Lemongrass Thai Bistro gets OK for outdoor seating

News

The owner of the recently opened Lemongrass Thai Bistro in Flagler Center received Jacksonville Planning Commission approval to add outdoor seating and liquor sales.

The restaurant at 14866 Old St. Augustine Road opened Dec. 13 in a 2,981-square-foot unit within The Shoppes at Flagler Center.

The zoning exception permits a 666-square-foot outdoor seating area on the west side of the building surrounded by a minimum 3 ½-foot tall wall, fence or railing.

A floor plan indicates 107 interior seats and 44 outdoor seats.

One of the restaurant owners, Phet T. Thompson, was an owner of the closed Lemongrass Restaurant in Baymeadows.

The planning commission also approved zoning exceptions for:

A car wash at 7147 Merrill Road. The vacant 1.33-acre site is at northwest Townsend Boulevard and Merrill Road, next to the shopping center anchored by Publix. The land owner is Fifth Third Bank.
A proposed Crane Ramen restaurant at 1029 Park St. to allow liquor sales and outside seating. The commission also approved reducing the required minimum distance between the restaurant and the Riverside Presbyterian Church and School from 500 feet to 424.5 feet.

The restaurant, which will be in Five Points in the Riverside Avondale St. Johns Quarter Historic District, will occupy a 2,160-square-foot building with an outdoor seating area in the back. The building has been vacant since 2007. A floor plan indicates 58 interior and 22 outdoor seats.

The property owner is Three by Five Retail Associates. The agent for the restaurant said by email that “we are hoping to be open by the middle of February if not sooner.”

The Greek Street Cafe LLC at 4332 University Blvd. S. to allow liquor sales and reduce the required minimum distance from the Church of Faith Full Gospel Ministries at 5743 Beney Road from 500 feet to 90 feet.

Greek Street Cafe, a 150-seat, full-service restaurant serving beer and wine, opened in the 3,906-square-foot stand-alone building in June. The request specifically mentions traditional Greek liquors such as Ouzo and Metaxa.

Rascals Pub at 3960 Confederate Point Road to allow beer and wine sales. The existing bar required an exception for new ownership in the Commercial Neighborhood zoning district.

Rascals occupies about 3,200 square feet within a 12,800-square-foot retail shopping center.

The planning commission also approved a land-use amendment and rezoning that goes next to the City Council Land Use and Zoning Committee:

Ordinance 2017-801 for a 17.21-acre parcel at 17110 New Brandy Branch Road from Agriculture and Commercial Community General-1 to Planned Unit Development for the proposed development of a Love’s Baldwin Truck Stop.

The property contains a single-family home owned by Thomas Braddock at New Brandy Branch Road, U.S. 301 and Interstate 10.

Access will only be from New Brandy Branch Road.

The proposed facility would provide general services for semitrucks such as repair and maintenance, fuel pump stations, a scale, service center and a 10,000-square-foot tire shop.

The site will serve as a travel center for Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc. with an 11,263-square-foot convenience store and restaurant.

The pump stations will be covered by a 5,600-square-feet canopy. It serves truckers and travelers.