Road crews are working at several locations this week in Sarasota and Manatee counties,

The Florida Department of Transportation advises drivers to use caution this week in these areas where road crews are to be working:

SARASOTA COUNTY<.b>

I-75: From Sumter Boulevard to River Road: Construction project: This project expands I-75 to six lanes. Crews are clearing and placing embankment in the median, installing drainage, constructing ponds and placing sod on the outside shoulders, Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. Expect nightly southbound inside lane closures between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., from Wednesday, February 25 to Friday, February 27 while workers load trucks with cleared vegetation and haul it away. Pay attention to traffic signs and barricades throughout the construction project, stay alert, and use caution in the work zone. Estimated completion is summer 2016. The contractor is Conalvias USA.

US 41 at SR 789: Maintenance permit project: The sidewalk located along the west side of US 41 from SR 789 to Ritz Carlton Drive and sidewalk located along the north side of SR 789 from Sunset Drive to US 41 will remain closed until construction of the development located at the corner of US 41 and SR 789 is complete. Pedestrians should follow the established detour.

US 41 from Marcia Street to Baywood Drive and from Reynolds Road to Gulf Gate Drive: Construction project: Crews are resurfacing the roadway, installing highway lighting, constructing sidewalk and making drainage improvements. Nighttime/overnight lane closures occur from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. Expected completion is spring 2015. Ajax Paving is the contractor.

US 41 Between south of River Road and north of Biscayne Boulevard: Maintenance contracts project: Crews are making sidewalk repairs. Pedestrians should use caution while crews are working.

US 41 Between North of SR 681(Venice Connector) to Oscar Scherer Park: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be cleaning and reshaping roadside ditches both north and south bound directions. Contractor will conduct intermittent outside lane closures between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. through March.

BUS US 41 at the Circus Drawbridge: Bridge maintenance project: Crews are working at the bridge. Expect intermittent northbound and southbound nighttime/overnight right lane closures Wednesday, February 25 and Thursday, February 26 from 9 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. each morning. Use caution and expect possible delays.

SR 780/Fruitville Road between US 301 and Honore Avenue, SR 758/Bee Ridge Road and SR 776: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be trimming trees over the road and sidewalks. Motorist should expect intermittent sidewalk closures and/or moving operations requiring lane closures through late February.

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TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Expect detours, delays during road projects this week

PANAMA CITY Mike Guyne has lived in a home on Kirkwell Avenue for 27 years, and he said the dirt road in front of his home has kept getting worse and worse until the county paved it a couple of months ago.

When the county took over the area that was formerly Cedar Grove, Guyne said, officials promised to pave the street, but when that never came to fruition, the residents got the votes among themselves to pay for it.

The bill is now due, and the County Commission on Tuesday is scheduled to discuss a plan to levy the assessments.

They just put clay and dirt up on top of it so the road kept getting higher and higher, and the last couple of years every time we got a storm, my garage would fill with water, Guyne said.

Guyne is among the 44 property owners who soon will be billed for the paving work if the County Commission approves the plan Tuesday. The proposal calls for billing the residents of Alamo Street, Kirkwell Avenue, Syracuse Avenue, Marlboro Avenue, Sequoia Avenue and North Kirkwell Avenue for the $229,041 project. The bills would range from $1,207 for a single lot up to $13,499 for the owner of multiple lots.

Guyne, who paid a little extra to the paving company to pave his driveway as part of the project, said he is pleased it is finished and that it will increase property values. Hes a motorcycle rider, and when the dirt road was not paved, he had trouble driving his bike along the road.

It was horrible, Guyne said. If it rained several days, I couldnt even ride my bike up and down the road because it was so nasty.

Mike Pearson, Guynes neighbor on Kirkwell Avenue, said he thought the $1,207 bill he will be getting for the paving was worth it.

I thought they did an excellent job of paving, Pearson said. It was a clay road. When it rained, it got pretty rough.

Shannon Chamberlain, the assessment coordinator for Bay County, said if the board approves the plan, property owners have the option of paying it in one lump sum within 60 days or over five years in equal monthly payments with the first payment being due in 60 days at a 4.25 percent interest rate.

Originally posted here:
County commissioners to take up paving payment plan

Two separate projects discussed

The 2015 PCC Paving Project No. 1 and the 2015 HMGP West Central Sewer Retrofit Project will move forward despite residents coming forward against the projects during public hearings with the Spencer City Council Monday.

After three public hearings, two regarding the 2015 PCC Paving Project No. 1 and one regarding the 2015 HMGP West Central Sewer Retrofit Projects, the council voted unanimously to approve both projects' resolutions of necessity, as well as the plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost for the 2015 PCC Paving Project.

"The (PCC Paving Project) hearing pertains to the assessable portion of the project which consists of the installation of PCC pavement, PCC sidewalk and other incidental items," Spencer City Manager Bob Fagen explained. "The location of the project is along Fourth Avenue East, from 14th Street to 18th Street, and Third Avenue East, from 11th Street to 13th Street. The project has been on the five-year CIP since 2005/2008 and was extended out to 2015, which was a little bit longer than the original plan."

The project would replace the sealcoat street on Fourth Avenue East and Third Avenue East with a new and more durable concrete pavement. The city would use its long standing policy of assessing the abutting property owners 80 percent of the cost of the street and the city would pay the remaining 20 percent. Also included in the project is a component of sidewalk replacement or infill that will be assessed in a similar manner as the street portion of the project.

Two residents of the area in question, Mazy Van Kleek and Vonada Williamson, submitted letters to the council against the assessment of the project. Brent Biekert, who lives on Third Avenue East, also shared his concerns with the project during the hearing.

"The letter the city sent me said I am being specially assessed because I am getting a special benefit from the completion of this project," Biekert explained. "I would like to know exactly what that special benefit is because I already have a nice sidewalk and driveway. All this project is doing is change the street from a hard pack pavement to concrete and that really doesn't change my property value at all. I don't see how that is a 'special benefit.'"

"As defined by the law, it is an added benefit because concrete is a better surface than a sealcoat street," Fagen answered. "Generally when you look at a home, a home on a concrete street has a better value than one not on a concrete street."

The entire PCC Paving Project will consist of the installation of PCC pavement, PCC sidewalks, water main, storm sewer intakes and sanitary sewer and is estimated to cost $785,004. The street and sidewalk portions of the project will be paid out of the Street Reserve Fund and special assessments, the other areas covered by the project will come out of the Storm Water Reserve Fund, Sanitary Sewer Reserve Fund and SMU will cover the expenses related to the water main.

The public hearing concerning 2015 HMGP West Central Retrofit Project was similar to that of the aforementioned 2015 PCC Paving Project in that the hearing pertained to "the assessable portion of the project which consists of the installation of PCC pavement, PCC sidewalk and other incidental items." Again the city would use its 80/20 assessing policy for this project.

Link:
Residents raise questions regarding special assessments

Crews are working on repairs and maintenance to the Cortez Bridge this week.

The Florida Department of Transportation urges drivers to use caution in these areas where road crews will be working this week:

SARASOTA COUNTY

I-75: From Sumter Boulevard to River Road: Construction project: This project expands I-75 to six lanes. Crews are clearing and placing embankment in the median, installing drainage, constructing ponds and placing sod on the outside shoulders, and widening the bridges at Deer Prairie Creek, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. Expect nightly southbound inside lane closures between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., from Sunday, February 15 to Friday, February 20 while workers load trucks with cleared vegetation and haul it away. Pay attention to traffic signs and barricades throughout the construction project, stay alert, and use caution in the work zone. Estimated completion is summer 2016. The contractor is Conalvias USA.

US 41 at SR 789: Maintenance permit project: The sidewalk located along the west side of US 41 from SR 789 to Ritz Carlton Drive and sidewalk located along the north side of SR 789 from Sunset Drive to US 41 will remain closed until construction of the development located at the corner of US 41 and SR 789 is complete. Pedestrians should follow the established detour.

US 41 from Marcia Street to Baywood Drive and from Reynolds Road to Gulf Gate Drive: Construction project: Crews are resurfacing the roadway, installing highway lighting, constructing sidewalk and making drainage improvements. Nighttime/overnight lane closures occur from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. Expected completion is spring 2015. Ajax Paving is the contractor.

US 41 Between south of River Road and north of Biscayne Boulevard: Maintenance contracts project: Crews are making sidewalk repairs. Pedestrians should use caution while crews are working.

US 41 Between North of SR 681(Venice Connector) to Oscar Scherer Park: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be cleaning and reshaping roadside ditches both north and south bound directions. Contractor will conduct intermittent outside lane closures between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. through March.

US 41 at Bahia Vista: Maintenance permit project: Crews are working in a manhole. Expect intermittent overnight southbound outside and middle lane closures as well as northbound outside lane closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, February 17. Use caution and expect delays.

SR 780/Fruitville Road between US 301 and Honore Avenue, SR 758/Bee Ridge Road and SR 776: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be trimming trees over the road and sidewalks. Motorist should expect intermittent sidewalk closures and/or moving operations requiring lane closures through late February.

See the article here:
TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Watch for road crews on these Sarasota-Manatee roads this week

Viburnum Dense Fence. Picture: Ozbreed

With green spaces becoming smaller and smaller for urban dwellers, the search is on for more compact and hardier plant choices.

Some people are opting out all together for a garden and putting in paving and fake grass, but they will be increasing the temperature around their house by at least six degrees and creating a desolate, dead environment.

One of the toughest spots for new homeowners is what to use as a screening plant for the narrow strip between houses. The good news is as long as you can make a garden bed 20-30cm wide, you can grow a green screen.

Below are three great plants to use:

Viburnum Dense Fence is a new compact form of Vibernum odoratissimum with lush green foliage and fragrant flowers in spring. The new growth is bronze/red. It can grow to 3.5m but can be pruned to 1.8m. Dense Fence will grow in full sun or part shade.

Banksia Sentinel is a beautiful narrow-growing banksia with large lemon-coloured flowers that the birds will come to enjoy for months. It's perfect for a narrow driveway or down the side of the house. It will grow in light shade, growing to 2m tall and less than a metre wide.

Leptospermum Starry Night has shiny black-purple foliage and gets covered in starry white flowers its a knockout. The little insectivore birds love it because of the insects it attracts with the pollen. It will grow in full sun or part shade and grows to around 2m high and 1.5m wide.

Reader tip

I have found the perfect mulch. Champagne corks. They shade the soil and reduce wind speed across the surface. Can be applied to various depth which can easily be adjusted. Reduce evaporation. Are light and non water absorbent. Can be easily moved then replaced for new plantings. Last for at least 20 years. At an average of $15 per bottle (i.e. per cork) with 120 corks per pot, thats $1800 a pot or $7200 per sq metre they are not cheap. But fun to "collect". Hic.

Read more here:
Screening plants for narrow strips

YORK COUNTY, S.C.

York County sheriff's deputies are investigating reports that someone has been stealing pets in the western part of the county, possibly impersonating animal control officers.

On Wednesday, the Sheriff's Department could not provide Channel 9 with incident reports where people claimed that fake animal control officers were taking animals.

However, several did report that a scratched up, white Ford F-150 was the suspect vehicle, and calls into crime stoppers are now being investigated.

Sheena Branch owns several dogs at her rural home outside York. Last September her mother Debbie Bradley was home when two men in a white F-150 pulled up in the yard.

"They came by wanting to know something about paving the driveway, and I said they'd have to come back later," Bradley said.

She said the men seemed suspicious, and didn't immediately leave after she told them to. Later that same day they noticed their Yorkie named B.J. was missing.

"He went missing, and he never came back." Branch said. "He was our family animal, now we don't have him anymore."

It wasn't until this week when crime stoppers of York County put out a warning online about someone taking pets and claiming to be animal control that Branch thought it could be the same thing that happened to her.

"The truck was the same. A white truck, and I hate that this could be happening to other people," she said. "I talked to the officer and he said the details I had given him were very similar to the other details that they had received."

Follow this link:
Some report impostor animal control officers stealing pets

Tuesday, February, 10, 2015 - 1:01:48 PM

Albion Falls parking lot to be paved

By Gord Bowes, News staff

The city plans to pave a gravel parking lot near a piece of paradise. The 890-square-metre lot across from Albion Falls at Arbour Road is being paved later this year. East Mountain councillor Tom Jackson said hes been advocating for the work to deal with problems that occur each year. Theyve constantly had to fill in potholes and sunken areas, said Jackson. The Albion Falls work is part of a three-park project that is out for tender this month. Pathways at Bayview Park and a portion of the driveway at Heritage Greene Sports Park from the entrance gates to the road are also being paved. The parks department has asked for $200,000 in this years budget to pay for the work, a city spokeswoman said.

See the original post:
Albion Falls parking lot to be paved

Construction of the 54-room Cobblestone Hotel on North First Street on Connellsville's West Side is one step closer following conditional approval Tuesday by the city's zoning hearing board.

The board approved six variances for the hotel and conditionally approved a seventh. That seventh variance has to do with a parking area Connellsville council and the developer must settle. Issues such as paving a parking lot in a triangular area across from the hotel site bounded by North First Street, North Third Street and an unnamed alley must be worked out.

Architect Jim McMullan of JMAC Architects of Bridgeville, designer of the hotel; Alex Pounds and Vincent Earnesty from Widmer Engineering; Tom Rosselot of Hotel d2; and Chris Rosselot, project spokesperson with Grant Forbes, answered questions from the board.

Carl Ritenour, acting as board chairman in the absence of Shawn Pilla, asked if the board could grant approval without waiting for the parking issue with city council to be worked out.

Tom Currey said the board could approve the project, since the issue with city council does not affect the issues before the board.

Board member Cecilia Driscoll asked whether the project would still allow public access to the Youghiogheny River.

Absolutely, McMullan replied. In fact, we encourage it. The project site was chosen because of its access to the riverbank.

Six other variances the board approved are:

Changing the need for a landscaping buffer zone between the hotel and a residence to the south. Pounds said a wide buffer will be replaced with a 6-foot high decorative fence, combined with a strip of vegetation.

Allowing the building and walkways to take up 53 percent of the lot as opposed to 45 percent. Pounds said this will allow the structure to be built on the property and reflects the driveway and sidewalks in addition to the building.

Read more:
Zoning board OKs variances for hotel plan in Connellsville

Ok, so Im just about hysterical over the pink dots in my driveway.

The blue markings, orange stripes, flags, stakes with colored ribbons, and huge concrete monoliths only vaguely bothered me because I didnt associate them with encroachment on my front door.

Then the PINK MYSTERY was explained to me by one of the diggers (my 3-year-old granddaughters term for the construction crew on Kelly Street). The pink paint, a few feet from my porch, means Im going to lose most of my front yard and driveway. Instead, itll be an eight foot sidewalk, and if I park there, Ill get a knock on my door from a deputy telling me to pull my truck closer to the house and get off the public right of way. Expensive grass sod laid last summer has been chewed up by bulldozers, along with my beautiful camellia tree and giant cedar. The magnolia and pear tree escaped by inches.

Walking the dog means stumbling over piles of dirt, unearthed roots, and broken concrete while avoiding deep holes. Im trying to explain to Bogie that hell eventually have a wider sidewalk and new grass. Just be patient, I told him.

In my own pursuit of patience, I contacted Joe Bodi, a city engineer who was gracious enough to come to my house and speak to me and a neighbor about our concerns.

One unhappy fact I learned is that what we thought was our property along Kelly was never ours. When our homes were built in the 1970s, the county had authority but not much interest in little Destin. Five foot sidewalks were poured, thus allowing homeowners to assume that personal front yards stopped at sidewalks edge and/or at utility poles.

While assuming is never a good idea, that assumption is valid in many communities.

I couldve verified that information on my survey and lot description, but for me thats about as useful as reading a diagram for an Egyptian water clock written in hieroglyphics. So, content with my assumptions, I cared for what I thought was my yard. Watering, mowing, and planting trees.

Well, at least now, I only have a four-foot strip of grass to maintain. And I can stand on my porch and determine the eye color of passersby on the sidewalk or hand them a pear.

Mr. Bodi offered several assurances. Grass will be replaced, sprinklers will be reconnected, any damage done to residential property will be made right, and destroyed driveways will be replaced as part of the sidewalk. Still, if I were that neighbor who lost his beautiful brick driveway, Id be upset.

Continue reading here:
READY: Reporting almost live from Kelly Street

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