Update 2023-09-16: Videos: Quarterman Road rezoning unanimously denied; Mt. Zion Church Road rezoning unanimously approved @ LCC Regular 2023-09-12.

The VDT got the most important point right: the Lowndes County Commission unanimously denied the proposed rezoning REZ-2023-04 for 2.5-acre lots, smaller than the 5-acre minimum in on E-A Quarterman Road. And they spelled Tom Larson’s name right.

Thanks to all who helped get this result: everybody who signed the petition, those who circulated the petition, those who spoke in the Planning Commission and County Commission meetings, 7 of 8 of the Planning Commissioners who recommended denial, and the Lowndes County Commissioners for unanimously denying this inappropriate rezoning.

SGRC map of petition signers against REZ-2023-04 Quarterman Road and VDT pictures of Lowndes County Commission meeting building

Kasmira Smith, Valdosta Daily Times, September 13, 2023, Lowndes commissioners deny highly opposed rezoning proposal

…

The commissioners information packet included a petition signed from multiple residents from the area particularly from Quarterman Road.

Chairman Bill Slaughter questioned, “If we did choose to do R-A, could we still put restrictions on the lot sizes?”

Dillard responded that the current E-A lot width is 210 feet and that was the Planning Commission’s recommended condition plan if the board chose to approve the request.

About six individuals who reside on Quarterman Road approached the commissioners during Tuesday’s public hearing portion of the request consideration. Each of the residents asked the board to deny the request to maintain the area’s true forestry and agricultural characteristics. They raised concerns with the area becoming too developed and said it is already suffering high traffic due to causes from the recent hurricane.

Gretchen Porterman [Quarterman] was the first resident to oppose it. “Think about the 44 lots that are on our road. Our area is forestry and conservation, where people grow crops. It’s just not appropriate to have R-A,” she said.

Carolyn Silvey [Selby] and Tom Larson, respectively, said they moved to the rural area after living in larger cities.

“I moved down here from Atlanta because of the growth and outgrown of Atlanta. I bought a house on a dirt road. … It is a rural setting. It’s hay fields and planted fields. It’s forestry and it’s wetlands. I do not feel that putting in what would amount to a small subdivision with a possible five to seven additional septic tanks and wells would help this area any. I think it would put a lot more traffic on the road that we don’t need. I think we need to keep the character of this road,” Silvey [Selby] said.

Larson said it would be a slippery slope to approve the request and that it would lead to even more subdivision requests.

No one approached the board in favor of the request.

The attending commissioners denied the request with a vote 4-0. Scott Orenstein, Commissioner of District 2, was absent from the vote.

LAKE videos of this meeting will be available soon.

Meanwhile, you can follow the story starting with the GLPC Board Packet.

-jsq

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