June Schedule Highlights

June schedule changes and highlights include:

-Monday, June 2, 2008: Rescheduled Board of Commissioners Work Session (rescheduled from Monday, May 26)

-Thursday, June 12, 2008: Rescheduled Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting (rescheduled from Thursday, June 5)

-Friday, June 13, 2008: Family Day in City Hall Park. Starts at 6:30 p.m.

-Tuesday, June 17: Major Road Plan public meeting. This is a public input session by the consulting engineers and the City Engineer, action will still be taken by the MPC and BOC. Meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.

-Monday, June 30, 2008: BOC Work Session was rescheduled form Monday, June 23 to Monday June 30, due to the July 4 Holiday. The BOC Regular Meeting for July was rescheduled from Thursday, July 3 to Thursday, July 10.

Memorial Day Schedule changes

All trash and recycling pickup for the week of May 26 to May 31 will be scheduled one day later than normal. This includes both recycling and regular trash pickup.

Lakeland City Hall will be closed Monday, May 26.

Windward Slopes, Lakeland Estates Recycle Pickup Changes Scheduled

Recycling for Lakeland Estates and Windward Slopes residents will change to a new schedule due to the increased recycling and increases in housing. (Congratulations Lakeland on the increasing recycling!).

Residents of Windward Slopes and Lakeland Estates recycling pickup schedule will change to every other WEDNESDAY rather than every other TUESDAY.

EFFECTIVE DATE is Wednesday, May 28. However, since Monday, May 26 is Memorial Day and a Holiday for All Star, all trash and recycling is delayed one day during this week. For this week only, All Star will pick up recycling on both Wednesday and Thursday in this area.

On the next pickup day, (Wednesday, June 11), recycling will be picked up on Wednesday only.

This is expected to resolve some of the recent problems with late pickup of recycling bins.

Canada Road median landscaping starts

Construction is proceeding on the landscaping for the Canada Road median from Highway 64 to I-40 within the next 30 days and is expected to be completed by August.

The project includes removal of the existing dirt and installation of new soil and an irrigation system and planting of a variety of native trees, plants, bushes, and flowers.

Askew Hargreaves Harcourt and Associates (A2H), a local architectural firm, completed the plans and assisted in bidding the project. Eric Bridges, Lakeland Natural Resources Director, and Philip Stuckert, Lakeland City Engineer coordinated the project and process.

The median landscaping will be a “work in progress” for several years as the plants, trees, flowers and bushes grow to their mature size.

The next phase of Canada Road is for walking and biking trails along both sides of Canada Road. The City has submitted a grant request to the Tennessee Department of Transportation for one phase of the walking/bicycling trail, which is on the east side of Canada Road from Highway 64 to Canada Trace Mobile Home Park.

Major Road Plan Public Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The draft or a proposed final Transportation Plan for Lakeland will be discussed at a Special Meeting at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at Lakeland City Hall, 10001 Highway 70. Residents are encouraged to attend and comment on the draft plan. After considering residents comments and suggestions, the draft Plan will be finalized and submitted for approval to the Lakeland Municipal Planning Commission and the Lakeland Board of Commissioners later this year.

The City of Lakeland adopted a final Transportation Improvement Study (Major Road Plan) in 2004. The Report, prepared by Kimley Horn and Associates, evaluated the ability of the existing and planned roadway system to accommodate future traffic volumes upon ultimate build out of the City of Lakeland in accordance with the existing Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The Plan also identified existing and predicted traffic congestion areas resulting from current and future development.

Philip Stuckert, City Engineer, commented that “A new study (the 2007 revision and update) will expand on the 2004 report and give us a more accurate picture of our transportation needs here in Lakeland, both current and for the near future. A lot has changed since the first report was completed in 2004. We have new residential and commercial development, as well as new land annexations and a new landuse plan that was adopted in March 2006.” In December 2007, Lakeland held a public meeting to ascertain transportation issues here in Lakeland. This information was compiled by the consultant to assist us in identifying critical transportation concerns for the near future.

Lakeland residents are encouraged to attend this meeting and comment on the draft Transportation Improvement Study. Representatives of Kimley Horn and Associations and the City Engineer, Philip Stuckert, will be present to review the Plan and discuss any aspect of the plan.

New Canada Road Alignment

The City has received a Notice to Proceed from the Tennessee Department of Transportation on the alignment of New Canada Road between Interstate 40 and Highway 70. The existing Canada Road will be maintained as a local street.

This will include the environmental study, the Context Sensitive Solution action, including a "Stakeholders" Committee to make recommendations in selecting the alignment, amenities etc.

The first step is selecting an Engineering Consultant and this is proceeding immediately. City Engineer Philip Stuckert expects to have the Consultant selection process completed by the July meeting, so the Board can select a Consultant at (or before) the July meeting and start this phase started shortly after the selection.

This phase includes only the alignment, not the construction plans. The Tennessee Department of Transportation requires that the City contact with a Consultant who is qualified to perform the Environmental Studies for the project and who can lead the Stakeholders in selecting the alignment most sensitive to the land, natural resources, property owners and residents.

Garage Sale Sign Guidelines/May 3, 2008 Waiver for Citywide Garage Sale

The Lakeland Board of Commissioners, at the request of the Lakeland Civic Club, has waived some garage/yard sale regulations for the Additions/Neighborhoods participating in the Citywide garage sale only.

The waiver includes the following:

-One sign may be placed at the entrance to the neighborhood/addition entrance indicating participation in the Citywide garage sale. Individual garage sale signs are still limited to one sign placed on the property itself.

-Balloons and streamers are allowed on mailboxes, again only in neighborhoods/additions participating in the Citywide garage sale and only for the hours the garage sale is actually open on Saturday, May 3, 2008. This includes the following subdivisions:

1. Woodland Park

2. Lakeland Estates

3. Windward Slopes

4. Plantation Hills

5. Stonebridge

6. Fairway Meadows

7. Herons Ridge

8. Oakwood

9. Woodland Hills

10: Evergreen Hills

11. Memphis-Arlington (houses along Memphis Arlington Road)

Except for the one day waivers noted above, the following regulations are enforced for garage/yard sales:

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.

May Schedule Changes

City Hall will be closed Monday, May 26, 2008 due to the Memorial Day Holiday.

The Lakeland Board of Commissioners Work Session (normally scheduled for Monday, May 26) is rescheduled to Monday, June 2, 2008.

The Lakeland Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting (normally scheduled for Thursday, June 5) is rescheduled to Thursday, June 12, 2008.

Land Development Regulation presentation postponed

Due to a scheduling conflict, new Land Development Regulations presentation will not be made at the Board of Commissioners Work Session, on Monday, April 28, 2008.

The Board of Commissioners will still hold their work session on other matters on April 28. City staff will recommend the BOC place this presentation on the Thursday, May 1, Regular Meeting or at a Special Meeting in May.

The new Land Development Regulations will also be presented at the Economic Development Commission Regular Meeting on Thursday, April 24. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Lakeland City Hall, 10001 Highway 70.

The new Land Development Regulations are also presented and discussed at a series of public meetings currently scheduled. A schedule is posted at http://www.lakelandtn.gov/.

Residents may also "meet with a Planner" to discuss the Land Development Regulations with a Planner. May times are:

May, 2008 “Planner Q & A” schedule for Land Development Regulations

These are meeting times with Planning Dept. staff to discuss concerns for the new regulations project as it progresses. Documents will be available to share. The meetings will be at City Hall. Please call the front desk by the day scheduled, to let us know you are coming at or during one of these times. When you call, you will be told what room to go to at City Hall.

Thursday, May 01, 2008, 5:00 – 6:30pm (evening)

Thursday, May 08, 2008, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Thursday, May 15, 2008, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Thursday, May 22, 2008, 3:00 – 4:30pm

Times for future months will be announced regularly.

Behind the Tree

Saturday, there was a story about how a County Commissioner stated the Shelby County Sheriff should stop patrolling in Lakeland and Arlington to “save money”.

Monday I read the following quote from a County Commissioner:

“ (If they quit protecting residents of Lakeland and Arlington) We could double the efforts in the inner city and that's where the major part of the crime takes place and let those officers patrol in the inner city, rather than patrol on the outside of the city."

The COUNTY Commissioners are talking about SHELBY COUNTY officers, paid for by our property taxes! What happened to “saving money” and “eliminating duplication”.

This reminds me of the old saying “Don’t tax me, don’t tax you, tax that person behind the tree”. I think to some of the County Commissioners, Lakeland is "that person behind the tree".

Comcast Channel 19 back!

Comcast Channel 19 is back on the air! Thanks to Al Young, with Comcast and Theresa Meyer and Debra Murrell with the City of Lakeland for working so hard to bring Channel 19 back as soon as possible!

We are still learning the new program and equipment, and will continue to improve the programming on Channel 19.

Vehicle emission testing in Lakeland's future? YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED!

Shelby County was recently notified that the Environmental Protection Agency is considering changing the Memphis ozone “non-attainment” area from “marginal” to “moderate”. For some odd (read political) reason, Mississippi counties were not included in the “nonattainment” area, so they are not restrained like Memphis and West Arkansas areas are in economic and industrial development.

Obviously it makes no sense that Desoto County, which spews ozone north to Memphis (one of the testing facilities nearest to the Desoto line is the highest reading measurement for ozone) without any penalty while Memphis gets penalized for Desoto County’s ozone pollution.

What this means for Lakeland residents is another push to “punish” Shelby County residents by making all vehicles registered in Shelby County (but of course, letting all the commuters from surrounding counties off scot-free) go in for emissions testing, which really doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. It is my understanding that this may create MORE ozone, due to the waiting periods etc.

What really angers me is that this is all political and has little to do with the ozone pollution. The fact that Desoto County isn’t included in the Memphis “nonattainment” is a joke and pure politics. OF COURSE Desoto County pollutes and it normally pollutes towards Memphis.

Shelby County presented a reasonable plan for reaching "Attainment" (lower ozone readings) and Shelby County should be allowed to show the plan will work and obviously DeSoto County should be included with the Memphis "nonattainment" area.

I encourage all residents to contact your federal representatives and protest this travesty and urge that the Environmental Protection Agency take the following actions:

1. Desoto County be included in the Memphis Ozone Nonattainment Area; and

2. Protest the changing of the Memphis Ozone Nonattainment Area from “Marginal” to “Moderate” until Shelby County has had time to prove it can reach Attainment Status.

Contact information is noted below:

Senator Lamar Alexander

Washington Office455 Dirksen Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510Phone: (202) 224-4944Fax: (202) 228-3398
Memphis OfficeFederal Building167 North Main Street, #1068Memphis, TN 38103Phone: (901) 544-4224Fax: (901) 544-4227

Senator Bob Corker

Washington D.C. Office
United States Senate
Dirksen Senate Building
SD-185
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3344
Fax: 202-228-0566

Memphis Office
100 Peabody Place, Suite 1335
Memphis 38103
Phone: 901-683-1910

Congressman Marsha Blackburn

Washington Office:509 Cannon Building Washington, D.C. 20515 202-225-2811 202-225-3004 fax

Memphis Office: 7975 Stage Hills Blvd.Suite 1 Memphis, TN 38133 901-382-5811901-373-8215 fax

Applications being accepted for Lakeland Natural Resources Board and Park and Recreation Board

NATURAL RESOURCES BOARD: The City of Lakeland Board of Commissioners is accepting applications for the newly established Natural Resources Board (NRB).

The Natural Resources Board is a volunteer board consisting of six citizens and residents of Lakeland and one Board of Commission liaison. This Board will provide a venue to hear citizen concerns regarding natural resources-related issues and to make recommendations or otherwise provide assistance to the Board of Commissioners or other boards regarding these community issues. The Natural Resources Board will meet once per month at a date to be determined.

Desired qualifications include an interest in natural resources in Lakeland. Residents with a background in natural resources management such as forestry, fisheries, or wildlife, or a background in environmental sciences are especially encouraged to apply. Information on the Lakeland Natural Resources Program is available at www.lakelandtn.gov.

Applications are being accepted until 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 23, 2008, at Lakeland City Hall. Applicants may appear before the Board of Commissioners at 6:30 p.m., Monday, April 28 or 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 1 to present their qualifications for an appointment to the Natural Resources Board.

Applications are available at www.lakelandtn.gov, by e-mailing CityHall@lakelandtn.org, by calling 867-2717 or stopping by City Hall at 10001 Highway 70, Lakeland, Tennessee. Applications may be e-mailed to CityHall@lakelandtn.org, faxed to 867-2063, mailed or delivered in person to Lakeland City Hall.

PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD: The City of Lakeland Board of Commissioners is also accepting applications for vacancies that may occur on the Lakeland Parks and Recreation Board due to Park Board member appointments to the Natural Resources Board.

The Parks and Recreation Board is also a volunteer Board. This board reviews and recommends park development plans and park and recreation programs. The Parks and Recreation Board meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 PM. Information on the Lakeland Park and Recreational Program is available at www.lakelandtn.gov.

Residents with an interest in parks and recreation in Lakeland are encouraged to apply.

Applications are being accepted until 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at Lakeland City Hall. Applicants may appear before the Board of Commissioners at 6:30 p.m., Monday, April 28 or 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 1 to present their qualifications for an appointment to the Park and Recreation Board.

Applications are available at www.lakelandtn.gov, by e-mailing CityHall@lakelandtn.org, by calling 867-2717 or stopping by City Hall at 10001 Highway 70, Lakeland, Tennessee. Applications may be e-mailed to CityHall@lakelandtn.org, faxed to 867-2063, mailed or delivered in person to Lakeland City Hall.

For additional information or application, contact City Hall by phone at 867-2717, by email: cityhall@lakelandtn.org, or visit our website at www.lakelandtn.gov

Wi Fi and surveillance System in City Hall Park

City Hall Park visitors soon can surf the web while enjoying an outing or a soccer game at City Hall Park. Security will also increase as surveillance cameras will record activities in the event of a crime or vandalism in the park. The cameras are not monitored, but only record to a DVR installed at a secure off-site area.

The test project will include Wi Fi technology which will allow the public to access the internet at almost any location at City Hall Park, including the soccer fields.

Construction is expected to start in the near future. A completion date has not been established.

Hybrid vehicles coming to Lakeland City Hall

The Board of Commissioners recently authorized Mayor Scott Carmichael to execute a grant contract with the Tennessee Department of Transportation for three hybrid vehicles. The federally funded grant will pay for 80% of the cost of three hybrid vehicles to be used in normal city operations and will replace three older vehicles. The City will operate the vehicles and examine whether the gas savings and reduced emissions justify purchasing additional hybrid vehicles.

Natural Resources Assessment public input sessions scheduled

Public input sessions have been scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Monday, April 7 and 5:30 p.m., Thursday April 10 to receive public input on the draft Natural Resources Assessment.
The draft Natural Resources Assessment reviews the natural resources of Lakeland in the context of the public comments on the Natural Resources Inventory and the value of natural resources to the Lakeland environment.
Residents who are unable to attend either of these meetings or who wish to provide additional comments are encouraged to contact the Natural Resources Department at (901) 867-2717. http://www.lakelandtn.gov/ includes information on natural resources in Lakeland.

Channel 19 returning soon!

Comcast Channel 19 is expected to return soon in a new, expanded format. Channel 19 has been operating in static mode for the past couple of weeks.

The equipment and program has been received to update Channel 19 programming . I expect the new format to debut within the next two weeks. Comcast is assisting in training city staff on the new program and equipment.

To provide current information to all residents, including residents without access to Channel 19, we plan on uploading a video of the information on Channel 19 to YouTube so it is accessible to all residents.

Lakeland Sewer System

The City of Lakeland operates the Lakeland Sewer System, which is a utility separate from the City of Lakeland. The City General Fund cannot subsidize or be subsidized by the Lakeland Sewer System. State law also requires that the Lakeland Sewer System be operated at least at a break-even for operational costs, including depreciation. Depreciation is an artificial bookkeeping cost normally used by private enterprise as a means of deferring taxes.

-For a number of years the Lakeland Sewer System used development fees to offset the cost of operating the sewer system, with the concept that existing residents should not pay for new development. This created an “artificially” low rate-not wrong since existing residents should not pay for development, but not reflective of our true costs, since development fees supplemented the sewer system costs.

-This year, we have the full impact of the new sewer treatment plant. The City was required to build a new sewer plant to meet new requirements for treastment of wastewater by 2007. The new treatment plant, due to the increased treatment of wastewater is more expensive to operate and maintain.

In addition to the cost of paying for building and maintaining the plant, the City has to fund “depreciation” of the new plant from current revenues. Unlike a private business where depreciation reduces taxes, the depreciation cost for public agencies is a cost paid for by current user. Depreciation cost is a cost that must be funded by sewer customers based on our current rate structure.

This did not affect us in the past, since development fees covered the depreciation expense.

-In addition, we had almost no development fees during the past two years. Since all development fees can be used as “current revenues”, development fees cushioned the costs of new development for existing users.

-The original intention was to use development fees and revenues from growth of new customers to supplement the payments. However, due to having to fully fund the deprecation cost and the lack of incoming development fees, the “three year rule” (the sewer system cannot have a loss for three years) is applied. While we are still getting experience with the plant, we are forecasting that the plant will cost substantially more per month more to maintain then the previous sewer plant.

-To make matters worse, growth in developments was not as strong as forecast. Sewer plants have “a long tail”-that is each additional user may be added at a minimal cost, while the Lakeland Sewer System receives the full revenue impact, at least up to the point where additional capacity is required. For example, (this is an estimate), an additional user may add $1.00 cost to the City, while the City receives the full $12.00 (or more) fee. A Report in 2003 projected that growth of the sewer system would be sufficient to pay for the sewer plant, with relatively small increases.

The State of Tennessee requires that a Utility which is separate from the City pay for itself (that is it should not subsidize the city, nor may the city subsidize the sewer system). No City revenue of any type can assist-it all has to come from sewer revenues. The Auditor is required to review our accounting each year to insure that the city does not subsidize the sewer system or vice-versa.

The Lakeland Sewer System has a cash balance of approximately $3,000,000. While this cannot be used to directly reduce or maintain rates, it can be used for capital outlay items, so that capital outlay projects and items (such as equipment etc.) can be purchased without affecting rates. The interest on investments also can be used as current revenues. The City Engineer is aggressively reviewing sewer operations to determine what costs can be cut or where capital investment can either reduce expenses or increase efficiencies to reduce future expenses.

Natural Resources Board and Park and Recreation Board appointments planned

Applications for appointment to the new Natural Resources Board will be available after April 4. There are expected to be six positions available for appointment by the Board of Commissioners. In addition, applications will be available for appointment to any vacancies created on the Park and Recreation Board due to current members on the PRB who may be appointed to the Natural Resources Board.

The Natural Resources Board was formerly combined with the Park and Recreation Board. Due to the increasing activity in Natural Resources and Parks and Recreation, the Board of Commissioners adopted an Ordinance establishing a separate Natural Resources Board.

Application forms are being revised and are expected to be available after Friday, April 4. Persons applying for appointment to either Board will have an opportunity to appear before the Board of Commissioners at the Work Session (due to a conflict with meetings, the Work Session has been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, April 22) or the Regular Meeting on Thursday, May 1. Meeting dates will be confirmed after the April 3 BOC Regular Meeting.

The Natural Resources Board will be an advisory body to recommend policies and procedures to conserve and manage natural resources in Lakeland. The Lakeland web page, http://www.lakelandtn.gov/, has information on activities in the Natural Resources areas as well as Park and Recreation activities.

Applications will be available at http://www.lakelandtn.gov/ or can by requested at CityHall@lakelandtn.org or by calling City Hall at 867-2717. Applications specific to each Board are being prepared and are expected to be available by Friday, April 4.

I encourage Lakeland residents with an interest (and especially training, experience or other background) in Natural Resources to apply for an appointment to the Natural Resources Board and residents with an interest in parks and recreation to apply for appointment to any resulting vacancies on the Park and Recreation Board.

Planner Question and Answer sessions available

Questions about the new Land Development Regulations? Growth Management Director J. Higbee and Planner Jim Atkinson realize many residents may feel reluctant to attend a public meeting and comment on the new Land Development Regulations, so the "Planner Q & A" sessions have been established.

Residents are encouraged to visit City Hall and "ask a Planner" questions about the new Land Development Regulations or any other Planning matter. Comments are also welcome! Documents will be available for review. If possible, please call city hall ahead of time (867-2717) and schedule a time with the Receptionist so you won't need to wait too long!

March "Ask a Planner" meetings are:

-Thursday, March 27, 2008: 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

=Thursday, April 3, 2008: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

-Thursday, April 10, 2008: 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

-Thursday, April 17, 2008: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

-Thursday, April 24, 2008: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

I encourage residents to take advantage of these opportunities! Additional times for May and future months will be announced soon!