Council committees fill the first week of August
Rules, Finance and four other council panels open August at City Hall on Aug. 3 and 4.
Five committee meetings and a Land Use and Zoning agenda meeting fill the first week of August at City Hall, 117 W. Duval St., in the 1st Floor Council Chamber. On August 3, the Rules Committee meets at 9 a.m., followed by the Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee at 1 p.m. On August 4, Transportation, Energy and Utilities meets at 9 a.m. and Finance meets at 1 p.m. The Land Use and Zoning agenda meeting starts at 4:30 p.m. that day, with the Land Use and Zoning Committee following at 5 p.m. The first council Finance Committee budget hearing runs August 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Agenda questions go through Legislative Services at 904-255-5122. (City of Jacksonville)
Two northbound Buckman Bridge lanes stay closed until Monday
Two northbound lanes of the Buckman Bridge are closed until 4 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3, and the San Jose Boulevard ramp to Interstate 295 North is closed along with them. Detour signs are posted. The nearest alternate crossings, the Shands Bridge and the Fuller Warren Bridge, sit 14 to 18 miles away. Crews have spent months replacing steel joints on the span, a $5.4 million project expected to finish this fall. (Jacksonville Today)
Met Park Marina booking dates start Aug. 12
Booking is open at metparkmarina.com for the new Met Park Marina, and the first bookable dates start Aug. 12. The 78-slip facility supports special events, short-term dock-and-dine stops, and overnight stays on a first-come, first-served basis. Transient slips run $2.75 per foot per night for boats up to 60 feet and $3.25 per foot per night above 60 feet. Special-event pricing is $4 per foot per night. Dock-and-dine costs $5 per hour for up to four hours. (Jacksonville Daily Record)
Riverside Avenue could shrink to two lanes each way
An updated proposal from City Council member Jimmy Peluso would narrow Riverside Avenue from three lanes in each direction to two and add green bike lanes. The work would cover Riverside from the Acosta Bridge to Forest Street, Forest from Riverside to Park Street, and West Monroe between Interstate 95 and Jefferson Street. Each of the three segments carries an estimated cost of $100,000. The projects would draw on pedestrian-safety funds and would not require a specific City Council approval, according to Peluso. Additional feedback comes in before Public Works completes the design. (Jacksonville Today)
Compare the Duval candidates before the Aug. 18 primary
The Aug. 18 Florida primary puts a full slate of Duval County races in front of voters, and there is a way to compare the field before then. Start by pulling a sample ballot from the Duval County elections office, then work through the Jacksonville Today voter guide race by race. Answers from participating candidates run unedited, without trimming or paraphrase. Candidates who did not take part still have basic information listed, drawn from public information and past coverage. (Jacksonville Today)
The Club JAX permit issued at nearly $3.07 million
A permit valued at almost $3.07 million has been issued for The Club JAX at Jacksonville International Airport, covering a 6,133-square-foot build-out. Plans call for 131 seats on an elevated mezzanine just past security, up from 52 and more than double the seating the lounge had before it closed. The lounge shut its doors in August 2024, and reopening is targeted for 2027. The work sits inside the airport's $344 million Concourse B project, which is tracking toward a December 2026 completion. (Jacksonville Daily Record)
Emerson Street land-use change heads to four hearings
A proposed land-use change covering about 0.37 acre at 4427 Emerson Street, between Bills Road and Galilee Road, would shift the property from Residential-Professional-Institutional to Community/General Commercial. The application is L-6117-26C, filed as Ordinance 2026-525. The Planning Commission hears it Aug. 6 at 1 p.m. at 214 N. Hogan Street. The City Council first hearing is Aug. 11 at 5 p.m., Land Use and Zoning takes it up Aug. 18 at 5 p.m., and the final council hearing is Aug. 25 at 5 p.m., all three at 117 W. Duval Street. Dates are subject to change. (City of Jacksonville)
Beach festival, mass bike ride and two riverfront cruises
August brings a three-day beach festival, a mass bike ride, and two riverfront cruises. Jax Beach Summer Fest runs August 7 through August 9 at 75 1st Street North. The Bike Breakers World's Biggest Beach Bike Ride rolls out August 14 at 5:30 p.m. from Seawalk Pavilion. Two cruises leave from 1501 Riverplace Blvd.: the First Sunday Brunch Cruise on August 2 at 11 a.m. and the Tropical Vibes Cruise on August 8 at 7 p.m. Contact the event organizer for tickets and details. (City of Jacksonville)