Does this rural land revaluation map resemble the Comprehensive Plan Future Development map? Why not? And why were rivers and public transportation not considered either by the Lowndes County Tax Assessors while tracts with road frontage were considered the “highest market area” and land purchases by Bill Gates were considered “benchmark sales” instrumental in pricing large tracts?

This rural land revaluation is yet another vehicle to drive development straight north into the agricultural areas of the county, not even stopping at the Withlacoochee River.

That way lies sprawl, which as Dr. Jeffrey H. Dorfman of UGA has said, “is a certain ticket to fiscal ruin* * Or at least big tax increases.”

The City of Valdosta better watch out! Much of this rural revaluation is upstream from Valdosta, and clearcutting and impermeable surfaces would drive still more flood waters right into the city.

Many rural landowners were no doubt surprised to find their valuations almost or more than doubled, but that’s not the main issue. The main issue is this revaluation ignored the Comprehensive Plan and any need to conserve agricultural land. If we wanted to live in Atlanta, we would. We don’t want every tree chopped down or every acre paved over in Lowndes County.

Follow this link for much more.

The first step to fixing this is for rural landowners to appeal their revaluation proposed by the Tax Assessors.

-jsq

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