Category Archives: Government

Videos: Law, radio, solid waste, busses, and qualifying fees @ LCC 2015-11-10

A month ago, nobody on the County Commission or staff knew how much the extra equipment might cost for the three Sheriff’s pursuit vehicles, but they awarded the bid to Langdale Ford anyway. The automobile dealer on the Commission did have some computations on why the higher bid might be more cost-effective. “We have the bids in the room” said the County Engineer, recommending awarding $1,188,500 to the Scruggs Company for Graded Aggregate Base, Curb-and-Gutter and Asphalt. He also noted “they will come in and place the curb and gutter”. The County Engineer also announced flashing and then regular traffic lights at Tillman Crossing on Old US 41 North.

Two citizens talked about dog problems: three dogs perhaps without shelter and barking dogs and arson.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall is holding a Town Hall December 15th.

Here’s the agenda. See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session. Below are links to each of the videos of the Regular Session, followed by a video playlist. Meanwhile, they already met again this morning and will vote again Tuesday evening. Continue reading →

MAZ, WWTP, tax lighting, civic center, court, insurance, hazardous waste @ LCC 2015-12-07

This morning at 8:30 AM, then for voting Tuesday evening at 5:30 PM, the Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) condition changes, the Moody Activities Zones (MAZ) changes to the ULDC, and the Orchard at Tillman Crossing from the previous Planning Commission agenda are on this morning’s very long Lowndes County Commission agenda, along with many other items. Among them, the obscurely named Execution of the Resolution for Hazardous Waste Trust Fund is about the closed landfill at Clyattville.

See also the LAKE videos of the 30 November 2015 GLPC meeting, and this morning’s agenda is below.

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LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, December 7, 2015, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, December 8, 2015, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Withlacoochee River Wastewater Treatment Plant packet materials @ GLPC 2015-11-30

The mysterious missing materials from Monday’s Planning Commission meeting are on the LAKE website now, thanks to Lowndes County Planner Jason Davenport, by electronic mail today, 3 December 2015.

He explained that this requested zoning, REZ-2015-20, was a followon to rezoning REZ-2010-15 from 2010 for the new Withlacoochee River Wastewater Treatment Plant, plus since then Valdosta had bought another adjoining parcel. The materials explain the current concerns about buffers, setbacks, roads, other uses, noise, lights, etc.; see the text pages. The County Planner said the packet for next week’s County Commission meetings will also include an agenda item cover sheet.

For all the other packet items from Monday’s GLPC meeting, see the previous post. See also the related variance VAR-2015-16 that was before the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA) Tuesday.

Here’s the beginning of the overview from the GLPC materials:

The main reason for this request is the current conditional requirement of a bermed buffer along the norther boundary of the subject property. Right now if the previously approved conditions (Attached toward the end of the packet), approved site plan (Attached . . ,), and ULDC are combined it looks like what is currently required to be constructed is Continue reading →

Videos: MAZ, Tillman Crossing, Withlacoochee River WWTP, 7 * Valdosta @ GLPC 2015-11-30

Still invisible: the change to Valdosta’s Withlacoochee River Wastewater Treatment Plant. Documents related to all the other items are inked into the agenda in a previous post.

Moody AFB speaking about proposed Lowndes County MAZ ULDC text amendments
Moody AFB speaking about proposed Lowndes County MAZ ULDC text amendments

Continue reading →

MAZ comparison table: TRC, Chamber, GLPC –Jason Davenport @ GLPC 2015-11-30

Contested County Planner Jason Davenport sent email to the Planning Commission yesterday noon before their evening meeting:

In light of the comments from the Chamber of Commerce from last week related to TXT-2015-01 I have prepared a document that helps show the amendments and various TRC and Chamber recommendations/comments side by side. The amendments are overall organized into two groups, those that are recommended for approval and have no objection and those that have opposition and/or other comments. I will plan to provide physical copies of the attached document at tonight’s meeting. Thank you.

Maybe this is a precedent for the county taking citizen comments more seriously; one hopes it doesn’t apply only to the Chamber.

Here’s the table (PDF on LAKE website), Continue reading →

Valdosta packet items @ GLPC 2015-11-30

Within hours in response to an open records request she took over the telephone, Zoning Location Map Valdosta City Clerk Teresa Bolden sent PDF of the packet materials for the six Valdosta items for tonight’s GLPC meeting, at no charge, including all the maps. See below those six Valdosta items linked into a copy of agenda: a funeral home, a radio station, a church accessory, a community commercial rezoning, an amendment to a Planned Development, and City of Valdosta sign regulations changes.

The change to the Withlacoochee River Wastewater Treatment Plant remains invisible, because, since it’s in the Lowndes County part of the agenda, the City of Valdosta can’t divulge it. The materials for the county subdivision rezoning after the old US 41 N widening. and the Moody Activities Zones (MAZ) Text Amendments are also linked into the agenda below.

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Greater Lowndes Planning Commission Continue reading →

MAZ, Tillman Crossing, Withlacoochee River WWTP, 7 * Valdosta @ GLPC 2015-11-30

An invisible change to Valdosta’s Withlacoochee River Wastewater Treatment Plant. Already a subdivision rezoning after the old US 41 N widening. And still going in its third year, the Moody Activities Zones (MAZ) Text Amendments, with updates last week, including the Chamber’s latest position, all on top of the previous updates. Those are just the Lowndes County cases on the agenda tonight for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

The six Valdosta cases include a funeral home, a radio station, a church accessory, a community commercial rezoning, an amendment to a Planned Development, and City of Valdosta sign regulations changes.

All that plus Continue reading →

MAZ and Tillman Crossing Packet Updates @ GLPC Work 2015-11-23

Updates about Moody, Tillman Crossing, and the Withlacoochee River Wastewater Treatment Plant, Non-Conforming Lots, MAZ Map, 2015-11-03 (1 of 2: New Bethel Road) for tonight’s Planning Commission meeting, received after last week’s GLPC Work Session. I would post tonight’s GLPC agenda, but it’s not on the county’s website.

See the surprise addition in this update of REZ-2015-20 City of Valdosta WWTP, about which details were not included: “The proposed site plan is the same one that was presented to you with your paperwork last night.” So if you’re not a Planning Commissioner, you don’t get to see what the City of Valdosta is proposing for its new Withlacoochee River Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Another item is apparently known by several names: Continue reading →

Updated Packet for Moody Activitiy Zones (MAZ) @ GLPC Work 2015-11-23

Details of massive revisions to the proposal for changes to the Moody Activity Zoning Districts, sent by County Planner Jason Davenport to the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) and the Lowndes County Commissioners on 11 November 2015, in advance of the GLPC’s 23 November 2015 Work Session and 30 November 2015 Regular Session. He copied LAKE due to an open records request from Gretchen Quarterman. The whole thing is on the LAKE website.

Especially interesting are two slides apparently intended to finally the question on everyone’s mind of which developers are these changes for?

Why are we here?

  • To improve the MAZ Regulations
  • 2012 Rezoning Case & Text Amendment
  • County Leadership (Direction)(lnitial Goal June 2015)
  • County Planner (Implementation and Support)
  • Response to Continue reading →

Videos: Law, radio, solid waste, busses, and qualifying fees @ LCC 2015-11-09

The bid on three pursuit vehicles for the Sheriff got a question from Commissioner Scottie Orenstein about maintenance costs for which a staffer from Public Works just happened to be available to answer. Result: not the low bid. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked if they were going to pay $7,000 more per vehicle ongoing. Answer from County Manager Joe Pritchard: case by case. This was Monday morning 8:30 AM. They vote this evening (Tuesday) at 5:30 PM.

There was also a report from County Engineer Mike Fletcher about coordination with the railroad about traffic crossing from Old US 41 N.

Here’s the agenda. Below are links to each of the videos, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →