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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-03-2018 Retreat WorkshopCity Council of Peachtree City Retreat Workshop Minutes April 3, 2018 The Mayor and Council of Peachtree City met in Retreat workshop session on April 3, 2018. Mayor Vanessa Fleisch opened the workshop at 6:30 p.m. Council members attending: Terry Ernst, Mike King, Kevin Madden, and Phil Prebor. Topics included an overview of funding mechanisms for possible future redevelopment efforts, including Community Improvement Districts (CIDs), Tax Increment Financing (TIFs), Tax Allocation Districts (TADS), and Special Assessment Districts. Council and staff also discussed Transportation Projects (access and mobility). City Manager Jon Rorie explained that this session was a continuation of the March 6 discussions on economic development and redevelopment, potential annexation and growth boundaries, as well as the Gateway Coalition's work on SR 74 and how those concepts could be applied to the SR 54 East corridor. He said the discussion would explore the powers a city government has regarding economic development and coordination of specific transportation projects. CIDs, TIFs, and TADS would be examined, as well as access and mobility improvements recommended by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and the City's Transportation Study in 2014. Planning and Development Director Mike Warrix noted it had been almost a year since the City adopted the current Comprehensive Plan and recalled that redevelopment was a prime topic of discussion during that process. Warrix listed three questions that were paramount in developing the plan -where are we now?, where do we want to be in the future?, and how do we get there? He said they had looked at existing facilities, goals and objectives, and developed a work program outlining activities that could help the City reach those objectives. These workshops were part of that process. One of the goals was an analysis and update of the City's zoning ordinance and development regulations, which staff hoped to get under way in the next fiscal year. Redevelopment was a big issue during the planning process, including a recommendation to look at financing mechanisms for redevelopment projects, he stated. CIDs as Potential Fundina Mechanisms for Redevelopment Taylor Morison, a senior analyst for the Council for Quality Growth, presented information on CIDs, TIFs, and TADS, and how they were used for redevelopment projects in the Metro Atlanta area. He explained that the Council for Quality Growth worked in 15 to 20 counties on any given day, representing about 5.8 million people, and was a 501(c) (6), a trade association working on behalf of commercial developers, land use attorneys, and others in related fields. Morison said he was not present to "sell" Council on CIDs or TADs, simply to pass on information about the work that was being done. He urged Council to ask questions. Morison described a CID as a mechanism to provide essential services as outlined in the Constitution. There were six enumerated powers in the Constitution that CIDs could provide, and one broader power that local governments could use to delegate more authority to the CID. All CIDs had power over one or more of these - street and road construction and maintenance, including curbs, sidewalks, streetlights and devices to control the flow of traffic on streets and roads; parks and recreational areas and facilities; storm water and sewage collection and disposal systems; development, storage, treatment, purification and distribution of water; public transportation; terminal and dock facilities; and parking facilities. Additionally, local law could i allow the CID to take on other powers. Morison emphasized the money collected in the CID could �i ly only be spent on services within the district. City Council Retreat Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 2 In 1985, Morison related, John Williams, founder of Post Properties, was looking at redevelopment in the Cumberland area of Cobb County and went to the State Legislature with a group of commercial property owners to ask that a Constitutional amendment be passed to create CIDs. In 1988, the State Legislature passed first enabling act, and Cumberland CID was created that year, the first formed in Georgia. Morison noted that it took CIDs awhile to catch on, explaining that nearly 70% of all CIDs were created after 2000, and more than half of all CIDs today were created after 2010. The two most recent were the West End CID in Atlanta and the Highway 278 CID in Newton County, he reported. Morison added that four or five CIDs currently were being considered for creation, with the closest in Clayton County. Rorie inquired about the location of the Highway 278 CID and affirmed that it was in Covington, and that was the location Facebook chose for its new data center. Morison went over the steps required to create a CID, noting that a government must work with its local legislative delegation to introduce a state law to authorize a CID. He said voters must approve allowing a CID to be formed. The referendum would not specifically create a CID, Morison said in response to a question from Fleisch, but would grant powers to the government to form one. It was usually done in anticipation of a CID. Fleisch asked if this was separate from the redevelopment powers needed for a TAD, and Morison said that it was. Morison went on to explain that, after the boundaries of the CID were formally established by the government, the CID must be approved by a majority of the owners of real property within the CID. Also, Morison pointed out, the owners of the real property that constituted at least 75% of the CID's real property value must be in favor. This provided an interplay between volume and value. Prebor asked for an example of how this would work, and Morison said if the seven people on the dais were the property owners in a CID, four would have to vote to adopt the CID. He went on to say that if Fleisch owned property that comprised 50% of the value of the property in the CID, and Prebor owned 40%, Prebor and Fleisch must also both vote affirmatively. Prebor clarified that it took both votes to approve a CID. Morison noted that the major power of a CID was the ability to levy an additional ad valorem tax on the property in the CID, often referred to as an affirmative, self -taxing mechanism. The additional tax was limited to 25 mills, and residential and multi -family properties, plus tax-exempt properties, were exempt. All of the 27 CIDs in the Metro Atlanta area levied between three and five mills. He said CIDs had the authority to issue debt, but only one had done so. All the active CIDs were governed by boards of directors, usually made up of commercial property owners within the CID who were elected by CID members, plus a few seats appointed by the governing authority, Morison noted. The appointed members did not have to be property owners. Fleisch remarked that the South Fulton CID was involved in the look of the SR 74/Interstate 85 intersection, asking Morison to give examples of other CID projects. Morison said he had not focused on that in his presentation, but could provide more information later. Beautification was a popular project, and Morison pointed to Gwinnett's CID along 1-85 as a good example of how a CID could go above and beyond what a city or county could accomplish, noting that it could also be as simple as funding a sidewalk improvement or bridge renovation. He said South Fulton CID was a good example of how to leverage state and federal funding and grants to accomplish a big project. Their annual tax intake was around $600,000, but they were working on $50 million projects by taking advantage of grants and matching funds. The Livable Communities Initiatives (LCI) grants from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) often ended up in CID hands because the CIDs provided a mechanism for accomplishing suitable projects. City Council Retreat Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 3 King asked about the role of absentee owners in the adoption of a CID, noting that an absentee I owner who owned property that made up 757o of value could hang up the process by voting'no'. Morison said CID boundaries could be creatively drawn if there was a need to exclude a certain property, but added that CIDs generally were popular with commercial property owners. King also inquired about what would happen if a development authority accessed a piece of property, then released it. Morison told him the development authority would not get a vote, but he did not know the reason why. King said that would put the development authority in what could be an unfair position of power. Morison said he had not encountered this situation, but saw where it could be a problem and promised to follow up. CIDs brought in annual revenues of about $200,000 to $9 million, Morison reported, with the higher number coming from the northern Perimeter area. He reiterated this was leveraged with federal funds to finance special projects in the district, Morison presented a slide showing that the South Fulton CID generated about $600,000 per year. Morison then showed an outline of a sample CID for the City. It encompassed almost all the commercial areas around the SR 54/74 intersection, and Morison said he did some basic math involving property values and estimated that the four largest properties in the district, taxed at four mills, would generate about $100,000 in annual revenue. He noted that Fayette County did not have an enabling statute, so this would require a State law and a Council resolution to begin the implementation process. Permitted uses for the money could include managing congestion along SR 74/SR 54 and build -out of the multi -use path system. He said CIDs could be strictly commercial, strictly industrial, or some combination of both. The South Fulton CID was mostly industrial, while the Aerotropolis CID was mostly commercial. Industrial CIDs were often larger in size, but generally generated less tax revenue. Rorie said he wanted to review Morison's outline for a theoretical Peachtree City CID as a good example. He noted that, firstly, a majority of property owners must approve the additional taxation a CID would bring, then the owners of property making up 75% of the total property value must agree. Rorie noted that four properties were designated as holding 75% of the value. Rorie went on to note that a CID board would be established and recommend a tax, up to 25 mills, that the property owners would levy on themselves to benefit themselves by spending on projects in the district. For instance, an overpass/underpass on SR 74/54 would cost between $45 million and $50 million. Rorie said there were two solutions to raising this money. One was to raise the City millage rate by 25 mills to pay for it in one year, which would tax every taxpayer in the City to pay for a project on a State-owned road. Even if this was approved as a GDOT project, Rorie said the City would have to match funding at 20%, which meant it must come up with $10 million. That would require a five -mill increase or some type of debt service and bond rate. Another option would be for property owners in the CID to say transportation was a primary purpose and a redevelopment tool. The state could pay $40 million towards the project, the City would pay $10 million, or the CID could tax itself to raise the other $10 million. This would avoid passing the costs on to everyone in the City. A major property owner in that corridor had been asking him about extending the left turn lanes on SR 54 heading east onto SR 74. Rorie again pointed out these were GDOT roads and asked if he should recommend taxing all property owners to pay for traffic mitigation or encourage owners of commercial properties to fund it through a I CID. IIID Rorie said the sample CID district might be a little large, but it gave an idea of how a CID could be created and used. Another future project he mentioned that could be funded through a CID City Council Retreat Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 4 would be a bridge over SR 54 East, like the $2 million one planned for SR 54 West as part of the multi -use trail build -out. Fleisch asked if the parcels in a CID had to touch, clarifying that her understanding was it must be contiguous, but the exact composition was about getting the percentages needed for adoption. Morison said there was no standard shape for a CID, and pointed out examples that had been created for specific purposes and drawn to ensure they included property owners who were in agreement. A CID in the Industrial Park would be another possibility, Morison noted, displaying a slide showing potential boundaries. He said this would be useful if property owners there had needs that were not being met. He said he believed the commercial area and the industrial area did touch each other, so the organizing documents would have to be clear where the boundaries were. Rorie pointed out that a CID could be established along the Huddleston Road corridor for creating sewer. There was one property owner in the area who probably owned 75% of the land. Morison also noted that there was a process for expanding the boundaries of an established CID and said he could provide information. TADs and TIFs Morison explained that TADS and TIFs were ways of capturing tax incremental increases that were the result of investing in redevelopment activities. He said TADS and TIFs usually involved the issuance of bonds to spur economic development in a pre -defined geographical area. He said the City of Atlanta had six active TADS and four expired ones. TADs were often utilized in undeveloped or under -developed areas, Morison said, noting the legislation that authorized them hinted that they could not be employed in thriving areas. He said the bonds gave the government money to implement improvements that would generate revenue in the future by raising the tax base. It did not increase the millage rate, Morison emphasized, just captured the increments in additional tax money generated through improvements in the area. He said there were 64 TADS in Georgia in 2013, up from just nine 11 years prior. Morison said they were generally successful, if the investments worked out. Atlantic Station and Metropolitan Parkway showed tremendous tax base increases in their TADs. The Mayor asked City Attorney Ted Meeker to explain an item that came before City voters a few years prior. Meeker reported that in 2006, the Georgia General Assembly got rid of redevelopment powers for local jurisdictions. They later reinstituted those powers, but, in order to regain them, local jurisdictions had to pass a referendum, and that was what was put to voters a couple of years ago. It was not a TAD, he said, but the power to bring forward a TAD. Rorie pointed out that the City would again have to pass a referendum if it wanted to regain those powers and establish a TAD. Fleisch said she felt the problem with the earlier referendum was that it was worded so poorly that voters did not understand. She asked Meeker if that wording was required, and he acknowledged it was awkward, but said that was the required language. Morison went over the benefits of a TAD/TIF. He said it enabled economic development to pay for itself by letting localities leverage anticipated revenues from redevelopment to stimulate growth. Morison explained that the debt did not count against local debt ceiling and would not have to be backed by the full faith and credit of the City. He said a TAD/TIF allowed overlapping jurisdictions to pool resources. Morison also noted it allowed access to redevelopment powers, City Council Retreat Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 5 such as eminent domain, and was a tool to promote growth in areas that otherwise would not be developed or redeveloped. He also described some drawbacks, including the initial investment required to support the development. He said the ensuing growth could create additional demands on public services in the area. Social problems could also can follow TADS, with issues in Atlanta regarding gentrification of previously poor or undeveloped areas. Morison noted there was always a risk that the benefits from the initial investment might fail to materialize. He said the improvements might not be completed or the tax base might not increase to recoup the investment. The government must be familiar with the politics and players in the area to ensure success. Morison noted that the City was already taking advantage of additional funding for improvement projects through Local Option Sales Taxes (LOST) and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Taxes (SPLOST). He offered to answer questions. He noted that the City of Marietta had issued a $46 million general obligation (GO) bond for the specific purpose of redeveloping the Franklin Road area. It was a huge risk, but had paid off and was a model for similar ventures. Rorie reiterated that if the City identified an area in need of redevelopment, mechanisms for financing could include CIDs, TADS, TIFs, or GO bonds. City bond debt was low and in decline, so it was possible to project out for the next four or six years and designate a project, and finance it through a GO bond, maybe in conjunction with a TIF or TAD. He noted there was risk or debt service with these methods, but the point of these retreat workshop sessions was to set the stage for those considerations and not wait until the need was imminent. The Mayor asked Meeker what the mechanics were for a GO bond. Meeker responded that the City must designate a project or projects, figure out the estimated cost, and Council must call for a referendum to issue the bonds. The most recent GO bond, was for library renovations in 2003. Fleisch inquired if the millage rate must be included on the referendum, and Meeker replied that it was not because that could vary over time. He noted that the amount and the term must be established, but because property valuations fluctuated, the millage could not be assured. He said that would be part of information packets when the bond projects were presented. Fleisch asked for clarification as to when the millage rate would be set, and Meeker explained that after the voters approved a bond, bond validation proceedings would commence. In the next Council budget cycle, Council would set the millage to pay the debt service for that fiscal year.. It would be a separate millage rate, Fleisch said, with Prebor noting that if sales taxes went up, the millage rate might not have to be increased. Meeker said it all depended on what Council wanted to do. In Marietta, residents voted themselves a tax increase for those improvement projects. Prebor asked Morison to comment on mistakes he had seen cities make with these mechanisms. He also asked that if these debts were not backed by the City, who did back them or was that covered by a higher interest rate. Morison said it was a higher rate and secured by the tax increment. Prebor again asked who backed it. Financial Services Director Paul Salvatore pointed out that strong development agreements must be In place, but noted the bonds were risky. Meeker added that most bonds did have the backing and full faith of a city, although it was not required, simply because of the lower interest rate that would be gained. He said it would be up to Council. Also, Meeker said, according to the experts he had talked to over the past few weeks, the TAD bond market had pretty much evaporated. He said they were not being issued. Meeker said it City Council Retreat Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 6 seemed many investors got burned with TAD bonds after the 2008 recession. Rorie said TIF bonds seemed to be on an upward trend. Morison said he could provide Prebor with information on unsuccessful projects. Salvatore noted that it often took time for these projects to assert themselves. He pointed to Atlantic Station as the poster child for TADS in Georgia, but noted that it took a while for development in that area to take off. There were times when inability to make the debt service payment threatened the continuation of development there. Rorie noted that these were all mechanisms that accomplished the public-private partnerships Council often discussed. Fleisch said developers often approached the City asking about these topics. Rorie said sometimes they asked to have development fees waived, and Fleisch said many had expressed interest in being part of a CID. Morison added that the formation of these districts was often led by a collection of commercial property owners who had identified an issue. He remarked that nothing precluded a combination of these redevelopment mechanisms. Meeker said developers might borrow money, then try to get reimbursed for the project costs that benefitted the City. He said one jurisdiction he knew of had budgeted sales tax revenues to cover those costs. Transportation: Access and Mobility Rorie noted that, while this discussion was a follow-up to the March 6 Retreat Workshop session, it also built on years of conversations, including the 2014 traffic study, which led to the projects occurring now on the SR 54 corridor, and conversations with the Gateway Coalition involving Peachtree City, Tyrone, and Fairburn, as well as conversations with the South Fulton CID. City Engineer Dave Borkowski presented information on plans to improve traffic access and mobility in the City. The intersection of South Kedron Drive and SR 74, which was discussed at an earlier meeting, was included in the 74 North Corridor Study done by POND Consulting. He said the study's goal was to initiate intersection improvements that could keep the 74 North Corridor from turning into a traffic problem like the SR 54 West Corridor. Borkowski presented a slide showing the intersection, which he said was eligible for an R -cut intersection that limited turns. Drone video of traffic during peak morning and evening traffic times showed long wait times to make left turns onto SR 74. Rorie said people often suggested that intersection should be signalized, but he could not recommend it. Ernst and Prebor said limited sight lines made the turns difficult. Borkowski showed a diagram of how the R -cut would work. Drivers on SR 74 could make left turns, while left turns would be prohibited from South Kedron Drive. He said it was only 1.5 miles on Kedron Drive to the signal at North Kedron Drive, and it would take three minutes to cover the distance at 30 mph. The average signal length was two to three minutes, and Borkowski said GDOT would probably use three minutes at this intersection on the South Kedron side, so a signal here would not really save any time. Rorie said that his job took him all over the City, and he planned his routes to avoid problem intersections like this one. Instead of crossing SR 74 at South Kedron, he made a right turn on Kedron to the traffic light. Prebor asked if motorists should make a U-turn at the funeral home. Rorie said that would be at Senoia Road, and that intersection had come up at the March Retreat session. The whole process involved trade-offs for access and mobility. If you wanted mobility, you had to limit access. Increased access limited mobility. Rorie cited all the signalization along SR 54 West as an example of lessened mobility. He said GDOT promoted the R -cut intersections over signals that delayed traffic because the R -cuts increased mobility. The City needed to make long-range plans so it City Council Retreat Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 7 would have something to present to GDOT in a request for traffic changes. Fleisch said quick - response money from GDOT did the lane changes at Longhorn, which started in October and were nearly complete. Rorie said it was worth considering who would pay for all these improvements and how to get the funding process going. There was no immediate funding stream, but plans must be in place. Fleisch asked how Council should proceed, and Rorie said a formal design concept that could be presented to GDOT must be created. The countywide transportation plan was also being formulated. Borkowski moved on to discuss the proposed displaced left turn intersection (formerly called a continuous flow intersection or CFI) at SR 54/SR 74 and how it would impact the Commerce Drive/SR 54 intersection. He said GDOT had been working diligently on this project. They had completed the concept and were procuring an engineering firm to do the final design work this summer. Fleisch asked if additional traffic counts were needed, and Rorie said that had been done at the concept stage. Rorie explained that this intersection had been discussed at multiple meetings. GDOT told the City there was a need for an improvement at Commerce Drive, which could mean cutting Commerce Drive off from the road. He presented a video of traffic in the area, saying this was what he used to advertise the meeting. Rorie said they had met with Westpark property owners, who would be most impacted by any changes. Some people had said closing this intersection would kill off businesses in the area, and, while Rorie said he did not know if that was true, it would have an impact. The point was that many people had ideas for improvements, but there were multiple factors to consider. The video showed this was clearly an access/mobility issue. Cutting off access would greatly improve mobility at the SR 54/SR 74 intersection, but what would it cost the businesses. Rorie also stated the City did not have the power to make changes on state highways without getting permission. Borkowski said he was making sure GDOT did not ignore this intersection. Their initial concept showed the project stopping before Commerce Drive, but it needed to be looked at during the design phase. Borkowski noted that it probably needed to be aright -in, right -out intersection in order to protect improvements on the SR 54/SR 74 corridor. Ernst asked if there was intent to extend the left-hand turn lane, and Fleisch said that was part of the intersection improvement package. Ernst noted that would maintain traffic flow in the two inside straight traffic lanes. Rorie said he had learned to get in the right lane if he was coming through there at 5:30 p.m. Madden said the only way to prevent traffic problems was to stop eastbound motorists from making left turns into Westpark. Rorie said there was a plan to create a signalized intersection at Northlake Drive that could work to alleviate tie-ups as well. Planning traffic flow now for the SR 54 East corridor provided an opportunity to avoid problems like those on SR 54 West, Borkowski remarked. He said as the corridor evolved, proper access management would be crucial. It might be painful, but the GDOT wanted to limit signals, which were the death of mobility, along with incorporating R -cuts and right -in, right -out intersections. Rorie added that signals were necessary to increase safety, but they did limit mobility. He pointed to the area at the Ankle & Foot Centers of Georgia, which was not a full intersection. He said signals had been requested by the public for Governors' Square, the Peachtree City Athletic Complex (PAC), and at South Kedron, but all were on state routes. Rorie continued that planned annexation, could add about 30 properties along the SR54 East City Council Retreat Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 8 corridor, and there were other properties to be developed. This meant it was critical to consider enhancing mobility by limiting access and balancing flow along those corridors. The easy solution today was to add a signal, but that would just become tomorrow's problem. A member of the audience asked if there was a way to funnel traffic off the roads to an intersection, and Rorie said that was called interparcel access. An example could be found in the way a motorist could go to Five Guys, then go around by Zaxby's and exit onto MacDuff. That was what made Planterra and MacDuff Parkway "super intersections," Rorie explained, saying they were planned for that interparcel access, which should be duplicated in all commercial areas. Rorie said these super intersections funneled traffic to one area, instead of diffusing them over several locations. Rorie said that cart path connectivity was also an issue, and the City would eventually lose the at - grade crossing on SR 54 East and should plan for a tunnel or bridge before that time came. A path along Sumner Road would be needed, and these changes must be looked at as a multi- modal transportation plan. Rorie noted that many people had suggested making it illegal to turn right onto SR 54 W from SR 74 N, and the City had suggested that to GDOT. However, right turns were still allowed because the City did not control these state corridors. Public feedback was important, but not everyone would be happy with the results. The intersection of Crosstown Road and Peachtree Parkway South was Borkowski's next topic, and he presented a 2010 depiction of a roundabout concept. It showed a multiple lane roundabout with a separated right-hand turn lane. Staff asked GDOT to look at it with some updated traffic numbers, and GDOT recommended building it as a single lane roundabout, but leaving room to expand to add a dedicated right turn lane. Rorie said he would rather go ahead and build it with the two lanes, rather than add a lane later. Borkowski continued that the City was completing an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Fayette County for an additional $1.5 million in funding for this roundabout. A design proposal was also being finalized, but there was not yet any estimate for when work could begin. An audience member asked about the cart path in front of Arbor Terrace, saying there was little room between that path and the street. Rorie said the path should not be touched, but noted that the picture shown might not accurately represent the final design. Borkowski presented statistics showing that most drivers on Crosstown going east were turning right, while most northbound drivers on Peachtree Parkway were making left turns. A right turn lane was needed in all quadrants, Borkowski said, adding that the lane would enhance mobility by keeping all right turning drivers out of the main traffic flow in the roundabout. This was not a GDOT-controlled road, Rorie emphasized, and the City would design and pay for the roundabout. However, the City decided to seek GDOT's input to get an assessment of the feasibility. He said he could easily see the demand for roundabouts in other areas of the City, such as along Peachtree Parkway at Walt Banks Road, Robinson Road, and McIntosh Trail. The meeting that night, Rorie explained, was to look at what might be needed in the next 20 years. This was not master planning, but strategic planning. Citizens had voiced many differing opinions about what to do with the Crosstown/Peachtree Parkway intersection. Some wanted a roundabout, while others supported extending the left turn lanes. All options must be considered and plans made before the need became urgent. City Council Retreat Minutes April 3, 2018 Page 9 Rorie said the City had a representative on the County Transportation Committee, a group of citizens who looked at countywide issues, often with input from GDOT. The Crosstown roundabout, an original project from the 2004 SPLOST, would be eligible for some of the remaining funding, so $1.5 million would be coming from the County coffers. He added there was $550,000 available from the 2017 SPLOST. Another SPLOST project was the extension of turn lanes on North Kedron that came over to MacDuff Parkway and intersected SR 74 North. He said staff completed the extensions, and the project was under budget. This was an example of the types of projects that needed to be ongoing. Rorie commented that there would be public hearings with GDOT on the displaced left turn on SR 54/SR 74. Borkowski noted that the county and cities were working on a transportation plan and had held meetings seeking public input and would be holding more. He encouraged all interested citizens to attend and voice their opinions. The county's web site had information, he noted. Rorie said City Clerk Betsy Tyler would include information on the county transportation plan and how to access it in the next UPDATES Newsletter. A resident asked about Huddleston Road, and Rorie said the topography made work there very expensive, and there were eminent domain issues, as well. This area would be a prime candidate. for a CID to address sewer and transportation issues, the City Manager commented. In response to a resident's question, Prebor noted that flashing yellow lights were a pet idea of his. He said he wanted to organize an informal group to go out and study various options. Rorie noted there was a staff meeting every week, with conversations on transportation often occurring, but he noted there were always variables and trade-offs, and limits on what the City could do. Fleisch commented that she believed the City had never had as many public works projects going on at the same time as right now. A few weeks ago, she was at the GDOT office in Thomaston to make sure the City was still on track for the $10 million for the CFI. Fleisch reflected how lucky the City was to get this money - $10 million out of $30 million available statewide. She said the 2014 traffic study had yielded great benefits in a short time, including the Planterra and MacDuff intersection improvements, the green T intersection, the displaced left turn, and the quick response on SR 74 and the money for lengthening the turn lanes at Walmart and Planterra.. The workshop concluded at 8:32 p. M. Martha Barksdale, ecor _ ng Secretary Vanessa Fleisch, Mayor