JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Shores Liquor Store has already been approved as part of a strip mall being constructed in the Oakleaf neighborhood. However, the introduction of a newly proposed tasting room within the store is causing some resistance among local residents.

Thursday night, Jacksonville City Councilman Dr. Rahman Johnson held a community meeting to hear from residents

At Thursday night’s meeting, everyone present was against the tasting room to be located inside the Shores Liquor Store at the intersection of Old Middleburg and Collins Road.

Their concerns include increased traffic, impacts to property values and that it would be just blocks away from an elementary school.

“I’m just very concerned about it with all the traffic we have there,” said one Oakleaf resident.

“The only entity that will benefit for having the tasting room is the business itself,” said another Oakleaf resident.

For the last 20 years, Tara Adams has lived on the westside

“We don’t want the tasting room,” Tara Adams said.

She, along with her Oakleaf neighbors, are speaking against a proposed tasting room that would be inside of shores liquor store in their community.

“It’s just negligence against the community,” said Chris Crabtree, an Oakleaf resident. 

“I’m shocked that it’s okay to be close to an elementary school. I’m just shocked by that,” Adams said.

One big reason neighbors say they are opposed is that Enterprise Learning Academy is just blocks away.

Rezoning that included the liquor store was approved in 2021 and construction is already underway. It is expected to be completed in November.

As the developer intends to include a tasting room, allowing for on-site alcohol sampling, a distance waiver is required due to the store’s close proximity to a school.

Thursday night, District 14 councilman Dr. Rahman Johnson asked for residents to give recommendations on limitations they’d like to be added, in case the tasting room proposal gets approved.

“If we get to the place where it passes. I want to make sure we can mitigate so that everyone of the residents and neighbors get their needs met,” Johnson said.

Neighbors gave recommendations like limiting the tasting room hours of operation and putting a fence around homes that border the liquor store.

“I’m hoping that Dr. Johnson will take our suggestions back to committee and really be a voice for the community saying that we do not want a tasting room,” Tara Adams said. 

“Hold the developer to their original plan and stand with the families who rely on this neighborhood to be safe,” said another resident.

Despite the developer with Vrihi Development LLC not being in attendance at the meeting, their attorney, Paul Harden, was present at meeting and answered residents questions.

The planning committee deferred its decision on the tasting room. It will return to the committee for reconsideration. Then move on the land use and zoning committee.

Jacksonville City Council will give a final vote on June 24.