JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Close to 100 Oceanway neighbors showed up to Friday night's town hall meeting where a potential new Chick-fil-A development was being discussed.
Most residents were okay with a Chick-fil-A opening up shop in the area, but just not specifically where it's proposed to go.
"I'm a fan of Chick-fil-A." Oceanway neighbor, Christine Brundage, said.
"I was joking with my neighbors the other day; I don't need one that close because I don't need the temptation but if they are that close ,it's too close for us, and the value of our properties."
Chick-fil-A has plans to put one of its restaurants between the North Creek subdivision and Daily's gas station, which are right across the street from First Coast High School.
"The high school is also a magnet shuttle hub, so we have kids as young as 10 from all around the area catching their buses to their different magnet schools across the city from there," Oceanway Resident, Lauren Jockimo, said. "Not just high schoolers, but really little kids in the dark in the morning after school I'm not sure it's been factored in."
Most people who spoke shared concerns about traffic, safety and property value concerns.
The City of Jacksonville said the land was approved several years ago for a single lane drive-thru McDonald's, but Chick-fil-A recently bought the plot.
City of Jacksonville Planning and Development Department Chief Folks Huxford said Chick-fil-A wants to put in a double lane drive-thru.
Huxford said he is going to deny that site plan.
But Chick-fil-A could come back with an already approved one lane drive-thru plan.
"It'd be a traffic nightmare, it's right across the street from the school ... we got two or three thousand students, we got over 40 or 50 buses coming to First Coast every day in the morning and the afternoon." District 7 Jacksonville City Council Member, Reggie Gaffney Jr., said.
Gaffney Jr. created a committee of five residents who attended Thursday's meeting.
The group plans to bring their concerns to Chick-fil-A, but if the fast-food giant doesn't listen, Gaffney Jr. plans to take action.
"If the Chick-fil-A legislation does pass, the community have asked me to take the lead on boycotting Chick-fil-A across the street from First Coast High School. The community put me in office, so I have to do what they say." Gaffney Jr. said.
Gaffney Jr. said he plans to call Chick-fil-A Friday with the hopes of scheduling a meeting with the special committee of neighbors in Oceanway.
First Coast News reached out to Chick-fil-A and asked if the fast-food chain plans to move forward with a single lane restaurant or push for a double lane drive-thru.
First Coast News is waiting for a response.