The longest time, almost 16 minutes, was for Pregnancy Support Clinic of Valdosta at 2203 N. Oak St., followed at 14 minutes by REZ-2020-03 Wetherington Property, Val Del Road RA to PD, with 12 minutes for the Jon Nijem rezoning and Planned Development at 406 & 410 Baytree Road, in a relatively short February meeting of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes. See also the agenda and the following Lowndes County Commission meeting.

• 1. Call to Order, Invocation, Pledge
  

  Video.

• 2. Minutes for Approval
  

  Video.

• 3. REZ-2020-03 Wetherington Property, Val Del Road RA to PD
  

  Video. Commissioner Wiles moved to recommend approval, Commissioner Graham seconded, no further discussion, all aye.

  Yet another Val Del Road subdivision, this one is proposed diagonally northeast across the road from Nelson Hill. Looks like there’s a typo: the second parcel should be 056A, not 055A, according to the Lowndes County Property Appraisers.

  
  
  Lowndes County Property Appraiser, Wetherington property, WETHERINGTON FRANK L LIVING TRUST, parcels 0071 055, 056, 056A, 4154 and 4424 Val Del Road.

  We do not have the GLPC packet for that meeting, but we do have the Lowndes County Commission packet for the meeting in which they considered this same rezoning. The LCC agenda packet item says:

  COUNTY ACTION REQUESTED ON: REZ-2020-03 Wetherington Property, Val Del Rd. R-A to P-D, County Water and Sewer, ~72.54 acres Districts 2 and 5

  HISTORY, FACTS AND ISSUES: This request represents a change in zoning on the subject property from Residential Agricultural (R-A) zoning to Planned Development (P-D) zoning. The general motivation in this case is so the subject property can be developed at a greater residential density, a maximum of 214 residential lots, with an average lot size of approximately 9100 sq. ft. Access to and from the subject property is off Val Del Road, a major collector road. Concerning the Comprehensive Plan Future Development Map, the subject property is within the Urban Service area and depicted as in a Rural Residential Character Area. Per Comprehensive Plan guidance, Rural Residential Planned Development (PD-R) is listed as a permitted zoning within a Rural Residential Character Area. The difference between P-D zoning and PD-R zoning is the water/sewer connectivity requirement. However, since the subject property is within the required connection distance, the site plan does show that the development will connect to Lowndes County water and sewer.

  Aspects of this case worthy of consideration include: 1) the Nelson Hill Planned Development to the southwest, which is close to being built out, 2) The P-D zoning to the south, 3) Current growth trends in the area, 4) County water and sewer connectivity, 5) the future paving of Clyattstone Road, and 6) the planned future widening of Val Del Road.

  The Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) heard this case at its February meeting and ultimately voted unanimously to recommend approval of the request. For reference, the applicant’s representative was present and spoke on behalf of the request and no one rose to speak in opposition. Discussion centered around increased traffic concerns on Val Del Road.

  
  Conceptual Layout Map
  PDF

  
  Zoning Location Map
  PDF

  
  Zoning Location Map 2
  PDF

  
  WRPDO Site Map
  PDF

  
  Future Development Map
  PDF

  Neither the GLPC nor the Lowndes County Commission seems to have mentioned that the subject property is in the watershed of Bay Branch, but apparently in no floodplain.

  
  
  Lowndes County Property Appraiser, Wetherington watershed

  You can see why Lowndes County plans to pave Clyattstone Road: easy access from this subdivision and Nelson Hill to Valwood School, and up Old US 41 N and Union Road to I-75 Exit 29 at Hahira.

  
  
  Context

  Despite local resident Bob Dewar’s objections to the County Commission last month, the county does want an 80-foot right of way to turn it into a highway. After all, since 2011 the county has been observing that Clyattstone Road is in Central Lowndes County, which is where the county wants to develop dense subdivisions.

• 4. VA-2020-03 406 Baytree Road Jon Nijem -RM(c) to RM (no c)
  

  Video. Commissioner Wiles moved to recommend approval with approval, somebody seconded, no further discussion, all aye.

• 6. VA-2020-05 2203 N. Oak St. DR-10 to O-P
  

  Video. Commissioner Bailey moved to recommend approval, Commissioner Ball seconded, no further discussion, all aye.

• Other Business and Meeting Adjournment
  

  Video.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:

Videos: Oak St. Pregnancy Clinic, Val Del Wetherington, Baytree Nijem
Regular Session, Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC),
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 2020-02-24.

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