The Jacksonville Planning Commission approved a zoning exception Thursday to allow the planned Marah Brewing Co. brew pub at 1521 Margaret St. between Park and Herschel streets in Riverside to serve all alcohol.
Marah Brewing's exception request included outside sales and service for the location of the former Five Points Tavern and previous O’Brothers Irish Pub with the same use.
The site originally was developed as a single-family home and converted to commercial uses over time.
James Menker and Wicked Barley Co. co-founder Brett Baker are partners and co-owners of Marah Brewing.
They intend to install a 3.5-barrel brew system for products to serve at the brew pub. Brews will include ales, lagers, meads and ciders. Other beer will be available on tap.
They don't plan to distribute the products.
Bar food will be offered from a fully equipped kitchen. Menker had said previously, the space is about 2,000 square feet inside and another 2,000 square feet outside. He anticipates about 100 seats.
The application indicates Westwood Properties Partners LLC is the owner and the property is undergoing an ownership change.
Zoning Exceptions
The planning commission also approved zoning exceptions for:
• Perfect Rack Billiards Inc. at 1186 Edgewood Ave. S., between Plymouth and Mayflower streets, to serve all alcoholic beverages. The billiard parlor serves beer and wine for which the commission approved an exception in 2006. A companion application for an administrative deviation also was approved to reduce the required parking from 20 to none. The commission based the decision on available on street parking.
• Varick Memorial AME Zion Church Inc. at 7031 Blackard Road, between Bert and Chapeau roads, to expand. It occupies a church building on 0.5 acres and plans to expand onto the adjacent 1.32 acre undeveloped parcel. It proposes a 5,500-square-foot building with parking.The exception allows for a church in a district zoned residential low density-60. A companion administrative deviation was approved for the 1.77-acre church use on less than 2 acres in RLD-60.
Land use amendments and rezoning recommendations
The planning commission recommended approval for land use changes and rezonings for:
• Ordinance 2019-01, which seeks a large scale land use amendment of 38.27 acres along the south side of AC Skinner Parkway, west of Southside Boulevard and east of Belfort Road. It would change from community/general commercial and business park to medium density residential for a multifamily development. The application is in the transmittal round of legislation, to be reviewed by the state prior to returning to the planning commission with a companion application for rezoning. The applicant is Curtis Hart with Hart Resources LLC and the property owner is the Jacksonville Transportation Authority.
• Ordinance 2019-06, which seeks a small scale land use amendment on 3.08 acres on the north side of Normandy Boulevard, between Blair Road and Hammond Boulevard. It would change from community/general commercial to medium density residential to allow a single-family development. The proposed companion rezoning, Ordinance 2019-07, includes 87.92 acres from planned unit development and community commercial/general-2 to PUD, allowing a 168 single-family development on 84 acres along with about 6 acres of limited commercial retail uses along Normandy Boulevard. The current PUD allows for 420 multifamily units and 75,000 square feet of retail commercial. Wyman Duggan with the Rogers Towers firm is the applicant and developer is KB Home.
• Ordinance 2019-08, which seeks a small scale land use amendment on 8.77 acres at 12021 Old St. Augustine Road, between Princess Labeth Court and Collins Creek Drive. It would change from low density residential to public buildings and facilities to allow the current church use and an assisted living facility. The proposed rezoning under companion Ordinance 2019-09 would change from residential rural-acre to public building and facilities-2.
The site is developed with the First Conservative Baptist Church of Jacksonville Florida Inc. and the Conservative Christian Academy with a 14,000-square-foot church and 5,500-square-foot house for the pastor. An undeveloped 6.25 acres of the property would house the assisted living facility proposed for congregation members. The applicant/owner is Gene Youngblood.
Minor modifications to planned unit developments
The planning commission approved minor modifications for:
• MM-2018-32, to provide a revised site plan for the project known as the West Lake Photovoltaic Solar Energy Farm on Pritchard Road between Jones and Old Plank roads for use by the Jacksonville Electric Authority. The development is approved with conditions relative to the Navy Outlying Landing Field Whitehouse Lighting Regulation Zone.
• MM-2018-26, to revise the PUD’s 45-foot maximum height restriction within 200 feet of residential property to a maximum of 60 feet for a proposed hotel on an out parcel of the PUD along Interstate 295 near Collins Road. The proposed hotel is planned to be 146 feet from residential property.
The amendments and rezonings require approval by the City Council Land Use and Zoning Committee and then the full council approval.