Category Archives: GDOT

Videos: slightly larger: The Settlement North on Val Del Road @ LCC 2018-12-11

In their one December 2018 Regular Session, they couldn’t bring themselves to reject a rezoning, but they did require still larger lot sizes, for the Val Del Road rezoning.

That was the most elaborate series of motions I’ve seen on anything in the dozen years I’ve been following the Lowndes County Commission. It even exceeds the time somebody tried to rezone next to my west field and they denied that one by not voting.

Nothing else took more than a few minutes. The County Manager asked for an emergency to Continue reading

Videos: The Settlement North on Val Del Road back again @ LCC 2018-12-10

Molly Stevenson, Engineering/Planning Technician, reminded Commissioners that the main reason for the Val Del Road rezoning is to be able to subdivide at a greater density. Then she recited the reasons to deny it.

Chairman Bill Slaughter reminded Commissioners they’d tabled it twice, and “I’d very much like to get this resolved at this meeting.” By which he meant the Regular Session this evening at 5:30 PM, not the Work Session yesterday morning at which he said that. At least one Commissioner had a question.

The second longest item was 6 m. Approval of the 2019 Commission Meeting Calendar, because of two questions by Commissioners.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also Continue reading

Back again: The Settlement North on Val Del Road @ LCC 2018-12-10

The agenda sheet says “the applicant’s conceptual site plan is attached.” But of course we the taxpaying, traffic-affected, and water-drinking public don’t get to see it.

Why the Lowndes County Commission considering rezoning for a subdivision that its own staff says doesn’t fit the Comprehensive Plan Character Area, is outside the Urban Service Area, would add significant traffic, and many neighbors spoke against it, plus the Planning Commission recommended denial? The Commission tabled in October, and again in November, when Commissioners asked for an update, but now staff says, “There are no updates to the overall case status.”

If they can’t deny this one, what rezoning can they ever deny?

Current Zoning Map, REZ-2018-17
Photo: Still by LAKE from Lowndes County Commission video of its 9 Oct 2018 Regular Session.

Here is the agenda. See also Continue reading

Budget, LMIG, tractor, truck, 3 sewer items @ VCC 2018-06-21

On the Valdosta City Council agenda this Thursday, a budget public hearing (no agenda nor draft budget linked for that), and a bunch of bids, including three about the sewer system, ioncluding sewer lines on Iola Drive, manhole rehabilitation, and the Cured-In-Place-Pipe (CIPP) Lining Project. Here’s the Invitation to Bid for CIPP.

Maybe this kind of Sewer System Imprrovements is why Valdosta has not had a major spill in a hear and a half, while Tifton continues to spill. Also, over on the Flint River, Albany recently spilled quite a bit. Don’t worry: if Valdosta spills again, you’ll hear about it.

AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING
OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, June 21, 2018
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL

Continue reading

Videos: Proclamations, Thoroughfare Plan, RR bridge, resurfacing four roads, opioids @ LCC 2018-04-10

The two longest items were proclamations, for the Teen Explosion Youth Action Group and for Telecommunications Week. Everything else sailed through.

Below are links to each LAKE video, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See previous post for Continue reading

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 Continue reading

Videos: Emergency road repair bids! Appointments: Library Board, Development Authority, millage @ LCC 2017-08-22

The added agenda item 6e. Emergency Repairs to Rocky Ford Road got a couple of bids (unusual procedure; different from their usual no-bid emergencies) passed. The Chamber sent Gary Wisenbaker to speak in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard to ask for (after a very long preamble by John Page) apparently money from GDOT for a long list (in a letter the taxpayers did not get to see) of transportation projects to help “the business community”, apparently including the truck bypass.

They only appointed six of the seven members of the Development Authority of Lowndes County, although a Commissioner did ask about that. It’s also curious they said all the terms expired right then, since the Wayback machine has a snapshot of 4 April 2017, which shows three expiring in June 2017 and four already expired in December 2016. Apparently they just didn’t bother to appoint anybody to the four slots that expired in December 2016 until eight months later, and then they didn’t appoint anybody to one of the 2017 slots.

Below are links to Continue reading

GDOT construction on I-75 Exit 29 2017-08-28

This is the entrance to I-75 from GA 122 that often is backed up all the way to the traffic light in Hahira in the morning, that I use all the time. It did change quite a bit way back in 2006. More concerns were raised by citizens in 2013, but “No major changes made as a result of comments received.” One archaeological site was found in a survey. The winning bid for each of the utilities relocation and the main contract was Reames.

GDOT PR, 2017-08-25, Lowndes County: Reconstruction of I-75 Exit 29 Starts Monday,

GDOT aerial of I-75 exit 29 at Hahira, GA

VALDOSTA — Changes that will impact traffic are coming to Interstate 75 at Exit 29 next week as Continue reading

Videos: Appointments to Hospital Authority and Parks and Rec + well pump @ LCC 2017-07-11

Two Regular Sessions back, they started with a moment of silence for Mike Everett, recently deceased employee of the Public Works department. The obituary in the VDT, 14 July 2014,

Michael Thomas Everett, a senior heavy equipment operator with Lowndes county and long time resident of Berrien County, GA, died unexpectedly on July 9, 2017 at the age of 58 at his home. Mike was born in Miami, Florida on December 29, 1958 to Hermon J. Everett and Mary C. Everett both deceased and is survived by his loving Step-Mother Nora N. Everett. Mike also known as Mr. Mike to many of his close friends and co-workers was an avid race car fan, loved cooking, enjoyed tending to his many gardens. He also loved music and often played guitar with family and friends. He was a magnet for all dogs taking great care of any that showed up on his doorstep. Mike was a very kind and generous man who will be deeply missed by his family, close neighbors, friends, co-workers and all who knew him. There is no service scheduled at this time.

No surprise on the pump or for the Hospital Authority, but news about Ashley Paulk and VLPRA. They approved everything else unanimously, as they usually do.

Below are links to each LAKE video, with a few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda. There are no LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session, because, they moved it half an hour early and didn’t send a notification. But there is a blog post about one Commissioner’s response to that. The county apparently does video its work sessions, but not that one, and not this Regular Session, either.

Continue reading

Videos: Appointments to Hospital Authority and Parks and Rec + well pump @ LCC 2017-07-10

Nope, there are no LAKE videos of yesterday morning’s Work Session, because, remember, they moved the meeting half an hour earlier so when Gretchen showed up it was already over. The county does not video its Work Sessions, so there is no county video, either. Since the Valdosta Daily Times apparently did not run a story (I don’t even know if they had a reporter there), this means you won’t know what the Commissioners discussed nor who else was there Monday morning before they vote this evening at 5:30 PM.

Valdosta City Manager Larry Hanson welcomes new 23d Wing Commander Col. Jennifer Short at the July 10 Change of Command ceremony.
City of Valdosta PR 2017-07-10: Valdosta City Manager Larry Hanson welcomes new 23d Wing Commander Col. Jennifer Short at the July 10 Change of Command ceremony.

Commissioner Scottie Orenstein asked, on facebook, in response to yesterday’s LAKE blog post about the moved meeting: Continue reading