COBB COUNTY - The Cobb County Board of Commissioners is expected to approve the extension of a construction deferral fee program from Feb. 9 to Sept. 30 at its regular meeting this morning.

The program aims to boost the development of vacant subdivisions and commercial complexes. The board authorized the deferral May 26, and county spokesman Robert Quigley said the approach was proven to be successful. The program allows for all permit, sewer and inspection fees to be deferred until the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy. Before the program, all fees were required at the time of permitting.

Those eligible - state-licensed residential or commercial builders properly bonded in Cobb County - must apply for the program and, after acceptance, all inspections would be conducted in accordance with regular procedures. The program does not apply to additions, renovations or permitted accessory structures.

The board is also expected to approve a Memorandum of Agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation for a program that will create landscaping improvements along state routes at various locations within the county. GDOT allocates funding each year through the Georgia Transportation Enhancement Grant Program. No local match is required. GDOT awarded Cobb $39,520 on March 9, 2009, and the county immediately began the preparation of landscaping plans and drawings as required by GDOT for the funding process.

Two change orders for bridge projects, including the Mount Calvary Road Bridge over Noses Creek and the Hiram-Lithia Springs Road Bridge over Sweetwater Creek, are expected to be approved today. Both projects were part of the 2005 Transportation Improvements Program. The change order for Mount Calvary Road Bridge will save the county $12,164, bringing the total project savings to almost $20,000. The final change order requested for the Hiram-Lithia Springs Road Bridge will deduct $135,656 from the current project budget, but will still bring the revised contract to almost $8,000 more than the original $1.939 million contract.

The board is also expected to authorize the issuance of a new Request for Proposal for the Paratransit Facility at the Cobb Community Transit Multi-Use Transit Center.