Thoroughfare Plan, RR bridge, resurfacing four roads, opioids @ LCC 2018-04-09

You can’t see the Special Presentation by Attorney Haynes Studstill on Opioid Litigation (Work Session) because Gretchen was not there with the LAKE video camera yesterday morning, and the agenda says it’s only in the Work Session. Lowndes County does video its own County Commission meetings, but they haven’t posted the video of that yet. Meanwhile, the City of Valdosta did decide to join a lawsuit against big pharma about opioid addiction. Another county legal item for tonight is FY2019 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program Request for Proposals (RFP).

They’re doing an Update to the Lowndes County Thoroughfare Plan, which is for:

Road Map, Maps
Road Map, 2009 Lowndes County Thoroughfare Plan.

HISTORY, FACTS AND ISSUES: The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners first adopted the Thoroughfare Plan in 1983. Since then, the Thoroughfare Plan has been revised numerous times to add new roads, update road classification status, as well as adding a component for bicycle routes.

Currently, the Thoroughfare Plan is used as a guide when road improvement projects are proposed and/or developed. The Thoroughfare Plan is also consulted when private developments and land use changes are evaluated.

Average development densities are calculated for a 20-year horizon in accordance with the planning period for the Urban Service Area. These calculations are then used to estimate traffic volumes and to assign road classifications.

The most recent update to the Thoroughfare Plan I can find online (via google; it’s not linked on the County Planning or Engineering web pages) is dated 2009, which is when the county reclassified Quarterman Road (and many others) from local to minor collector on the basis that within 20 years it might have enough traffic “if it were developed”, despite the Greater Lowndes 2030 Comprehensive Plan showing the same neighborhood as agricultural through 2030.

The County Engineer was more clear as to its purpose back then:

[The Thoroughfare Plan] works as a guide for development and potential use changes in property.

Roads drive development. Reclassifying a road higher means the county wants more development there. Where is the process for that? Where are the numerous revisions Where is the list of proposed reclassifications? Where are the other changes proposed?

They are also building an Old Quitman Road Bridge Replacement (no, not Spook Bridge; a railroad bridge; see previous post), and resurfacing four County roads (Howell Road, Knights Academy Road, Rocky Ford Road, and Shiloh Road) with the county paying an unspecified “remaining amount”, which is maybe the difference between the $1,128,703.70 GDOT pays and whichever bid the county accepts ($1,605,425,96 Reames or $1,582,919.75 Scruggs).

The rezoning cases to be voted on tonight at 5:30 PM are the ones from the March 26th Planning Commmission meeting; see the LAKE videos of that meeting.

REZ-2018-08, Hughes, Lakeland Highway, in LAKE videos of GLPC 2018-03-26
REZ-2018-08, Hughes, Lakeland Highway, in LAKE videos of GLPC 2018-03-26

Here is the agenda:

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2018, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

  1. Call to Order
  2. Invocation
  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
  4. Special Presentation by Attorney Haynes Studstill on Opioid Litigation (Work Session)
  5. Proclamation Presentation to the Teen Explosion Youth Action Group
  6. Telecommunications Week Proclamation Presentation
  7. Minutes for Approval
    1. Work Session- March 26, 2018
    2. Regular Session- March 27, 2018
  8. Public Hearing
    1. REZ-2018-08 Hughes, 4968 Lakeland Hwy, E-A to R-1, Well and Septic, 2.81 acres
      GLPC Recommendation: Approval
      TRC Recommendation: Various

      Documents:Rezoning Case REZ-2018-08.pdf

    2. REZ-2018-09, Camp Rock, PD-R to PD-R (Amendment), 4391 Rocky Ford Rd, Well and Septic, ~59 acres
      GLPC Recommendation: Approval
      TRC Recommendation: Approval

      Documents:Rezoning Case REZ-2018-09.pdf

    3. REZ-2018-10 Grace Lake, Enoch Lake Rd & Enoch Lake Cir, ~20 Acres, 1 lot, (P-D) to (R-10)
      GLPC Recommendation: Approval
      TRC Recommendation: Approval

      Documents:Rezoning Case REZ-2018-10.pdf

  9. For Consideration
    1. Memorandum of Agreement for Right of Way Phase of the Old Quitman Road Bridge Replacement Project
      Authorize the Chairman to sign the Agreement

      Documents:Memorandum of Agreement for Right of Way Phase of the Old Quitman Road Bridge.pdf

    2. Update to the Lowndes County Thoroughfare Plan
      Adopt the Updated Lowndes County Thoroughfare Plan

      Documents:Update to the Lowndes County Thoroughfare Plan.pdf

    3. FY2019 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program Request for Proposals (RFP)
      Request authorization for the Chairman to sign the required documentation and for staff to submit the proposal to the CJCC.

      Documents:FY2019 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program Request for Proposals.pdf

    4. Update on Solicitor-General's VAWA Grant Award
      Approval of grant award

      Documents:Update on Solicitor General VAWA Grant Award.pdf

    5. Declaration of Surplus Items and Authorization for Disposal
      Declare the items as surplus and authorize their disposal

      Documents:Declaration of Surplus Items and Authorization for Disposal.pdf

  10. Bid
    1. Bid for Firefighter Turnout Gear
      Award the bid to Thermo Fisher Scientific

      Documents:Bid for Firefighter Turnout Gear.pdf

    2. Resurfacing of Four County Roads
      Board’s Pleasure

      Documents:Resurfacing of four County Roads.pdf

  11. Reports – County Manager
  12. Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address
  13. Adjournment

-jsq