the city) that would have allowed it to continue operating in a residentially zoned area. Soon after it opened, nearby residents complained of loud noise from The GOAT late into the night and patrons trespassing onto their property to urinate, among other concerns. 

In 2022, the council approved a rezone for the site that permitted a bar in that location, but it was contingent on The GOAT owner Kevin Paul agreeing to commitments that include ending outdoor service by 7 p.m., prohibiting outdoor speakers and establishing a hotline for neighbors to report concerns and complaints. 

Councilor Matt Snyder, a sponsor of the ordinance, was not on the council when the commitments were put in place. But he said he believes the issues with The GOAT should have been handled by the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission or the Carmel Police Department rather than the city council. 

He also said that the city has received no complaints about The GOAT since it reopened in April after completing extensive renovations to expand and enclose much of the property. In addition, the hotline established for complaints hasn’t been used a single time, he said. 

“The concerns about people going to The GOAT and then what they would do afterwards – that could happen anywhere,” he said. “So, to single out a particular small business with commitments that aren’t even on the business, that are on the land, which are two completely separate entities, just seems inappropriate to me.” 

In addition, The GOAT falls within the boundaries of the proposed Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, or DORA, which is under consideration by the council. Within the area, people could walk around with open alcoholic beverages from participating restaurants. 

“If we are going to have a DORA, everybody needs to play by the same rules,” Snyder said. 

A vote on establishing the DORA is also on the agenda for the Aug. 5 council meeting. 

Paul declined to comment for this story.