New restaurant zoning tiff emerging around Riverside's King Street

[thelakelander]

This one appears to be involving the Dahlia's Pour House project:  http://www.dahliaspourhouse.com/

Before the long-running Kickbacks saga is really settled, a new zoning squabble about night spots around Riverside’s King Street could be setting up.

Thursday, Jacksonville’s Planning Commission pushed off any decision until next month about plans for a restaurant with beer and wine service at 2695 Post St., an old print shop around the corner from King’s 900 block. That's the bock where Kickbacks owners Ed Salem and Stephen Flores want to build a new restaurant/bar next to their current business, an idea that upset neighbors who say they're tired of strangers parking in their yards and driveways and partying loud.

The property owners are looking for a zoning exception and waiver and are facing reluctance from some neighbors and from Riverside Avondale Preservation.

Like a mini version of he Kickbacks fight, some neighborhood concern is about dealing with more people visiting the trendy entertainment strip abutting century-old homes.

“Parking is the real issue here,” RAP board member and attorney Jonathan Oliff told commission members, who said the real issues could wait if they weren't going to act on anything Thursday.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/steve-patterson/2012-04-26/new-restaurant-zoning-tiff-emerging-around-riversides

[avonjax]

Jax is a strange place.

[avonjax]

I find it hard to believe I am from here.

[thelakelander]

I wonder what type of exception and waiver are they going after?  To be honest, I'm finding all of these discussions very interesting but not surprising.  It's pretty clear that the majority of similar projects, moving forward, will have a fight on their hands regardless of whether its a new or existing facility until alternative forms of mobility are truly embraced by the community.  Cities and urban districts evolve organically, when allowed.  Long term, it will be interesting to see how the market begins to react and if another similar built environment becomes the flavor of the week as a result.

[Garden guy]

I have an odd question...do the developments of these bars downgrade my property values if I'm in the direct neighborhood?

[Garden guy]

cool...thanks stevie

[Lucasjj]

Long term, it will be interesting to see how the market begins to react and if another similar built environment becomes the flavor of the week as a result.

I live right down the street on Post from this place and I am happy to see it come in. If these fights continue, businesses are just going to quit coming in and the area is going to go stagnant and potentially fall back to what it was.

As I said when I spoke at the Kickback's hearing, the only reason me and my wife bought a house in Jacksonville is because of Riverside and the potential for more urban density. If that growth is continually being fought, we may change our minds.

[Bativac]

Jax is a strange place.

No kidding.

These guys have got to be dedicated to the area, wanting to go forward despite opposition from what I assume is a small but vocal minority.

[Bill Hoff]

Two thoughts:

(1) Another opprotunity to push for better public transit. The more "battles" over parking the obvious it becomes.

(2) If they don't want ya, come over to SPR.  Plenty of room, similar (but less) residents w/ similar tastes. Heck, we'll sweep the floors every night for you.

[fsujax]

Main St is open for business plenty of room for parking and  lots traffic capacity.  I really believe they (RAP) need to focus their attention on better public transit. Now is the time to push for streetcars!

[zedsdead]

I looked at this property a couple of years ago. It is going to take a lot of work to convert but what's not to like? It's an eyesore, currently.

[strider]

Two thoughts:

(1) Another opprotunity to push for better public transit. The more "battles" over parking the obvious it becomes.

(2) If they don't want ya, come over to SPR.  Plenty of room, similar (but less) residents w/ similar tastes. Heck, we'll sweep the floors every night for you.

Main St is open for business plenty of room for parking and  lots traffic capacity.  I really believe they (RAP) need to focus their attention on better public transit. Now is the time to push for streetcars!

Both good sediments, but what is the reality? Does everyone forget the issues over the existing and small nightclub on Main?  Does everyone forget the difficulty in just getting a car wash open?  In many cases, it might just be the fact they the "right" people did not endorse the idea or perhaps it is just fear after all.  I have first hand experience with the issues in Springfield and am not surprised that they are really the same in Riverside/ Avondale.   Most of it is really just unfounded fear.  Fear of who may come into your community, fear that your little suburban like area may actually turn urban.

Talking street car is not the short term answer.  It takes too long and those businesses who want to move into the area will have done something else.  (It most certainly is a good long term idea though.) Buses are a joke and so perhaps innovated ways of addressing the parking issues is what is needed?  It may not help areas of Riverside and Avondale,  but it certainly can help Springfield as there is nothing there to start with.

[thelakelander]

The short term (less than five years) answer is better parking management and promotion of alternative forms of mobility.  The long term answer (more than five years) is the implementation of a multimodal transportation network. 

[John P]

May be surprising but there about 30 businesses on Main st from 1-8th street. Someone else said it somewhere else but if 3 layers and Sweet petes can be successful off a commerical corridor then good businesses in commerical corridors should do well. Street car does not have to take a long time to put in if leadership wants it. It is all about who is asking for it.

[cline]

I wonder what type of exception and waiver are they going after?

Agreed.  They are not modifying the building or adding anything new.  They will not be required to add additional parking.  I'm wondering what they need the exception for.  Seems pretty straight forward to me.  It appears that it is part of the commercial district.