JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The City of Jacksonville's attorney says nothing can stop a liquor store from being built across from a school on Jacksonville's Northside. The decision hasn't stopped neighbors from hiring their own attorney to fight back.
"We're really good at figuring out complicated screwed up stuff," Jack Webb said.
Webb is an attorney and former city council member, who is helping Brentwood neighbors fight against a liquor store across from Kipp Voice Academy.
The store was approved in 2020, but neighbors say they were never given a chance to speak against it.
The city's own planning department said it did not recommend a liquor store across from the school.
"We do know that there is a proposed kid's school that's looking at coming in across the street. We're not sure that the two of them would be compatible across the street from one another, but mostly, it's based on our concern about the hindrance of redevelopment of the area, it's a very old corridor," Planning Division Chief, Folks Huxford, said in the July 2020 planning commission meeting.
Despite the recommendation, the planning commission approved the liquor store after the public hearing. Neighbors say they never received notice about that meeting.
"If I had gotten a notice as hard as we're organizing fighting now, we would have done that then. This isn't our first rodeo," said Lydia Bell, President of the Metro Gardens Neighborhood Association.
The city's attorney sent council member, Reggie Gaffney Jr. a notice saying nothing can be done about the liquor store.
"I was at city hall for four years and had a lot of experience in dealing with the general counsel's office," Webb said. "I don't accept anything at face value."
Webb says he'll work to find a solution. In the meantime, neighbors will continue their fight.
"We'll get the word out to be at city hall tomorrow night so we can voice some additional complaints because we have to stand up," former Brentwood neighbor, Gene Logan said.