The value of building consents issued in January was almost double that of the same month last year.

The building consents summary released from the Marlborough District Council shows a total of 69 consents were approved last month, totalling $8.9 million.

The previous January, the total value of consents was $4.5m.

Of the January 2014 consents, 16 were new houses and eight were additions to houses.

New houses in the region cost just over $5.3m, while additions to houses were valued at $939,500.

Consents were also approved for support work, commercial additions, drainage, solid fuel, communal residential addition, removal and demolition and outbuildings.

The single largest consent was for structural strengthening and other work on a building in Market St. The work was valued at $880,000.

In January 2013, just 53 consents were issued, with 16 of those relating to outbuildings.

Consents included earthquake strengthening, a new winery utilities building and a few free-standing log fires.

In December 2103, 79 new consents were worth a total of $8.7m.

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Consents value doubled from last year

If youre a savvy consumer who likes to gather information, but also likes the auto-buying experience to be free of gimmicks, check out the 2015 Mazda6 at your Greater Pittsburgh Area Mazda dealer. Mazda North America recently released the pricing structure on the model, so now you really can make an informed decision before you ever hit the showroom. But you really have to get behind the wheel of the Mazda6 to see how it handles, before you make any final decisions.

While the design changes to the 2015 Mazda6 are minimal, engineers have made some nice additions to maintain the mid-sized sedans competitive place in the market this year. The company has also found a way to reconfigure its packages adding even more value to a mid-sized sedan that was already a great value in the 2014 model year. The 2015 Mazda6 is available in seven exterior colors and two interior colors.

The mid-size sedan is the bread-and-butter of the automotive industry, a vehicle that finds its way into nearly every driveway and garage in America, says Jim OSullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North America Operations. And consumers are savvier than ever, able to gather information with the swipe of a finger. So we had to offer a vehicle that was free of gimmicks and empty promises but delivers on all the expectations shown on paper, and the Mazda6 does just that, if not more.

The 2015 Mazda6 is available in three trims: Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. It features the SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter gasoline engine, a robust powerplant producing 184 horse power at 5,700 revolutions per minute and 185 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,250 revolutions per minute. The engine is paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission.

Fuel economy for the 2015 Mazda6 is rated at an estimated 37 miles per gallon on the highway by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency when equipped with a manual transmission. Choose the automatic transmission, and youll get one mile per gallon better on the highway.

The Mazda6 is also available with something the company calls the i-ELOOP, which is a regenerative braking feature. Mazdas i-ELOOP can jump the numbers to an EPA estimated rating of 40 miles per gallon on the highway, while upgrading city driving fuel economy significantly as well. Be sure to ask your dealer about this feature.

The entry-level Sport trim, with prices starting at $21,190, comes equipped with a manual transmission and many standard features, including a push-button start, air conditioning with a pollen filter, a tilt-and-telescopic adjustable steering column, steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise control functions, a multi-information display with a trip computer, auxiliary/USB input connections, cloth-trimmed sport seats, a six-way manual drivers seat with manual lumbar support, 60/40-split fold-down rear seats, a leather-wrapped parking brake, shift knob and steering wheel, daytime running lights, auto-off halogen headlights and 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels.

New standard equipment includes power windows with one-touch up/down operation for all windows and illuminated power-window switches on all doors.

Mazda6 Sport, when equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission, begins its price at $22,895. Added features on this trim include Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio connectivity, HD Radio Technology, Pandora internet radio, audio menu voice command, a radio broadcast data system, E911 automatic emergency notification, SMS text message receipt and delivery, a 5.8-inch full-color touch-screen display and a rearview camera.

The mid-level Touring trim includes all of the features of the Sport model paired with a manual or automatic transmission. The manual lists at $23,845 while the automatics pricing begins at $24,845. Standard features for the Touring trim include 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels, as well as a six-way power drivers seat with manual lumbar support, dual-zone auto-climate control with rear seat vents, leatherette-trimmed sport seats and a multi-function commander control display.

More:
Mazda Repackages Its Mid-Sized Sedan for Even Greater Value in 2015

BOISE City design review rules would all become voluntary, under legislation being pushed by a North Idaho lawmaker, and developers in Idaho couldnt be told to make structural changes in buildings theyre proposing just for esthetic reasons. Weve got to allow participants in a market to act like a market, to reflect choice, Rep. Ed Morse, R-Hayden, told the House Local Government Committee on Tuesday. His comments followed more than two hours of testimony both for and against the bill, with cities, local planning officials, architects and others opposing the bill, and business interests including the Idaho

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BOISE City design review rules would all become voluntary, under legislation being pushed by a North Idaho lawmaker, and developers in Idaho couldnt be told to make structural changes in buildings theyre proposing just for esthetic reasons.

Weve got to allow participants in a market to act like a market, to reflect choice, Rep. Ed Morse, R-Hayden, told the House Local Government Committee on Tuesday. His comments followed more than two hours of testimony both for and against the bill, with cities, local planning officials, architects and others opposing the bill, and business interests including the Idaho Retailers Association backing it.

On a divided voice vote, the panel approved the bill, HB 480, and sent it to the full House for debate. Morse acknowledged after the meeting that both the cities of Hayden and Coeur dAlene oppose his bill, but said property owners in his district support it.

The measure is the latest version of a concept Morse has been working on for some time, initially spurred by the city of Boises design review requirements on a new multi-story state parking garage thats being built near the state Capitol, in a designated historic district of mostly residential buildings.

Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur dAlene, thanked Morse for bringing the bill. I have several commercial buildings in the town that I live in, said Sims, a car dealer. She said one is more than 40 years old but has had four additions; the other is four years old, and shes faced substantial costs due to city requirements.

Ive had to add 643 feet of sidewalk that nobody has ever stepped a foot on theres no sidewalk leading to it or leading from it, Sims said. I have 20 trees that shade absolutely nothing. I have grassy swales that take up 20 parking spaces.

She said, I think some control and some concern for the property owners and the businesses that may or may not come to your community is critically important.

Originally posted here:
North Idaho rep wants cities to back off design review rules - Tue, 18 Feb 2014 PST

February 18, 2014|3:58 pm

Archbishop of Newark, N.J., John J. Myers.

Archbishop of Newark, N.J., John J. Myers is now under fire for making a lavish $500,000 addition, including a hot tub and elevator, to his $800,000 future retirement home despite Pope Francis calling on bishops to stop living "like princes" and become a "poor church for the poor."

Before the additions began the home that Myers had used mostly as a weekend residence was a 4,500-square-foot building on 8.2 acres of land featuring five bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a three-car garage and a large outdoor pool in Hunterdon County, N.J., reports The Star-Ledger.

In preparation for his retirement in the next two years when he turns 75, a three-story, 3,000-square-foot addition is being built replete with an indoor exercise pool, a hot tub, three fireplaces, a library, an elevator, and other amenities listed on blueprints and permits filed with the Franklin Township building department, according to The Star-Ledger.

The minimum $500,000 the addition is expected to cost does not include architectural costs, furnishings and landscaping.

The lavish spending comes on the heels of the suspension of the bishop of Limburg, Germany, in October for spending $42 million to renovate his residence and other church buildings, and Myers' critics say it appears he has not been paying attention to Pope Francis' directions.

"Archbishop Myers obviously is not paying any attention to the pope," noted Charles Zech, faculty director of the Center for Church Management and Business Ethics at Villanova University's business school who has studied bishops' spending.

"The pope is calling on clergy to live a simpler lifestyle and to be in touch with their people. This is extreme, way beyond what you'd expect to happen. I can't believe the parishioners of Newark are going to allow this to happen," said Zech.

Parishioners, however, are appalled by the lavish spending on digs for Myers.

Read more from the original source:
Newark's Archbishop Under Fire for Making Lavish $500K Addition to $800K Retirement Home Despite Pope Wanting 'Poor ...

BOISE City design review rules would all become voluntary under legislation being pushed by a North Idaho lawmaker, and developers in Idaho couldnt be told to make structural changes in proposed buildings for aestheticreasons.

Weve got to allow participants in a market to act like a market, to reflect choice, Rep. Ed Morse, R-Hayden, told the House Local Government Committee on Tuesday. His comments followed more than two hours of testimony both for and against the bill, with cities, local planning officials and architects opposing the bill, and business interests including the Idaho Retailers Association backing it

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BOISE City design review rules would all become voluntary under legislation being pushed by a North Idaho lawmaker, and developers in Idaho couldnt be told to make structural changes in proposed buildings for aestheticreasons.

Weve got to allow participants in a market to act like a market, to reflect choice, Rep. Ed Morse, R-Hayden, told the House Local Government Committee on Tuesday. His comments followed more than two hours of testimony both for and against the bill, with cities, local planning officials and architects opposing the bill, and business interests including the Idaho Retailers Association backingit.

On a divided voice vote, the panel approved the bill, House Bill 480, and sent it to the full House for debate. Morse acknowledged after the meeting that the cities of Hayden and Coeur dAlene oppose his bill, but said property owners in his district supportit.

The measure is the latest version of a concept Morse has been working on for some time, initially spurred by the city of Boises design review requirements on a new multistory state parking garage. The structure is being built near the state Capitol in a designated historic district of mostly residentialbuildings.

Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur dAlene, thanked Morse for bringing the bill. I have several commercial buildings in the town that I live in, said Sims, a car dealer. She said one is more than 40 years old but has had four additions; the other is four years old, and shes faced substantial costs due to cityrequirements.

Ive had to add 643 feet of sidewalk that nobody has ever stepped a foot on; theres no sidewalk leading to it or leading from it, Sims said. I have 20 trees that shade absolutely nothing. I have grassy swales that take up 20 parkingspaces.

Continue reading here:
Idaho lawmaker wants businesses, not cities, in charge of commercial design - Wed, 19 Feb 2014 PST

ASHEBORO Hospice of Randolph County is accepting vendors for its Saturday, April 5, show.

The 4th Annual Randolph County Home and Garden Expo, benefiting Hospice of Randolph County, will be hosted once again by Petty Garage and the Petty Family Foundation at their historic garage located in Level Cross.

Hours will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. This years event will also be an opportunity to showcase the new Richard Petty Museum which is relocating back to Level Cross as a true heritage tourism destination allowing visitors to see history covering over 50 years of one of the first families in NASCAR racing.

Modeled after other home shows across North Carolina, the Hospice show will bring vendors and crafters to Randolph County while offering a southern flair. There will be 50 prime indoor spaces at the Petty Garage where exhibitors will be able to have promotional and sales displays for building additions and remodeling, repairs, lawn mowers, pools and spas, appliances, interior design, home entertainment and amusements, gardening/landscaping and outdoor crafts such as birdhouses, fountains, furniture and all things pertaining to home and garden. There will also be outdoor spaces available for those needing additional room for their displays. Exhibitor fees are $125/inside and $100/outside with access to electrical hook-ups for an additional $25 on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Admission tickets will be $5 and will also benefit the Randolph Hospice House, Randolph Countys only specialized hospice inpatient facility.

This is an exciting partnership with the Petty family, said David Caughron, director of Marketing and Development. The Pettys have been long-time supporters of our organization in our mission of providing world-class hospice care throughout Randolph County as well as neighboring communities.

The Petty Garage plans to have an array of their customized cars on display for the show as well as some of the cars that Richard Petty has collected. The Petty Family Foundation will sell specialty items to benefit the non-profit foundation.

Hollins Exposition Services of Greensboro will be providing the professional backdrops and skirting between the inside booths. Each vendor will have a 10 x 8 space with signage of business name and receive a 6-foot draped table and two chairs. The event is being organized and chaired by Lisa Huffman, Special Events Coordinator for HRC.

Deadline for vendor registration is March 5. To register, contact Lisa Huffman at (336) 672-9300 or lisa.huffman@hospiceofrandolph.org.

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Registration begins for Home & Garden Show at Petty Garage

The Oklahoman's Steve Lackmeyer and City Hall reporter Bill Crum took questions from readers in today's OKC Central Live Chat. You can join Steve's Q&As on Fridays at 10 a.m. and submit your questions about the happenings in and around downtown Oklahoma City.Read the complete chat transcript here.

There has been some talk about a MAPS for Neighborhoods for the next MAPS projects. What do you think would/should be included in this to make it attractive to the public and successful?

Bill:Streets, sidewalks, trails, parks, transit. The metro area needs Bus Rapid Transit, commuter rail and/or light rail.

Do you think we need the large increases in police that Shadid is calling for? Don't we have a police force comparable to most other cities our size?

Bill: It's not Shadid or the FOP, if you want to get right down to it. The police chief's update on the 2009 manpower study shows a persistent need for more police officers. Everything I've seen tells me OKC needs more police officers to 1) be proactive in fighting crime and 2) be able to respond in a timely fashion when crime occurs.

What is the truth about police positions? I've heard OKC has added 93 positions since 2003/4 fiscal year. Is that correct?

Bill: The council has added positions each of the last couple of years. With retirements, etc., and two academies a year, the department can add around 40 officers a year. The latest additions should mean official staffing is above 1,000 officers. That's still short of the figure the chief says he needs, by more than 200 officers.

Who has current control of the Melvin Luster House in the Deep Deuce?

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Bill Crum: OKC Police Department staffing is above 1,000 officers but still short of amount needed

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HERE is another chance to see if you can correctly guess the price of a property. Each week, we highlight four homes on the market so you can test your skills to see how close you come to getting each of the four properties shown here right. Each property comes with a brief description and photo to help you.

This week's properties are all for sale with estate agents Strutt & Parker, Sevenoaks.

House A: An attractive and immaculately presented town house built around 1995 providing charming and flexible open-plan accommodation is situated in the sought after village of Brasted, which is renowned for its antique shops, store and country pub. The house comes with an entrance hall, cloakroom, kitchen and drawing/dining room. On the first floor there are two bedrooms with built-in wardrobes and a family bathroom with a Jacuzzi bath and separate shower. The master bedroom is on the second floor along with an en suite bathroom. As well as front and rear gardens there is off-road parking for two vehicles. Sevenoaks, with its mainline station, is about four-and-a-half miles away.

House B: An elegant Edwardian home for sale in West Malling has recently been renovated to a high standard. Many of its original period features reminiscent of the Edwardian era remain intact, including high ceilings, decorative coving and cornicing, original timbers, including sliding sash windows, and timber flooring. The accommodation includes a sitting room, dining room, drawing room, cloakroom, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, cloakroom and cellar. There is a master bedroom with an en suite, five further double bedrooms, one with an en suite, and two family bathrooms. The garden comes to about 0.38 of an acre, and there is also a double garage.

House C: The cottage garden is a charming feature of this property, which is was built in 1558 with further 18th century additions. In the summer, a blossoming magnolia tree becomes a focal point along with apple and pear trees and a large garden pond. Original interior features of the property, which is in Offham, include exposed beams, a stunning inglenook fireplace and original wooden doors with cast iron fittings. As well as two reception room, there is a study, cloakroom and kitchen/ breakfast room, along with three bedrooms, including a master, two bathrooms and two large attic rooms. Outside, there is a new double garage with a mezzanine floor.

House D: Chipstead is the location of this Victorian property that forms part of a grade II listed terrace of almshouses, commonly known in the village as Stone Row. They were built in 1841 on the former site of The White Hart Inn to accommodate retired workers from the Chipstead House Estate. The cottage has a drawing room and a fitted kitchen, as well as a dining room with a beamed and vaulted ceiling. On the first floor there is a double bedroom and an en suite bathroom. At the rear is a cobbled courtyard and a brick outbuilding, which could become a home office, subject to planning permission.

Go here to read the rest:
Is the price right?

Its more than just a cookie.

For the shelter residents who will receive a gift box of oatmeal cookies on Valentines Day, its about the prayer-fueled compassion of Karina Blasco, a Tacoma wife, mother and maker of all things oatmeal.

Earlier this week, Blasco busied herself stuffing decorated take-out containers with red and white tissue paper, cookies and no small measure of love.

Blasco is the founder, owner and sole proprietor of Only Oatmeal Cookie Creations. She bakes, packages and conducts business from a converted garage attached to the North Tacoma home she shares with her husband, daughter and son.

I only bake oatmeal cookies. Its the only cookie I know how to make, she said earlier this week.

Actually, she offers a universe of options that wear the name oatmeal cookie.

In her commercial kitchen in the former garage, one wall is taken with bins of flavors and additions. Theres walnut and chocolate chip, toffee and pecan, butterscotch and blueberry and a dozen other morsels and tastes.

The cookies headed for the women and families at the Tacoma YWCA shelter are called Oatmeal Snickerdoodle. Each resident will receive a half dozen, plus one special oatmeal cookie topped by a strawberry baked with dark chocolate.

This seventh cookie in each box will be marked Just for You.

Caitlin White, volunteer and resource manager for YWCA Pierce County, said this week: We are so, so very thankful that Karina was able to give these. It means a lot for our residents.

Original post:
Local cookie entrepreneur gives back to community with sweet treats

A new two-story building in a historic home district of Cleveland, Tenn., is causing concern to area residents just off Bowman Avenue near Lee University.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. Eyebrows are being raised over an indoor basketball gym being built in a Cleveland neighborhood that helped launch the city's historic preservation movement.

Cleveland city officials have fielded complaints about a 4,844-square-foot, two-story building going up behind the Centenary Avenue home of Matthew and Tara Brown. The couple cleared away a 912-square-foot, 1930s-era house at 932 Oak St. to make way for their gym, which some local residents feel is too large and out of character with the neighborhood.

"Some people are upset about it, and others were simply wondering what process did he go through to get this approved," City Manager Janice Casteel said.

The Browns declined to comment.

City planner Corey Divel also said he's gotten calls about the gym.

"I think I had two phone calls when it first started going up," he said.

The Browns went through the necessary steps to build the gym, Divel said, including getting a certificate of appropriateness from Cleveland's seven-member Historic Preservation Commission. It approved the certificate in a 4-0 vote at its May 21 meeting, according to meeting minutes, with support from commissioners Joan Benjamin, Randy Wood, Charlotte Thorogood and Maryl Elliott.

Architect Douglas B. Caywood, who sits on the historic preservation commission and was the Browns' architect for the gym, was absent. Caywood declined to comment Friday about the issue.

Plans on file with the city show that the gym building is 18 feet tall to the eaves, where the roof begins. The basketball court is 50 feet wide, the same as a regulation NBA court, and has two nets. It will be 61 feet long, about two-thirds the length of the 94-foot-long regulation court. The new building will include a one-car garage and a kitchen.

Continued here:
Neighbors question indoor gymnasium in historic Cleveland area