JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Disappointed and fed up is how some people living near Soutel Drive feel after learning another liquor store could be coming to their neighborhood.
Residents are concerned that the package liquor store will attract crime and violence. Records show the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been called to the area numerous times in the past five years — but the property owner says he has the right to open the business.
Van Moy-Henry has lived in the neighborhood since the 1960s.
“I’m totally against that (liquor store). There are so many liquor stores in the area, even within a small radius, there’s just so many,” Moy-Henry said.
The store can’t open without a waiver of liquor distance because the store would be less than 500 feet from a church.
We checked and found four other liquor stores with a two to eight-minute drive from the proposed new liquor store.
During a public planning commission meeting Thursday, several people spoke out against the store.
“No one is considering the people that live in that area,” said resident Donna Ronsville.
“Our main opposition is that we have a bus stop across the street within 200 feet of the site line of that liquor store,” said Duval County school board member Warren Jones. “That’s a major concern for us and having kids wait there in the mornings that catch the bus looking at a liquor store.
On the topic of violence — in March, two men died and one survived after police said they were shot on the same street.
“This is serious,” said Iris Henton. “We had death up there, we had mothers losing their children up there.”
Anwar’s Properties Inc. owns the site. It’s based in Orlando. The business owner was not at the meeting, but his attorney Paul Harden was, and he said this is not about the existing or past crime, but this is about business owner rights.
After hours of discussion, the commissioners voted 4-3 to approve, but that in effect denied the waiver request because it requires a 5-vote majority. There were questions about the instructions to approve or deny based on the concerns and the owner’s rights.
This is seen as a victory for the community, but it’s not over. The commissioners could hear a new request for the waiver again in two weeks at the next meeting.
According to Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office records dating back to Jan. 1, 2017, there have been 130 calls for service at the location that has applied for a liquor store license.
The proposed liquor store is also getting attention from the Jacksonville Northside Coalition. Members plan to hold a news conference on April 18 to share their concerns.
News4JAX requested comment from council member Brenda Priestly Jackson, who represents the district. Her statement reads:
“Crime concerns are in the domain of JSO and the elected sheriff. Once again, this matter is quasi-judicial in nature and until final action is taken by the Planning Commission, I will not address it further. I will share my perspective and plans as the council member and neighbor after final action by the Planning Commission.”