A rezoning request for a mixed-use veterinary office, dog park and bar in Springfield received Jacksonville City Council approval Nov. 25.
Ordinance 2025-0674, which passed 17-0, will allow for Springfield Animal Hospital to open at 1636 N. Main St. Council members Jimmy Peluso and Ken Amaro were absent for the vote.
Springfield Animal Hospital was granted a rezoning from Commercial Community/General-Springfield (CCG-S) and a Planned Unit Development granted in 2016 to a new PUD.
The former PUD governing a portion of the site, PUD 2016-0476-E, was granted for the Main & Six Brewing Co., a brewery and taproom that closed in 2022. The new PUD permits commercial uses consistent with the CCG-S zoning district and waives distancing requirements.
The city requires a waiver to allow on-premise consumption of alcohol for establishments within certain distances of churches, schools and other locations with a liquor license.
A PUD allows uses, regulations and standards tailored to a property.
Michael Sittner, a land use and real estate attorney who represents the developer, told the Jacksonville Planning Commission that the business plan was similar to the BrewHound Dog Park + Bar in Neptune Beach.
Springfield Animal Hospital also plans to convert part of a parking lot to the dog park and use another section for parking, Sittner said.
The property, which falls within the Springfield Zoning Overlay and Springfield Historic District, is a 3,060-square-foot building constructed in 1959, according to the Planning Department staff report on the PUD request. It received its certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Section in August.
Springfield Animal Hospital also received a $50,000 grant, approved by Council, to fund infrastructure improvements to build the dog park.
Council voted to send legislation for rezoning and a land use amendment for Beach Boulevard grocer Apna Bazar back through its hearing process before the Jacksonville Planning Commission and the Land Use and Zoning Committee.
The store requested the legislation to allow for a slaughterhouse on its property, but withdrew the animal processing component from it.
The motion to rerefer the legislation came after the store developer agreed on a further change, which would amend the land use proposal on the property from Light Industrial to Community/General Commercial. Ordinances 2025-0487 and 2025-0488, which have been under consideration by Council and the commission since August, are expected to be taken up in public hearings again in 2026.
Property records show the plaza comprises two buildings totaling about 59,000 square feet with multiple businesses. Apna Bazar plans to expand its operation with a 30,000-square-foot addition and to build a 23,800-square-foot freestanding structure east of the shopping center.
Dozens of community members and advocates appeared at the Nov. 25 Council meeting to oppose the ordinances.
Council President Kevin Carrico, who represents the district encompassing the property and neighborhood, struck a verbal agreement between residents and Apna Bazar to rerefer the bill to consider CGC land use.