The Lakeland city board amended its sign ordinance, welcomed property donation for a future dog park, approved multiple construction/repair projects and conducted other routine business at its Sept. 8 meeting.
In the board’s first draft of sign ordinance changes, the broad areas addressed include sign zones, temporary signage and content neutrality. This was the ordinance’s first reading, and changes are still possible before it is finalized.
At the meeting, the board made these additional changes to the sign ordinance draft before they voted:
- Commercial “Open” signs can be lighted if turned off when the business is closed. A review of other cities’ practices revealed that Collierville and Germantown do allow such signs to be lighted.
- A proposed new Highway 64 sign zone that would have allowed taller and larger signs around U.S. 64 was eliminated from the first draft of the ordinance.
- The interstate sign zone will allow properties directly adjacent to I-40 to have signs up to 35 feet tall with a maximum size of 100 square feet, but properties without frontage on I-40 have now been removed from that sign zone.
The sign ordinance, as amended, passed on first reading. It is expected to have its second and final reading at the October city board meeting. See the original draft of sign ordinance changes online at lakelandtn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5743 (not including the amendments passed at the meeting).
Potential dog park
The board also cleared the way to accept property for a city dog park by passing a supportive resolution. The property owners for The Pet Hospitals—Lakeland were on hand to answer questions about their intention to dedicate 3.6 acres next to Zadie E. Kuehl Park and to add a new access road.
The resolution just gives the board’s blessing at this early stage. The building project will still move through the city’s normal process for property development, with a site plan that includes the acreage dedication.
Mayor Wyatt Bunker described it as a win-win for the city and the owners.
John McCarty, cofounder of McCarty Granberry Engineering in Collierville, agreed. In return for the land donation, he said his clients are asking the city for a reduction in city fees for their construction project up to the value of the property.
Other business
The city board also:
- Established the permit process for commercial door-to-door solicitation in city limits. The ordinance passed unanimously on second reading. The ordinance is online at lakelandtn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5705.
- Authorized the mayor to execute a contract with EnergyStrong-Roof M.D. LLC for the City Hall Roof Project. The company was the lowest qualified bidder at $20, 922.97 with an additional $5,000 for a construction contingency fund.
A staff report on the project notes that the roof is in poor condition. Several areas still continue to leak after earlier repairs, causing damage to the ceiling and walls. The base bid includes removing the existing roof, installing new architectural shingles and recoating the flat roof on the main building and west wing. The “add alternate” part of the bid includes replacing shingles on the east and south wings with new architectural shingles.
- Authorized the mayor to execute a contract with Enscor LLC for the Plantation Hills Street Improvements Project. The company was the lowest qualified bidder at $134,478.50 with an additional $30,000 construction contingency fund. The project will install underdrains on Duck Hill Cove, Fir Hill Drive North and Swan Hill Drive to capture excessive groundwater that has been seeping upward through the pavement for years, causing repetitive failures and wet conditions.
- Authorized the mayor to execute a contract with Gibson Paving Inc. for the Fiscal Year 2017 Street Paving Project. The company was the lowest qualified bidder at $476,250 with an additional $23,750 construction contingency fund. The project includes repairs to streets, curbs and gutters within Stonebridge Subdivision, Cool Springs Subdivision, The Preserve Subdivision, Lakeland Estates Subdivision and Canada Road.
- Authorized the mayor to execute a construction contract with Ferrell Paving Inc. for the Huff N Puff Road and Beverle Rivera Drive Project estimated to begin next month and last for one year. The company was the lowest qualified bidder at $1,404,335.12 with a $300,000 construction contingency fund.
The Huff N Puff portion of the project (approx. $484,763) is an 80/20 percent Surface Transportation Program grant. The city’s 20 percent match will be approximately $96,952.60. The Beverle Rivera portion of the project (approx. $919,572.12) is 100 percent funded by the City through a TLDA loan. The city’s total contribution for both roadways is approximately $1,016,524.72.
This project will extend Beverle Rivera Drive to connect to existing Huff N Puff Road near the ATV Store. Huff N Puff Road will be converted to a double-ended cul-de-sac with the existing connector road to provide access from Beverle Rivera. Beverle Rivera east of the ATV Store will be improved with 12-foot lanes and an eight-foot gravel shoulder on each side. A map showing the phases of this project is available online at lakelandtn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5714.
- Approved the Outline Plan for The Estates at Chambers Chapel, a 100+ acre residential planned development to be located between the Oakwood Subdivision and Chambers Chapel. The development will house 70 single-family residential parcels, private common areas and a private trail system. The development will also provide transportation connectivity desperately needed in Lakeland’s eastern areas. See the Outline Plan online.
- Authorized City Engineer Emily Harrell to apply for a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant for improvements to Canada Road. Some of the improvements include upgrading crosswalks to stamped concrete and expanding the trail to tie in to the Interchange Project and then around to the conservation area.
Estimates include $187,610 for engineering/design, $20,000 for right-of-way and $2,850,926.43 for construction for a total of $3,058,536.43. Grant funds can only be used for construction and are an 80/20 percent match. The engineering and right of way are 100-percent funded by the city.
Lakeland’s total contribution for the project is estimated to be approximately $777,795.29. Funding will be proposed in the Fiscal Year 2018 budget as it is not currently budgeted in Fiscal Year 2017. See an overview of the proposed improvements online.
- Released the remaining surety for Barclay Group (Lakeland 64 LLC – LA Fitness) for Lot 1 of Brunswick 64 Commercial Subdivision.
- Approved the organization of the city’s Industrial Development Board, as well as the board’s bylaws.
- Appointed Carl Helton of Lakeland to the city’s Board of Appeals to serve the remainder of a three-year term ending Dec. 31.
Written by Carolyn Bahm, Express editor. Contact her at (901) 433-9138 or via email to bartlett.editor@journalinc.com.
