Garage Sale Sign Guidelines

As the Garage Sale season approaches, Lakeland residents are reminded that City of Lakeland regulations allow one regulation size “Garage Sale” sign on the property of the Garage Sale. No flags, banners, balloons etc. are allowed to call attention to the Garage Sale. No permit is required for a Garage Sale or a Garage Sale sign.

Signs are not allowed on public property (intersections, street right of ways) and garage sale signs on public property will be removed.

We appreciate your cooperation in complying with the Lakeland community requirements on garage sale signs.

Specific regulations are:

Yard Sale Signs (14-404.2(20))

Signs for yard sales shall be allowed provided that:

(a) Only one (1) such sign shall be on the lot where the yard sale is located;

(b) Such sign shall not exceed five (5) square feet in sign area per side and 48 inches in height measured from finished grade;

(c) Such sign shall be removed immediately upon conclusion of the yard sale;

(d) No such signs shall be placed in such as manner as to obstruct visibility or be attached to utility poles, directional or regulatory signage, or trees; and

(e) Such sign shall not be placed closer than 15 feet from the edge of pavement or five (5) feet behind a sidewalk, whichever is greater.

Please contact City Hall at 867-2717 or CityHall@lakelandtn.org if you have specific questions on Garage Sale sign regulations.

Transportation Project Update

Beverle Revira Drive Extension: Plans for the Beverle Revira Drive extension (extension of the street past Lakeland Fire Station # 1 to Huff and Puff) are complete. The project will be bid as soon as the Municipal Planning Commission reviews the construction plans and necessary easements are obtained.

The project is a major effort in plans to improve access from Seed Tick to Canada Road.

The City has also been approved for a grant for a traffic signal at Beverle Revira Drive and Canada Road after the extension is completed.

This project will significantly improve fire/ambulance response to the Lakeland Elementary School area and improve the current bottleneck at Canada Road and Huff and Puff.

Eventually, Beverle Revira Drive will extend from Canada Road to Chambers Chapel Road.

For those persons who are new to Lakeland, Beverle Revira Drive is named in honor Beverle Revira, the first Mayor of Lakeland.

Traffic Signals at I-40 and Canada Road Interchange: I regret to announce that the traffic signals have been delayed for another three months. I understand the project, which is funded by the federal government and administered by Shelby County will be delayed for some required environmental reviews. Current plans are for the project to be bid in June of 2007.

This project is desperately needed and I hope this is the last delay.

Canada Road/I-40 Interchange: The Tennessee Department of Transportation is expected to schedule a Public Hearing in the near future. There will be at least 30 days notice of the date of the Public Hearing on the interchange.

The Lakeland Economic Development Commission is actively working on an educational campaign to inform Lakeland residents and all motorists using the interchange of the Public Hearing and the advantages of the Single Point Interchange.

Traffic Signals at Highway 70 and Canada Road: We are waiting confirmation that the Tennessee Department of Transportation intends to install traffic signals at this intersection (with left-turn lanes in all directions). We learned that this project was funded by a safety grant, but we are awaiting a letter of confirmation.

New Canada Road planning: Planning is expected to start in the near future on New Canada Road. Shelby County, the State of Tennessee and the City of Lakeland are using the Context Sensitive Solution approach, which will involve a citizens in planning the route and other features of New Canada Road.

We expect this to start in the near future.

Funds for the construction of New Canada Road were recently approved in the MPO Plan for New Canada Road. This will be an 80% grant, with the City contributing 20%. The City has requested that Shelby County participate in funding and planning this project, since Canada Road is a major north/south artery that serves many Shelby County residents who are not Lakeland residents.

I-40/Canada Road interchange Public Hearing emphasis of EDC Action

The Lakeland Economic Development Commission (EDC) is emphasing the importance of attending the upcoming Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Public Hearing on the Canada Road/I-40 Interchange. The date of the Public Hearing is expected to be announced shortly.

An informational brochure and galvanizing public attendance at the Public Hearing is a top priority. Following the Public Hearing, the emphasis will be on demonstrating continued public support to State Officials. The brochure will include information on the need for the interchange and the differences between the “single-point interchange” and the enhanced “diamond” interchange.

The EDC held the Special Meeting to set priorities and decided that the logical priority is the completion of the interchange, with the immediate emphasis on the Public Hearing and follow-up support.

Lakeland Economic Development members include Board of Commission Liaison Randy Nicholson, EDC Chair Mark Lawrence, Melissa Smithmier, John Dudas, Municipal Planning Commission Liaison Kathleen Brasfield, Don Oliver, Connie Hess, Josh Roman and Pamela Womack.

The Economic Development Commission members are appointed by the Lakeland Board of Commissioners.

Join Neighborhood Watch efforts!

I am reprinting the item below from QNet since I feel this is an excellent method to raise awareness of and prevent crime in Lakeland.

Yahoo Groups is easy to use and is very effective. I urge all Lakeland residents to join this Yahoo Group and fight crime in Lakeland!

LAKELAND NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH
Brian S. Haines, Council of Lakeland Associations

The Council of Lakeland Associations (COLA) invites all Lakeland neighborhood leaders to join our interactive online forum by signing up at the following address:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lakelandcola/
Click the "Join This Group" button to apply for access and discover the quick and easy polls and discussion threads that are aimed at sharing knowledge, experience and encouragement for establishing and maintaining effective Neighborhood Watch programs in Lakeland. Please don't wait until you feel the sting of criminal activity in your neighborhood or home before you get involved. Take a proactive role in making Lakeland a less attractive place for criminals to operate. Together we can!

Recycle Bin Lids Available

The City is receiving approximately 100 lids for the recycle bids for testing by Lakeland residents. The lids are designed to "snap" onto the recycle bins and prevent recyclables from blowing and also keeps them dry in wet weather!

Lids are available at City Hall (10001 Highway 70) on a first-come basis. Persons who are unable to stop by City Hall should e-mail cityhall@Lakelandtn.org or call 867-2717 and leave your name and address and we will deliver a lid as long as they are available.

We will appreciate your comments on the lids after you have tested them before we decide to proceed with providing lids to all customers who recycle.

Lakeland Census-We Count on You!

Lakeland residents who have not yet responded to the 2008 Special Census are encouraged to respond to the census survey. Surveys are currently being mailed out to residents who have not responded.

Also, if you did not include all household members in the survey, please complete another survey listing all persons in your household. (We will simply use the new survey and delete the previous survey)

Residents who do not receive a form (especially new residents) or residents who need to complete another form to list all household members may obtain a form at www.Lakelandtn.gov, e-mailing CityHall@lakelandtn.org or calling City Hall at 867-2717.

We appreciate the high response rate of Lakeland residents and encourage residents who are not counted to respond to the survey and residents who may have submitted an incomplete survey to complete a survey. Every resident counts! For every resident counted, the City receives approximately $109 per year, which benefits all Lakeland residents.

Please call Debra or Anita at Lakeland City Hall if you have any questions or desire additional information.