New Convenience Store

[cindi]

debbie, i believe it is already zoned for commercial (the exception is for the car wash part although, not sure if it used to be why there is a need for an exception for it to return)  so if whatever he wants next falls within those guideline he is free to do with it what he wants (i don't know for a fact i am just guessing).  the brick road is a huge concern.  i think the people on that street have fought to keep it in place in hopes that it can be repaired (not just paved over) as it is a huge historic part of jacksonville.
i don't believe the kind of house "rooming house" is relevant, it is a house.

[Debbie Thompson]

Cindi, it doubtless is zoned commercial.  She Clown is correct, it's across from a rooming house...the big white one with pillars. Please forgive me for not mentioning the rooming house. <grin>  My point was the residential character of the block and the brick street. Many of the houses on the the block are circa late 1800's.  Not the best location for a car wash. Plus, the car wash is temporary. So what comes next? That's all I was getting at. My last word on the subject, I promise. :-)

[Debbie Thompson]

Well, no Matt. And here I promised you had my last word, but you don't have my solution right. In fact, I didn't propose a solution because I don't see one that works. Buffer? What kind? A huge, high fence? Maybe.  As to the street...the city has no interest in maintaining our historic brick street. The city's "repair" job they have in mind for West 4th is tear up the brick street and put in blacktop. The more wear and tear on it, the sooner we will lose one of our last brick streets. Shortsighted, because brick streets clearly still look good after 100 years. How long does blacktop last? But, kind of off the subject. I'll try to be good and not say anymore.

[thelakelander]

The property is zoned for this carwash and the lessee is seeking an exception to add a convenience store to the car wash.

Its actually the other way around.  He needs an exception for a carwash.  If he wanted to, he could open a convenience store up and no one could do anything about it.  Here is what is allowed on this site:

IV.   Commercial Community/General-Springfield (CCG-S) District.
   
(a)   Permitted uses and structures.   

(1)   Retail outlets for sale of food and drugs, wearing apparel, toys, sundries and notions, books and stationery, leather goods and luggage, jewelry (including watch repair) art, cameras or photographic supplies (including camera repair), sporting goods, hobby shops and pet shops (but not animal boarding kennels), musical instruments, florist or shops, delicatessens, bakeries (but not wholesale bakeries), home furnishings and appliances (including repair incidental to sales), office equipment or furniture, antiques, hardware, new automobile parts (including rebuilt parts not installation, repair or rebuilding of parts) and accessories and similar uses.

(2)   Service establishments such as barber or beauty shops, shoe repair shops, restaurants, interior decorators, reducing salons or gymnasiums, self-service laundries or dry cleaners, tailors or dressmakers, laundries or dry cleaning pickup stations, dry cleaning and laundry package plants in completely enclosed buildings using nonflammable liquids such as perchloroethylene and with no odor, fumes or steam detectable to normal senses from off the premises, radio and television broadcasting offices and studios, communication antennas, funeral homes, marinas, blueprinting, job printing (but not newspaper), radio and television repair shops, travel agencies, employment offices, (but not day labor pools), home equipment rental and similar uses.

(3)   Banks (including drive-thru tellers), loan companies, mortgage brokers, stockbrokers and similar financial institutions.

(4)   All types of professional and business offices, newspaper offices (but not printing), employment offices, union halls, buildings trades contractors (not requiring outside storage or the use of a vehicle in excess of one-ton capacity or equipment, machinery, ditching machines, tractors, bulldozers or other heavy construction equipment) and similar uses.

(5)   Original use single-family dwellings.
(6)   Original use two-family dwellings.
(7)   Original use multiple-family dwellings.

(   Commercial indoor recreational or entertainment facilities such as bowling alleys, swimming pools, indoor skating rinks, theaters (including motion picture theaters but not open-air theaters), and similar uses (but not dance halls).

(9)   Art galleries, museums, community centers, music, photography, gymnastics, karate and martial arts studios, theaters for stage performances (but not motion picture theaters) dance, art, vocational, trade or business schools and similar uses.

(10)   Homes for aged and orphans.

(11)   Nursing homes.

(12)   Day care centers or care centers meeting the performance standards and development criteria set forth in Part 4 of the Zoning Code.

(13)   Off-street commercial parking lots meeting the performance standards and criteria set forth in Part 4 of the Zoning Code and the Springfield performance standards and development criteria set forth in Section 656.369.

(14)   Hospitals, sanitariums and similar uses.

(15)   An establishment or facility which includes the retail sale and service of beer or wine for off-premises consumption or for on-premises conjunction with the service of food which is ordered from a menu and prepared or served for pay for consumption on-premises.

(16)   Retail plant nurseries (including outside display but not landscape contractors requiring heavy equipment or vehicles in excess of one-ton capacity).

(17)   Veterinarians meeting the performance standards and development criteria set forth in Part 4 of the Zoning Code.

(18)   Retail outlets for the sale of used wearing apparel, toys, books, luggage, jewelry, cameras, sporting goods, home furnishings and appliances, furniture and similar uses.

(19)   Essential services, including water, sewer, gas, telephone, radio, television and electric, meeting the performance standards and development criteria set forth in Part 4 of the Zoning Code.

(20)   Churches, including a rectory or similar use.

(21)   Schools meeting the performance standards and development criteria set forth in Part 4 of the Zoning Code.

Uses allowed by exception

(c)   Permissible uses by exception.   

(1)   An establishment or facility which includes the retail sale and service of all alcoholic beverages including liquor, beer or wine for on-premises consumption or off-premises consumption or both, including permanent or restricted outside sale and service, meeting the performance standards and development criteria set forth in Part 4 of the Zoning Code.

(2)   New multiple-family structures.

(3)   Live-work lofts meeting the criteria set forth in Section 656.369.

(4)   Crematories.

(5)   Service stations, service garages for minor repairs and car washer.

(6)   Recycling collection points meeting the performance standards and development criteria set forth in Part 4 of the Zoning Code.

(7)   Essential services, including water, sewer, gas, telephone, radio, television and electric, meeting the performance standards and development criteria set forth in Part 4 of the Zoning Code.

(   Private clubs.

(9)   Restaurants with the outside sale and service of food meeting the performance standards and development criteria set forth in Part 4 of the Zoning Code.

(10)   Billiard parlors.

http://library8.municode.com/default-now/home.htm?infobase=12174&doc_action=whatsnew

[fsu813]

Well.....if he plans on only being there for a few yerars, I seriously doubt he's going to invest anymore money than he has to in it. Again, he doesn't own the property. This makes the prospect of all these extra favorable things doubtful, IMO. Perhaps Hionedes will help him out with these, but again, I think that's doubtful as well.

[thelakelander]

I looked it up the other day on the Property Appraiser's database and car wash was the current use.  There is also an automated car wash on site already.  The exception is for the convenience store.  I would post the link, but the Property Appraiser's database isn't working right now.

Take a look at the application posted a few pages ago.  While the car wash is the current use, they can't open it without getting an exception.  This is a result of an areawide zoning change back in 1992.  As long as the property is zoned CCG-S, they don't need an exception for a convenience store.

[thelakelander]

Well.....if he plans on only being there for a few yerars, I seriously doubt he's going to invest anymore money than he has to in it. Again, he doesn't own the property. This makes the prospect of all these extra favorable things doubtful, IMO. Perhaps Hionedes will help him out with these, but again, I think that's doubtful as well.

I think its a bad idea to assume something.  The guy should be approached and the community should share their concerns with him and give him the opportunity to react to those concerns.  The use may be temporary, but temporary could be 10-15 years in the real estate world.

[fsu813]

I'm not assuming it, but i'm being realistic.

I would be surprised if he said, "sure, I'll pay an extra ______ thousand dollars out of pocket for cement trash cans, above standard after-hours lightining, facade changes, landscaping, large fence, etc.

In fact, i'd be shocked.

Realistically, I think the best we can hope for is that it's maintained well, single beers, drug items, and cheap cigs, aren't sold there, and he keeps trash & loiters off his property.

I won't assume these things, but i not going to think idealistically either.

I hope i'm pleasantly surprised!

[thelakelander]

If you go back to the application, it has a proposed site plan on it.  That site plan shows an on-stie parking lot and landscaping.  If he builds a parking lot, it will have to be built by code, which would require a few of the things you mentioned.  If its a car wash facility, he'll have to put some money into making people feel safe about using it, or else there won't be much profitability in the investment.

So in short, the guy has to incorporate a few things anyway.  Architecturally, other than a paint job, I would not worry about it.  Landscaping, paint and lighting would do wonders over the abandoned facility current existing.  Plus, good site design does not have to equal up with spending thousands of dollars more.  In many cases, more can be less.  All in all, more reason to have upfront dialogue.  In the end, he could still give the community the middle finger that he's currently receiving right now.  However, it does not appear that things have gotten that far at this point.

[fsu813]

I would guess SPAR has his contact info....

[thelakelander]

Yes, SPAR's office or the planning department.

[Johnny]

There were a few mentions about other businesses Mr. Jones owns. I looked him up and I see a couple of car washes listed...

LAKE FOREST CAR WASH - Inactive,    INVOLUNTARILY DISSOLVED - 11/10/1983
DOWNTOWN CAR WASH, INC - Inacive,    VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION -    01/23/1997
RIBAULT HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION, INC., Inactive,   ADMIN DISSOLUTION FOR ANNUAL REPORT - 10/09/1992
SILAS JONES CAR WASH INC. - Inactive,      ADMIN DISSOLUTION FOR ANNUAL REPORT - 10/16/1998

So, I'm not seeing any active car washes or other businesses. Wasn't it mentioned that he has other locations?

[fsu813]

Yup. I don't think he specified if they were in town / in state or not.

[nvrenuf]

Perhaps when Matt contacts Mr Jones, he can ask if he has any currently operational locations. Took a look at the area after lunch at Uptown Market. Is the location to be the currently fenced-in building and parking lot along with the open area to the west up to the alley?

[Dan B]

Send them to me, I will post them for you.