Category Archives: Planning

Opaque Planning Commission agenda from Lowndes County @ GLPC 2014-04-28

Just in case it might work, I sent an Open Records Request to the Lowndes County Clerk before Monday’s Planning Commission meeting. The result just arrived, two days later, 47 hours after the meeting started. It is in electronic form, as I requested, but it’s a PDF of a scanned image, so turning it into HTML would require OCRing it or transcribing it, unlike the real PDF I got by another means before the meeting and posted Monday. If the agendas and minutes for the Planning Commission were posted on the web like the Lowndes County Commissions own agendas and minutes already are, this problem wouldn’t arise, and there would also be less work for county staff.

-jsq

Local governments can regulate land use –the anti-fracking activists who just won the world’s largest environmental prize

There is something we can do about that proposed fracked methane pipeline.

Lindsay Abrams wrote for Salon today, The real secret to beating the Koch brothers: How our broken political system can still be won: A duo of activists has quietly bested the energy lobby, helping ban fracking in 172 towns. Here’s how they did it,

You probably haven’t heard of Helen Slottje, or, for that matter, of her husband, David. But in the past few years, the former corporate lawyers have become arguably two of the most powerful opponents of fracking in New York — not to mention the most successful. As the (sort of) public face of the duo’s efforts, Helen Slottje on Monday was honored with the Goldman Prize, the world’s largest environmental prize.

OK, what did they actually do? Continue reading →

One Hahira rezoning and annexation and Two Valdosta Conditional Use Permits @ GLPC 2014-04-28

It seems unlikely the Hahira rezoning and annexation will go anywhere tonight, due to the Lowndes County Commission letter of objection of 22 April 2014, even though that may be based on a misunderstanding. Hm, somebody wants to establish a recycling center. And Langdale Ford wants to establish a minor automotive repair facility.

Here’s the agenda, which arrived as a PDF actually convertable to text!

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission

Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING

AGENDA

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue

Monday, April 28, 2014* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

Continue reading →

Brookhaven apartment building rezoning public hearing 7PM tonight in Lake Park

Gretchen will be there with the LAKE video camera.

Stuart Taylor wrote for the VDT today, Zoning on the agenda tonight at Lake Park hearing,

City officials host a public hearing today at the Lake Park Elementary School cafeteria concerning a rezoning request for an apartment complex.

This is for LP-2014-02-26 Brookhaven III, Continue reading →

Board appointments by Lowndes County

Here’s Lowndes County’s list of Boards, Agencies & Commissions. Unfortunately, unlike Valdosta’s list, most of the names in the county’s list have no links to further information, and there’s no indication of which positions might be open or how to apply for them.

Update: 4:30 PM 24 April 2014: And there’s the Board of Elections which is decided by a completely different process with a quicker deadline of 28 April 2014.

We do know there’s a vacancy on the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA), which presumably will be filled after the upcoming Special Election May 20th, but the county has given no indication of when. The only way the county usually announces open positions is when they appear on the County Commission’s agenda, which usually shows up online Friday for voting on Tuesday. For example, the county has appointed: Continue reading →

You can apply to serve on a board or commission

You can apply to be appointed by Valdosta to a local board or authority that decides or recommends on issues that affect everyone: do interesting work and serve your community. Dealine: April 30th. You don’t even have to live in Valdosta: anybody in Lowndes County can apply. If you want to run for a city council or county commission seat someday, this is a good way to start. And if you want to run for the state legislature or higher office, that’s the most common path to get there.

Update: 4:30 PM 24 April 2014: And there’s the Board of Elections which is decided by a completely different process with a quicker deadline of 28 April 2014.

Winnie Wright wrote for WCTV 23 April 2014, City Of Valdosta Looking To Fill 15 Vacancies In Boards, Authorities, and Commissions, Continue reading →

Videos: Lake Park annexation dropped and apartment rezoning unpopular @ GLPC 2014-03-31

The annexation request for The Gardens was withdrawn (perhaps because the Lowndes County Commission had already explored options for modifying it or just not annexing it), and the rezoning for the Brookhaven apartments was very unpopular, both for Lake Park, plus a Zoning Ordinance change. The twin Hahira cases to rezone and then annex a lot on the east edge of town sailed through. No city of Valdosta cases this time.

Here’s the agenda, with links to the videos.

Continue reading →

Hahira twins and three each Lake Park and Lowndes County @ GLPC 2014-03-31

The twin Hahira cases are to rezone and then annex a lot on the east edge of town. No city of Valdosta cases this time, but three each for Lowndes County and Lake Park. One of the Lake Park cases is a Zoning Ordinance change.

Here’s the agenda, which arrived as a PDF of an image, which I have OCRed into HTML.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission

Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING

AGENDA

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue

Monday, March 31, 2014* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

Continue reading →

CSX Georgia Rail Meeting – April 17

gdot-rail.jpg Update 12:20 PM 25 March 2014: “Please note this meeting is not just about CSX, but all railroads in Georgia.” –Corey Hull

I found this on Facebook at the MPO.

Y’all come and give an opinion about rail in Georgia.

–gretchen

The Georgia Department of Transportation has begun work on the 2014 Georgia State Rail Plan. The Plan will serve as a statewide long-range rail planning document for passenger and freight service, providing a vision for rail throughout the state and housing comprehensive industry data.

Components of the Plan will include Continue reading →

Zoning Board of Appeals meets on Tuesday March 4, 2014

zboa Five Lowndes County cases at ZBOA this month. One was previously tabled and one is a new variance request on the corner of North Oak Extension and Bemiss Road. I hope to see you there.
–gretchen

The agenda is not on the City of Valdosta website yet, but here it is. -jsq

Valdosta -Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals

Matt Martin,
Valdosta Planning and Zoning Administrator 		Carmella Braswell,
Lowndes County Zoning Administrator
300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia 327 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia
(229) 259-3563 (229) 671-2430

AGENDA

Tuesday, March 4, 2014
2:30 p.m.
Continue reading →