Daily Record Financial News &
Vol. 103, No. 023 • Three Sections
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Photo courtesy of James Eddy
Mayor Lenny Curry, at podium, addresses the crowd during the third and final community conversation on discrimination. The focus of Tuesday’s forum was the law’s effect on businesses with panelists, seated from left, Hugh Greene, Diann Catlin, Jack Webb, Roger Gannum, Amy Ruth and the Rev. Ken Adkins. Michael Boylan, standing at left, again moderated the discussion.
The community conversations have ended, but they’re about to begin for City Council. Council member Bill Gulliford said this morning he’s filing legislation today that would put the question of expanding the city’s antidiscrimination laws before voters. “I don’t see any reason to wait,” he said. Gulliford said he told Mayor Lenny Curry about his decision Tuesday. He wanted to wait until the three public forums Curry conducted on discrimination had concluded to make the move. He said the mayor “absolutely did not” have any influence on his decision. “Many times we act together,” said Gulliford. “Sometimes we
File photo
Legislation will put referendum on ballot don’t. I just think it’s the right thing to do.” Gulliford said Curry didn’t offer support or opposition — and he wasn’t asking for either. Curry spokeswoman Marsha Oliver didn’t return a call this morning seeking comment. The two-term council member said “finality” on the subject could be achieved through a referendum rather than by mayoral or council action. If done by the latter, additional pushes by the “losing side” would continue. The bill as filed would be the same language as the all-inclusive 2012-296, which council overwhelmingly defeated 17-2. That legislation included gender identity. An amended version dropped that classification, but was defeated 10-9. HRO continued on Page A-4
www.jaxdailyrecord.com
IKEA firming up local site plans
Gulliford wants voters to decide HRO issue
By David Chapman Staff Writer
35¢
City Council member Bill Gulliford said Mayor Lenny Curry had no influence on his decision to let voters decide on whether to expand the city’s anti-discrimination laws.
IKEA is building toward its 2016 construction start in Southside at 7801 Gate Parkway. Civil engineer Prosser Inc. submitted plans to the St. Johns River Water Management District and the city for approvals to develop the almost 25-acre site at northwest Interstate 295 and Gate Parkway. Those plans show an almost 294,000-square-foot IKEA that can be expanded to 335,000 square feet. There also are plans for 934 parking spaces along with room for 50 bicycles. Spokesman Joseph Roth said the company typically secures the appropriate governmental approvals for possible store expansion, but has no immediate plans to expand the Jacksonville store. However, he said because the company purchases its land and builds its stores, it is committed to the long-term and must be prepared for any eventuality. Roth said in the past five years it has expanded three stores in Texas, Massachusetts and Michigan. IKEA takes potential expansion into account when it designs its stores, Roth said. Expansion could take place on either side, or both sides of a store. Usually it’s the warehouse side because it typically needs more bin space for customers to pick up their products. Sweden-based IKEA announced in October it wanted to open at the site in fall 2017 and hire about 250 people. Roth said it is targeting late summer or early fall for groundbreaking, pending approvals, construction drawings and permitting. It is still on track for a fall 2017 opening. The store would feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area and a restaurant. IKEA, founded in 1943, sells home furnishings for assembly. It operates more Mathis
continued on
Page A-2
From Staff The entrepreneur development aspect of the One Spark festival gained a pair of new supporters with the announcement this morning JAX Chamber and Florida Coastal School of Law have signed on as co-title sponsors. “This is really about doing all we can to help make sure the creators with great ideas are armed with the tools needed to succeed,” said One Spark cofounder and CEO Elton Rivas in a news release. The Creator Academy will
Public
begin in mid-January with a free class at the Jessie Ball duPont Center Downtown titled “Creator Foundations.” The class overview posted at onespark.com indicates the opening session will cover topics including how to design a successful project, how to recruit a team of volunteers and the basics of crowdfunding, the process through which festival attendees may make donations to support projects. More sessions, including online instruction to serve outof-town participants, are scheduled through March leading up
legal notices begin on page
B-2
to the April 7-9 festival. Some classes will be free, others will require a $20 fee. Local branding consultant Al Emerick, facilitator of last year’s inaugural academy, will again lead many of the courses offered. He’ll be joined by other local, regional and national presenters. In the release, Katherine Hartland, director of the Business & Entrepreneurial Law Clinic at Florida Coastal, said the law school has helped more than 50 small-business owners and entrepreneurs with their start-up legal needs. One Spark continued on Page A-4
Special to the Daily Record
Law school, chamber to sponsor One Spark academy
Branding consultant Al Emerick, the instructor last year for many of the courses offered through the One Spark Creator Academy, will present courses again this year.
Published
for
26,813
consecutive weekdays