JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Shores Liquor Store has already been approved to be a part of a strip mall being built in the Oakleaf neighborhood. However, a newly proposed tasting room inside the store is sparking some pushback from residents who live in the area.

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

Everyone at Thursday night’s meeting was opposed to the tasting room that would be built right inside the Shores Liquor Store on the corner 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.

Since the developer wants to add a tasting room, there would be alcohol tasting on site, which means the developer needs a distance waiver since the store would be in 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.