Category Archives: Health Care

Rezonings, Right of Way, Software, Health Insurance, Deannexation, and Road Repairs @ LCC 2020-02-24

The two rezonings on the Lowndes County Commission agenda for this week seem to cancel each other out, since one wants to go “back” to Estate Agriculture (E-A), while the other wants to rezone from E-A to R-A, both on about ten acres.

[Future Development Map]
Future Development Map

Because by an open records request we got the agenda packet, we know how much the agenda items costs, even though dollar amounts are not listed in the agenda.

The Request to Accept Hamm Estates Dr. into the County Road Inventory for Maintenance is listed as “BUDGET IMPACT: N/A”. What if those subdivision roads need repairs, like Knights Academy Road?

The unusual Deannexation of Ganas Property by Lake Park apparently costs the county nothing. Not even legal fees?

[Survey]
Survey

The high-dollar item is $290,000.00 for health insurance administration. Employees pay their Continue reading →

Half-way house for ex-offenders, Country Club tower, six Appointments @ VCC 2020-02-10

Postponed from last Thursday due to weather, the Valdosta City Council meets tonight, to consider some rather contentious cases from the Planning Commission, and to make a bunch of appointments, plus some bids for equipment.

CU-2020-02 Natalie Bailey, 4019 Forrest Run Circle - Halfway House @ GLPC 2020-01-27
Photo: Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, CU-2020-02 Natalie Bailey, 4019 Forrest Run Circle – Halfway House @ GLPC 2020-01-27.

This Valdosta City Council bid item is interesting:

4.d) Consideration of bids for a Trailer-Mounted Mobile Televising Unit for the Utilities Department (Bid No. 27-19-20 A).

Maybe with that Valdosta Utilities can see what’s happening with equipment they leave in a park overnight, for example maybe in McKey Park after today’s 200-gallon sewage spill.

Here is the agenda. It says February 6, but the Valdosta calendar entry for today says “RESCHEDULED – Valdosta City Council Meeting, Monday, February 10, 2020 – 5:30pm” See also Continue reading →

Videos: One Valdosta case on Eager Road @ ZBOA 2020-01-07

The one case at ZBOA last month, a duplex on Eager Road in Valdosta, was quite contentious, because of its potential intended use.

The first speaker against, Deb Cox, wanted to know if it would be used as a halfway house for felons. The applicant, Lawton White, said, “stated he rented some properties to Greenleaf for folks who were attending Alcoholics Anonymous, and while this was not one of those properties, two people who are licensed for such treatment wanted to rent a property for similar type folks.”

Ms. Cox came with many facts and figures, not surprising, since she also happens to be the Lowndes County Supervisor of Elections. Much discussion ensued.

Deb Cox at ZBOA 2020-01-07
Deb Cox speaking against APP-2019-09 Lawton White (318 Eager Road) at ZBOA 2020-01-07.

However, “Mrs. Quarterman stated that ZBOA’s concern was land use, not who lives in them. Mrs. Quarterman stated that if it had not become nonconforming, it would not be on the agenda. Mrs. Quarterman asked Continue reading →

Videos: Clyattstone Road Paving, Bids, Lease, Appointments, nothing for Fire Dept. @ LCC 2020-01-14

Maybe it was “custom fit” that caused Commissioner Clay Griner to ask for postponement of approval of purchase of firefighting equipment until after the county’s retreat. All five Commissioners voted for tabling. More detail below in the notes on that item.

Bob Dewar has discovered the county wants an 80-foot right of way to pave Clyattstone Road, “What we do not want is a highway. It’s a quaint county road.” Well, that’s not why the county paves roads. More in the item notes below.

Everything else was passed with little or no discussion.

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

Videos: Water quality testing, Bids, Leaase, Appointments @ LCC 2020-01-13

Not on the agenda, Chairman Bill Slaughter at the end of the meeting said Utilities Director Steve Stalvey had been testing water quality on the Withlacoochee River. On December 31, bacterial counts were acceptable. But on January 6, 2020, counts were quite high, so the county made and posted some warning signs at Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line (GA 31) Boat Ramps.

Here is one of the county’s signs, at Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, with a sign by WWALS Watershed Coalition (Suwannee Riverkeeper) at the bottom of the other pole with Continue reading →

Bids $1.4 million, insurance $1 million, and $0.4 million lease plus two Appointments @ LCC 2020-01-13

A million dollars for Paving – Quail Hollow Acres Subdivision and $0.4 million for Bid for a 3,000 Gallon Tanker for the Fire Department. Another million for 2020 Stop Loss Insurance Coverage through Symetra Life Ins. Company. A quarter million to relocate utilities at I-75 Exit 2 will be paid by GDOT. And a million in income for a Lease Agreement with the State Properties Commission for the Division of Family & Children Services (DFACS).

[Page 60]
Page 60

Molly Deese wants to be reappointed to the Valdosta Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority. Incumbents almost always get reappointed if they say they want to, and the chances of them not reappointing the Vice President and General Manager of Wild Adventures is pretty slim. Ditto Dr. Frances Brown on the Lowndes County Board of Health.

They’re setting the Special Assessment interest rate “for all paving and utilityassessments that are not paid off within the initial 90-day phase. Unpaid assessments revert to installment agreements which are to be paid over a period of up to ten years.” New rate: 6.75% for 2020, down from 7.50% for 2019.

They’re setting qualifying fees to run for office, primary or general election: Continue reading →

Videos: Rights of Way variances: Village of Hope and SSMT Holdings @ ZBOA 2019-10-01

ZBOA approved both Lowndes County cases, both for variances to access rights of way, but one barely by a split vote, with the other unanimous.

Below is a LAKE video playlist of the meeting, followed by Continue reading →

Rights of Way variances: Village of Hope and SSMT Holdings @ ZBOA 2019-10-01

Two Lowndes County cases this month at ZBOA, both wanting variances to access rights of way. Village of Hope appears to be a religious rehab center, offshoot of House of Hope, wanting to use the same access road as Valdosta Wake Compound.

[Site plan on Aerial Map]
Site plan on Aerial Map

SSMT Holdings appears to be an ordinary subdivision expansion, with fewer feet than code requires for road access due to a retention pond.

Also, ZBOA votes on officers this month.

Here is the agenda. See also the board packet, which is on the LAKE website, courtesy of ZBOA Board Member Gretchen Quarterman.

Valdosta – Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals

Valdosta Planning and Zoning Office
300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia
(229) 259-3563

Lowndes County Zoning Office
327 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia
(229) 671-2430

AGENDA
October 1, 2019
2:30 p.m.

  1. Call to Order

    LOWNDES COUNTY CASES:

  2. VAR-2019-11 — Village of Hope (Old Clyattville Road)
    Request for a
    variance to ULDC Chapter 4.04.03(D) as it pertains to Design Standards for lots and Chapter 6.01.02(D)(1) as it pertains to Streets and Rights-of-Way requirements
  3. VAR-2019-12 — SSMT Holdings (4173 Springruff Drive)
    Request for a
    variance to ULDC Chapter 4.04.03(D) as it pertains to Design Standards for lots and Chapter 6.01.02(D)(1) as it pertains to Streets and Rights-of-Way requirements

    OTHER BUSINESS:

  4. Approval of Minutes: September 10, 2019
  5. Nomination of Chairman and Vice-Chairman
  6. Adjournment

-jsq

Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today!

Videos: Sixty-one lots on Val Del Road @ GLPC 2019-08-26

The Val Del Road rezoning breezed through unanimously in four minutes, with one Planning Commissioner wondering if Val Del Road could handle the traffic, and nobody speaking against. The Valdosta cases took almost half an hour, with three split votes (yes, three votes on two cases).

GLPC Chair Vicki Rountree
GLPC Chair Vicki Rountree

Final decisions will be made by the Lowndes County Commission on Tuesday, September 10, 2019 for REZ-2019-12 Val Del Rd., and by the Valdosta Mayor-Council on Thursday, September 5, 2019, for the paired Valdosta cases, as you can see in the agenda. The Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) is an advisory body only, with the actual decisions being made by those other bodies, as its Chair Vicki Rountree explained at the beginning of the session, before she had to vote thrice to resolve tied votes. You can hear Gretchen Quarterman of LAKE explaining it towards the end of the final LAKE video.

After they adjourned, they kept talking about a joint ordinance to the six governments, without saying what that was about. Since Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter was standing up there at the time, I would guess it’s the SPLOST VIII agreement.

Before it adjourned, the Planning Commission established the minutes on the county’s website as its official minutes.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda. And come to the Lowndes County or Valdosta decision meetings if you care about one of those cases. Continue reading →

Sixty-one lots on Val Del Road @ GLPC 2019-08-26

Apparently NATCO LLC wants to rezone 28 acres of its 567.12 acre Parcel 0072 061 to build 61 house lots.

[Parcel 0072 061, NATCO LLC]
Parcel 0072 061, NATCO LLC

Where along Val Del Road it wants to put them is not stated in the Planning Commission agenda for today. I’d guess close to the existing lots to the south, but the county ran water and sewer up to Nelson Hill, which you can see to the northwest of the NATCO tract, so the subdivision could be anywhere along Val Del in that tract.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING AGENDA
Monday, August 26, 2019 5:30 P.M.
Public Hearing, Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia

Continue reading →