SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — In less than a week, Seminole County leaders will decide whether to let a controversial party spot stay open on the Wekiva River.
Neighbors have complained about the Wekiva Islands bar and nightlife, and now the major Super Bowl celebration owners want to throw could upset neighbors even more.
On weekends, Wekiva Island Bar and Canoe Rental attracts crowds of as many as 400. It has also has attracted frustration.
On Tuesday, Seminole County commissioners will make a final decision about rezoning the property It's a decision that could allow the business to keep operating mostly "as is" permanently.
"I'm not sure how they were getting away with having a bar down there, but it looks like nobody in power is objecting to it," Faith Jones of the Seminole Audubon Society said.
Jones' group is intensely concerned patrons go there to party and not protect.
"Are they gonna convert this to caring about the environment and caring about the future? Or are they going to be causing a negative impact on it?" Jones said.
Some neighbors dislike the heavy traffic and noisy nights. Bar owners are requesting a special event permit for a big Super Bowl party.
The business has worked to ease concerns. Owners are proposing traffic calming measures on the road in and out of the bar. They have promised an environmental learning center there as well.
The rezoning plan seems to have traction. It already has preliminary approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission. County commissioners are not required to follow planning and zoning recommendations, but they often do.
Wekiva Islands' owner said he's cautiously optimistic about Tuesday's public hearing.