JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Update 11/16/2019: Perfect Rack Billiards will stay open.
A popular family owned pool hall in Murray Hill said it's struggling to stay open because of a fence.
Perfect Rack Billiards has been open since 2008, but now the future is uncertain.
The backyard of the property is enclosed with a fence.
The owner's son said the fence was there when the family purchased the property in 2006 and according to zoning, they're required to keep it.
The fence has a gate that leads to the neighboring property. The pool hall said the business worked with them and gave their garbage company a key to the gate.
The business said they've never had problems accessing the backyard through the Plymouth street side, near the railroad tracks.
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At the end of October, Sleiman Enterprises put up a fence at the end of their property line, blocking access to the interlocked backyard.
Now, the dumpster can no longer get picked up.
The dumpster reached maximum capacity and they have no place to put their food waste.
As a result, the family owned business said it was forced to close its kitchen, which makes up at least 50% of the revenue.
They also had to fire four employees over the weekend.
In a Facebook post, the business wrote "this issue is putting good, hardworking people out of jobs."
Action News Jax reached out to Sleiman Enterprises and was given this statement from corporate.
"Sleiman Enterprises as adjacent property owner has exercised its rights to quiet enjoyment for our tenants located here.
"The circumstance of an adjacent property relying on or passing through a neighbors parcel for access is not authorized and had created issues with respect to parking, use and control for activities off our site (legal or otherwise). There is no legal requirement or reliance for our parcel to serve as entryway to neighboring parcels. Our intention is to simply preserve access to our property, support our tenants' needs and ensure our property is clean, safe and secure for tenants and their guests.
"What we did was within our rights as property owners. Further, a fence had already been erected by the neighboring property owner, we merely added our own to uphold the principles of private property ownership."
The pool hall said they've tried to have this resolved with multiple different building owners surrounding them to no avail.
It's not as simple as putting in a gate on the backside or other side of the property. Since they don't own the surrounding properties, they need permission from the building owners.
The business said, unfortunately, they can't work out a deal on a mutual easement.
In the Facebook post, they wrote "we are just trying to survive and not close our doors for good."
The business is not sure what will come next, but they're going to do everything possible to continue to serve as a staple to the Murray Hill community.
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