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Church leaders urge council to deny liquor‑license buffer reduction near historic Mount Carmel
Summary
Representatives from Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church told the council they oppose a petition to shrink the minimum distance between an alcohol retailer and places of worship or schools from 500 feet to 60 feet, arguing the change threatens neighborhood safety and the church’s operations.
At a public hearing March 24, representatives of Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church urged Jacksonville City Council to deny a variance that would reduce the required distance between alcohol sales and a church or school from 500 to 60 feet.
Pastor Kelvin Lewis told council the church, established on North Market Street since 1946, strongly opposes any increase in alcohol access close to their building; he said the congregation already contends with vagrancy and other public‑space incidents near the property and that proximity to off‑site alcohol sales would worsen the situation.
Thurman Young, echoing the church’s position, described the 500‑foot buffer as a long‑standing tool to protect sensitive sites and said shrinking the distance would undercut community safety and increase exposure of minors to alcohol-related activity. Darren (Darvin) Eel (member of Mount Carmel’s board) said the request appeared to be a response to a poor business-location decision and characterized the variance as the applicant attempting to alter rules rather than find an appropriate site.
Council response and next steps: Council closed the hearing after three speakers and did not immediately act; the petition was recorded in the public‑hearing record for later disposition under land‑use procedures.
Clarifying detail: Mount Carmel’s representatives said the church owns a nearby vacant lot they intend to use for a dining‑hall addition; they stated they did not approve any prior representations that suggested they consented to a liquor‑license proximity waiver.
The issue reflects recurring neighborhood concerns about alcohol‑retail siting near schools and houses of worship, and the record will be forwarded to the council committee handling land‑use and licensing for a formal recommendation.
