Anti-Business Legislation by Jim Love: Council Vote Tomorrow

[JeffreyS]

I loved Pastiche, I guess I should have eaten there more often.

[Intuition Ale Works]

Here is the Resident article about Jim Love's ordinance.

Business owners worry about long term effects of Love’s ordinance
Added by SethWilliam on September 5, 2012.
Saved under Neighborhood News for Riverside, Avondale, Ortega and Murray Hill
Riverside/Avondale Overlay modification may limit development

By Steve DiMattia
Resident Community News

District 14 Councilman Jim Love’s ordinance modifying the Riverside/Avondale Overlay, which the city council unanimously passed June 24, has quietly gone into effect with little fanfare or public opposition and no community meetings.
Ordinance 2012-339 requires all new bars and nightclubs, and new restaurants with more than 100 seats and/or 2,500 square feet, to provide 50 percent of the city’s regular parking provision.
“Everybody says it’s been a long time coming,” Love said. “Just because it’s a rule doesn’t mean you can’t ask for a deviation. It just gives the council and citizens a chance to look at proposed development that may be bigger [then the ordinance allows] and see if it fits the scale of the neighborhood.”
But some business owners feel that the ordinance will limit the number and nature of businesses that seek to open in the historic district.
“Those that argue that you can still apply for a deviation are missing the point: It only adds another burden for the small businessman, another hoop to jump through. It’s just disappointing,” said Ben Davis, owner of Riverside’s Intuition Ale on King Street. “I don’t know that we would have been able to open if this ordinance had been on the books because we would have had to provide parking that isn’t available.”
One local restaurateur is currently facing that dilemma. Scott Schwartz, an Avondale resident and chef/owner of 29 South in Fernandina Beach, is seeking to open a new 150-seat restaurant called 29 South Jax in the area. He sees the ordinance as a major barrier to moving into the historic
district.
“My clientele, the people who will follow 29 South, are in the Riverside/Avondale/San Marco areas,” Schwartz said. “I would probably take an already existing space and convert it to a restaurant. But now, unless I can find a building that was already a restaurant, my options are very limited. I wouldn’t say that I absolutely don’t see myself moving into the area, but the low chances of finding the perfect piece to fit the perfect puzzle makes it unlikely.”
Davis pointed to lost job opportunities because of such decisions and he also took issue with the fact that the ordinance passed without community meetings.
“When we were working on zoning exceptions for our brewery, we had a community meeting; Kickbacks and Mellow Mushroom both had community meetings. Not having one for this ordinance seems like a double standard,” said Davis, who wrote emails to Love opposing the ordinance. “There is an extreme vocal minority that drove this.”
Love feels that he provided plenty of opportunity to gather feedback from all sides and sights strong support from residents and some business owners, such as Karin Tucker of Biscotti’s and Ian Chase of The Fox, as proof that he has done the right thing for the district.
“When you see 20 or 30 speak for it and one against, it sends a pretty strong message to the council that you’re on the right track,” said Love, noting the position of those who spoke during four city council public hearings. (Davis contends that a lot of the opposition is “out there working and unable to attend council meetings.”)
The one dissenting voice was Allan DeVault’s of Black Sheep Restaurant Group, whose major issue was with the 100-seat, 2,500 square feet
stipulation.
“You just can’t easily fit a 100-seat restaurant into 2,500 square feet. It needs to be at least 4,000 square feet,” said DeVault. “The ordinance also takes away the incentive to rehabilitate contributing structures. It just sets a tough precedence.”
It is a precedence that greatly concerns Davis. “Who represents small business in this neighborhood? The answer is, unfortunately, no one.”
To read Ordinance 2012-339: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=12174

[mtraininjax]

Ben, are you political or controversial by nature? Congrats on your FYC membership, I'd like to buy you a beer at the bar one night!

#167 - Jack

Scott Schwartz, an Avondale resident and chef/owner of 29 South in Fernandina Beach,

Scott and Nan are my next door neighbors there on Edgewood, great folks. I'd love to help him find a place in our 'hood. Great family!

[Intuition Ale Works]

Jack-

I am more angry than anything. I have watched the treatment of the Black Sheep Group, Kickbacks and Mellow Mushroom by our neighborhood NIMBY's and can no longer be silent.

Our neighborhood is the most unique in the city and there needs to be a balance between commercial and residential interests. We have swung to the side of the anti-business zealots and the lack of leadership from our City Councilman is enabling them.

[mtraininjax]

Our neighborhood is the most unique in the city and there needs to be a balance between commercial and residential interests. We have swung to the side of the anti-business zealots and the lack of leadership from our City Councilman is enabling them.

Ben,

Nothing we can't resolve over a good beer! We should get you Scott and me over to see Jim, he is our neighbor, after all!

Jack

[Tacachale]

You make some great points, Ben, I'm glad that the opposition is finally achieving some volume.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Our neighborhood is the most unique in the city and there needs to be a balance between commercial and residential interests. We have swung to the side of the anti-business zealots and the lack of leadership from our City Councilman is enabling them.

Ben,

Nothing we can't resolve over a good beer! We should get you Scott and me over to see Jim, he is our neighbor, after all!

Jack

Good 'ol boy network in full effect.  Nice, MTrain, show us all how it's really done in good ole Avondale.  I'm guessing WLA was done up in the same fashion...  well, maybe after a few bottles of Steele   

Fuck it, why don't you invite Ian, Karin, Barb, Frank, Mike, Alan, Jon, Brian, Micah, Steve and everyone else that's so in-tune, have a couple beers, a few bottle of wine and fix the whole damn thing.  My suggestion would be to fix your perceived parking issues, I don't know, how about 'We Love Avondale, C'mon JTA Let's Straighten this Shit Out Because We're Turning Away Business Because People Park in Front of MY House, LLC' or WLACJLSSOBWTABBPPFMH for short.  Catchy huh?

It's a novel concept to use all this time, money and energy to not even address the 'root' problem right?  It is parking isn't it?  Has nothing to do with new restaurants does it? 

You know, I think it might actually be something else other than parking, but what do I know.

[Pinky]

Our neighborhood is the most unique in the city and there needs to be a balance between commercial and residential interests. We have swung to the side of the anti-business zealots and the lack of leadership from our City Councilman is enabling them.

Ben,

Nothing we can't resolve over a good beer! We should get you Scott and me over to see Jim, he is our neighbor, after all!

Jack

Good 'ol boy network in full effect.  Nice, MTrain, show us all how it's really done in good ole Avondale.  I'm guessing WLA was done up in the same fashion...  well, maybe after a few bottles of Steele   

Fuck it, why don't you invite Ian, Karin, Barb, Frank, Mike, Alan, Jon, Brian, Micah, Steve and everyone else that's so in-tune, have a couple beers, a few bottle of wine and fix the whole damn thing.  My suggestion would be to fix your perceived parking issues, I don't know, how about 'We Love Avondale, C'mon JTA Let's Straighten this Shit Out Because We're Turning Away Business Because People Park in Front of MY House, LLC' or WLACJLSSOBWTABBPPFMH for short.  Catchy huh?

It's a novel concept to use all this time, money and energy to not even address the 'root' problem right?  It is parking isn't it?  Has nothing to do with new restaurants does it? 

You know, I think it might actually be something else other than parking, but what do I know.

Yeah, right?  http://residentnews.net/2012/09/05/shoppes-avondale-parking-study-neutral/

[KEGreene1]

Jack,

This isn't going to be solved over beers, lunch or dinner. unless you want to eat/drink at a current establishment (irony intended).

Having viable, contributing, businesses in the area not only bring money into the area, they raise the property values.  I travel to many locales and restaurants and local shops define a city.  I'm sorry, but the Landing doesn't cut it.  The Town Center doesn't either (besides it is too far away). The river is the #1 defining feature of our city.  Why we don't have more shopping/dining options on her we will never know.  Riverside/Avondale/Ortega is a thread of the city that meanders down the river from downtown and I always take out of town guests through there.  Let's try to stregnthen it not restrict it.

KG

[If_I_Loved_you]

Jack,

This isn't going to be solved over beers, lunch or dinner. unless you want to eat/drink at a current establishment (irony intended).

Having viable, contributing, businesses in the area not only bring money into the area, they raise the property values.  I travel to many locales and restaurants and local shops define a city.  I'm sorry, but the Landing doesn't cut it.  The Town Center doesn't either (besides it is too far away). The river is the #1 defining feature of our city.  Why we don't have more shopping/dining options on her we will never know.  Riverside/Avondale/Ortega is a thread of the city that meanders down the river from downtown and I always take out of town guests through there.  Let's try to stregnthen it not restrict it.

KG

Why is it that the shoppes of Ortega or whatever you call that area around Oxford Ave & Corinthian Ave. Don't have restaurants like you do on King Street, Avondale or even San Marco?

[Ocklawaha]

Why is it that the shoppes of Ortega or whatever you call that area around Oxford Ave & Corinthian Ave. Don't have restaurants like you do on King Street, Avondale or even San Marco?

Probably because all of the traffic has long since (1933) been routed around Ortega Village. King, St. Johns and San Marco Boulevard are all arterial streets with significant traffic flows.

The solution to all of this is going back to a fixed mode of transportation such as the streetcars these neighborhoods were built on in the first place. I'm continually amazed that the solution we seek instead is a new law that will encourage people to demolish buildings for the sake of parking more cars. The more of these lifeless lots one has to pass to get to a business, the more we encourage the use of cars to shorten the trip. Would you rather walk two blocks alongside the new Parador garage in downtown, or two blocks along a street in San Marco Village? One is lifeless and could even be perceived as dangerous at night, and the other is full of life and light.

[If_I_Loved_you]

Why is it that the shoppes of Ortega or whatever you call that area around Oxford Ave & Corinthian Ave. Don't have restaurants like you do on King Street, Avondale or even San Marco?

Probably because all of the traffic has long since (1933) been routed around Ortega Village. King, St. Johns and San Marco Boulevard are all arterial streets with significant traffic flows.

The solution to all of this is going back to a fixed mode of transportation such as the streetcars these neighborhoods were built on in the first place. I'm continually amazed that the solution we seek instead is a new law that will encourage people to demolish buildings for the sake of parking more cars. The more of these lifeless lots one has to pass to get to a business, the more we encourage the use of cars to shorten the trip. Would you rather walk two blocks alongside the new Parador garage in downtown, or two blocks along a street in San Marco Village? One is lifeless and could even be perceived as dangerous at night, and the other is full of life and light.

I'm with you 100% cars killed the streetcars in Jacksonville, Fl. if the powers of the past would have thought it out better. We would have looked a little like New Orleans for the streetcar survived there.

[Bridges]

Our neighborhood is the most unique in the city and there needs to be a balance between commercial and residential interests. We have swung to the side of the anti-business zealots and the lack of leadership from our City Councilman is enabling them.

Ben,

Nothing we can't resolve over a good beer! We should get you Scott and me over to see Jim, he is our neighbor, after all!

Jack

Oh cool.  Will you be doing this for every small business owner or potential owner?  Or ones who are already established, carry weight, and have the clout of Intuiton?

I love this idea.  Take it out of the hands of the market.  Bring it down to just a few powerful fellas over a beer. 

[mtraininjax]

Oh cool.  Will you be doing this for every small business owner or potential owner?  Or ones who are already established, carry weight, and have the clout of Intuiton?

If you can get over your cynicism, we might even invite you! 

[mtraininjax]

Having viable, contributing, businesses in the area not only bring money into the area, they raise the property values.  I travel to many locales and restaurants and local shops define a city.  I'm sorry, but the Landing doesn't cut it.  The Town Center doesn't either (besides it is too far away). The river is the #1 defining feature of our city.  Why we don't have more shopping/dining options on her we will never know.  Riverside/Avondale/Ortega is a thread of the city that meanders down the river from downtown and I always take out of town guests through there.  Let's try to stregnthen it not restrict it.

Kevin, the economic market at hand in Jacksonville shows that Town Center is the retail center of the city, it disgusts me too, but that is where everyone with money wants to be. Its where the citizens have allowed growth to occur. It is not for me, but apparently the rest of Jacksonville LOVES IT. Retail and commercial on the river apparently only entices a smaller few, as evidenced by the condos and retail along it now.  Town Center junkies could be on the moon for all we know or care, some may not even know we have a river. 

Jim's getting bad advice from a lot of people on this, but instead of us bitching about it on a public forum, or bitching about gay and lesbian rights or some other crappy mobility fee, let's do something about it. Go see Jim, let him know he is making a mistake, get the real business owners involved to set the record straight. You, Ben, Scott and I all enjoy St. Johns Avenue and the businesses along it, Jim is a businessman too, a successful one at that, he understands the thread of success.  Why not start and ask Jim to look at from this angle or a different angle?

Or we could all bitch, whine and moan some more out here, as if this is getting us anywhere......

Jack