Just to give you an update: The City is planning to widen the street I live on from a rural, two lane to a 6 lane with left turn lanes, curbs and gutters and street lights. Construction is scheduled to start in about 2 weeks. I've taken some 'before' pictures and I'll keep the thread updated as the project moves along. The widening project is about 4 miles long and according to the City Engineer construction will start at my end, which is the last block in the project. The first thing they have to do is move my driveway from the corner to further north along my property line to facilitate PG&E's pole relocation, which involves Dudley's yard.
My existing driveway and Dudley's yard:
And then outside the fence where the new driveway will be going in:
An overall view of my frontage:
You can see my existing driveway that they say is too close to the corner, and the new one will be about 25' to the left of the mailbox.
In the last picture you can see how my lot is elevated about 6 or 8' above the street. Part of what I asked for in my contract with the City was to have a retaining wall constructed where they cut off the hill for their encroachment. In order for their equipment to get in there and build the retaining wall I have to clear about 10' more than they're taking for the widening project, which I'll get back when they're finished. Problem with that is, my pond is now in the way and has to be drained. But the good part of that is now it's in the contract that the new pond will be lined (it's now just a big mud hole). So, after a week of not adding water to the pond, it looks like this:
Pond before:
Last September I ordered four poly tubs 2'x6'x2', one for each species of turtle in the pond. Because of the lack of truck drivers due to Covid, it took until the end of July this year for them to get here. When they finally came, they are galvanized instead of poly, but I can't afford to re-order, timewise.
Only found two pond turtles:
Three RES and one Western Painted:
One Phrynops hillari:
And a male and female Florida Softshell:
The softshells are way too big to live in that galvanized tub. She's about 18" SCL. She's HUGE!!!
My existing driveway and Dudley's yard:
And then outside the fence where the new driveway will be going in:
An overall view of my frontage:
You can see my existing driveway that they say is too close to the corner, and the new one will be about 25' to the left of the mailbox.
In the last picture you can see how my lot is elevated about 6 or 8' above the street. Part of what I asked for in my contract with the City was to have a retaining wall constructed where they cut off the hill for their encroachment. In order for their equipment to get in there and build the retaining wall I have to clear about 10' more than they're taking for the widening project, which I'll get back when they're finished. Problem with that is, my pond is now in the way and has to be drained. But the good part of that is now it's in the contract that the new pond will be lined (it's now just a big mud hole). So, after a week of not adding water to the pond, it looks like this:
Pond before:
Last September I ordered four poly tubs 2'x6'x2', one for each species of turtle in the pond. Because of the lack of truck drivers due to Covid, it took until the end of July this year for them to get here. When they finally came, they are galvanized instead of poly, but I can't afford to re-order, timewise.
Only found two pond turtles:
Three RES and one Western Painted:
One Phrynops hillari:
And a male and female Florida Softshell:
The softshells are way too big to live in that galvanized tub. She's about 18" SCL. She's HUGE!!!
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