An ordinance aimed at helping facilitate Ameris Bank’s plans for a new branch on the Downtown Northbank drew the support of the Jacksonville Planning Commission on Feb. 20.
The commission voted 6-0 to recommend passage of Ordinance 2025-0074, which would allow for an exception to Downtown zoning codes that restrict drive-thru and drive-in facilities to enclosed spaces such as parking garages.
The exception would allow for installation of drive-thrus in areas adjacent to or accessible from some surface parking lots. It would allow Ameris to include a drive-thru in its plans for a branch at 200 W. Forsyth St. in the former Truist Tower.
Lori Boyer, CEO of the Downtown Investment Authority, told the commission that drive-thrus and drive-ins are generally discouraged Downtown.
“We don’t want queuing on the streets, and we want to encourage people to get out of their cars and we want Downtown more walkable,” she said. “But we also want our commercial office buildings to have better occupancy rates.”
Several conditions apply to the exception, including that the queuing lines must be located within the lot and the drive-thru must be used in conjunction with a permitted use of a multi-use structure, such as a bank or restaurant. Commercial surface lots are not applicable, and only lots built before 2014 are eligible for the exception.
The conditions are designed to maintain limits on the number of places where drive-thrus can be established Downtown, while still allowing them in places where they will not affect Downtown traffic flow, parking and walkability.
The exception does not apply to the LaVilla, Cathedral Hill and Southbank districts of Downtown, as is also the case with the existing restrictions.
The Downtown Development Review Board would have authority over whether to grant exceptions.
As for the ordinance, it advances to consideration by the Jacksonville City Council. Council President Randy White introduced the legislation.
On Jan. 9, the Daily Record reported that the city was reviewing a building-permit application for the Ameris Northbank branch. According to the application, the branch would occupy 4,214 square feet of space on the building’s 17,265-square-foot ground floor.
Ameris, which anchors Riverplace Tower on the Southbank, said it expected to open the branch in the third quarter of 2025.
Boyer said Ameris planned to offer drive-thru and interior service at the branch.
Previous anchors of the 18-story building, developed in 1975, include BB&T Corp., which merged with SunTrust Banks Inc. in 2019 and became Truist.
In July 2023, it was reported that Truist was moving to Hanania Place on the Southbank, where it established a first-floor branch and administrative offices on the fifth floor.
Jacksonville-based Ash Properties bought the tower at 200 W. Forsyth St. and a parking garage for $24.47 million in July 2018.