Rules Committee Meeting - Monday November 15th - 10am, Council Chambers

Thank you taking the time to check this out.

The Rules Committee of the Jacksonville City Council will be presented with Resolution 2010-813 that supports J3 Monday November 15 at 10:00am.

http://citycirc.coj.net/coj/COJbillDetail.asp?F=2010-0813\Bill%20Summary
 
This will amend state laws that makes it easier for small independent restaurants to thrive in the 5 Points area.  The details are listed below.

If you support this measure and have the time, an email to the council members on the Rules Committee would be much appreciated.  Their information is also below.

Thank you again for looking and thanks for your support.  This bill is a great thing for the neighborhood as a whole, not just one particular piece of property that I think is cool.

Allan DeVault

Resolution 2010-813 and bill J-3 information

Currently in Florida, SRX licenses (special restaurant exemption licenses allowing the service of a full bar) are issued to bona fide restaurants with the ability to serve 150 full course meals at one time and that have 2500 square feet in service area.  Bona fide restaurants must meet many criteria, notably that 51% or more of their sales must be food and the bar closes when the kitchen does. 

Those laws were amended for the downtown and Southbank areas in 1987 by House Bill 485.  Bona fide restaurants within the boundaries defined in that bill are required to have 100+ seats and 1800 square feet in service area.  Applicable examples using that special district exemption are the Burrito Gallery, bb's and Indochine - this is for restaurants, not bars.
 
House Bill 485 was unanimously passed in 1987 by the state legislature with local, bipartisan support and was written, at the time, to aid in the preservation and revitalization of downtown.  It allows the opportunity for small bona fide independent restaurants to better compete within the spatially constricting confines of existing properties and buildings in historic urban areas.

We are proposing to amend Chapter 47-481, Florida Statutes to include the 5 Points business district, deemed the Urban Transitional Area (UTA) in the Riverside Avondale Overlay passed in 2008.  Among other things, the Overlay was designed and passed to better define “Character Areas” in the Riverside Avondale area and what is, and is not, appropriate in those areas.  The board of Riverside Avondale Preservation voted in July 2010 to support this initiative as did, unofficially by canvassing, all of the residents and business owners in the 5 Points area that we have spoken with. 

House Bill 485 was originally passed to help economic development and the revitalization in the Urbancore of Downtown and we believe it fits the 5 Points UTA area perfectly and would bring positive growth.

Passing Resolution 2010-813 will show Council’s support to the Duval Delegation for bill J-3.