JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 A change in state law is allowing for developments that make no sense, according to one Jacksonville councilmember. <\/p>\n
One might question the logic behind building 216 townhomes right next to Atlantic Can Inc\u2019s tire recycling plant on the Northside, especially given it caught fire less than a year ago<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it burnt for weeks before they were able to get it out,\u201d said Councilmember Mike Gay (R-District 2), who represents the surrounding district.<\/p>\n But Gay explained the planned development could become a reality.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat they can do and what can be placed there, right now the way the law is, it\u2019s out of our reach,\u201d said Gay.<\/p>\n [DOWNLOAD: <\/b>Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks<\/b><\/a>]<\/b><\/p>\n Gay said the landowner initially tried to get the industrial parcel rezoned, but faced pushback from community stakeholders and withdrew their request.<\/p>\n But not long after, Gay received a letter from the city\u2019s planning department informing him the owner had leveraged a new state law and was cleared to move forward with their plans.<\/p>\n The Live Local Act was passed in 2023 with the goal of reducing red tape and encouraging the development of workforce and affordable housing.<\/p>\n In certain cases, it can be used to supersede local zoning rules. <\/p>\n In this case, it would allow a residential complex to possibly be built directly next to an industrial site.<\/p>\n Gay argued the plan doesn\u2019t make any sense, but there\u2019s nothing local leaders can do about it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a square peg in a round hole. It just does not work,\u201d said Gay.<\/p>\n And Gay said he expects more cases like this one to pop up unless the law is changed.<\/p>\n If it doesn\u2019t, he argued, developers rather than neighbors could end up with the final say on how the city is shaped moving forward.<\/p>\n \u201cWe lose total control or ability to say what we want in our own communities,\u201d said Gay.<\/p>\n Action News Jax did reach out to the landowner for comment on this story. <\/p>\n They declined to weigh in on the record.<\/p>\n