Category Archives: Transparency

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

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

Monday morning 8:30 AM: a million bucks for road paving (Phillips Road, Burkhalter Subdivision, Cannon Drive, and Terracewood Drive), and an unknown (but smaller) amount in a grant re-application for the county’s on-demand MIDS bus system.

$30,534 plus shipping for two “screwpeller aerators” for the county’s Land Application Site (LAS), aka spray field: the county does not have a wastewater treatment plant. I’m pretty sure that’s the county’s LAS just east of Grassy Pond, southwest of Lake Park.

It only costs $360 to qualify to run for Tax Assessor, here in the only Georgia county that elects them.

Here’s the agenda. Continue reading

Videos: Moody MAZ text amendments to ULDC back again @ LCC 2015-10-26

After the County Commission Work Session shown in these LAKE videos, the Planning Commission met Monday evening, and this evening (Tuesday 5:30PM) the County Commission votes, but will table the ULDC amendments.

In addition to all the other items on the agenda and mentioned in the previous post, they went into an Executive Session about Pending Litigation. Who are they suing now? Or who’s still suing them about for example James Road?

Here are links to the LAKE videos of yesterday morning’s meeting, followed by a video playlist.

Moody MAZ text amendments to ULDC back again @ LCC Regular 2015-10-26

The Planning Commission meets Monday evening to consider those ULDC amendments, MAZ-ULDC-text-amendments-001 so county staff will recommend to the County Commission at their Monday 8:30 AM Work Session that they table the MAZ text changes at their Regular Session Tuesday 5:30 PM evening. Meanwhile, the Air Force wants to maintain the road rights of way for Davidson Road and along Grassy Pond. And the Land Bank Authority wants to appoint some more members, acording to “the attached resolution” which of course we the taxpayers aren’t allowed to see without an open records request.

Elected Probate Judge McDowell can appoint a part-time associate judge, but she needs the county commission to approve funding the salary. The DA wants to continue a Victims of Crime Act Victims Service grant.

Annual renewal of health care service provider and Section 125 Plan Document.

Two more Lift Station (sewage) pumps, at Val-Tech new for $20,076.42 and at Whitewater repairs for $13,353.65.

Finally, bids for Disaster Related Debris Removal Proposals required by FEMA, plus the usual beer, wine, and liquor licenses.

All that in Continue reading

Lake Park dwelling in commercial zone, 4 Valdosta, 4 County @ GLPC 2015-09-28

I’d guess the Lake Park case will breeze through tonight. The cases are more complicated, a couple with multiple parcels, and the Lowndes County cases are all big: 18-43 acres. Here’s the GLPC agenda that appeared on the county’s website Friday without anybody having to ask!

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, September 28, 2015 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

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Videos: Forestry, river gage, abandon two roads, dedicate another @ LCC 2015-09-21

They vote this evening, about right now. Here are videos of yesterday morning’s Work Session. The Forestry report referred to a report that the public can’t see. What the forestry rep reported was mostly numbers of burn permits.

County Manager Joe Pritchard had to stop Chairman Bill Slaughter from adjourning so he could say: “Friday afternoon we received a request for electronic signalling at highway 41.” County Engineer Mike Fletcher elaborated that it was a railroad pre-empt that would not allow for left turns onto Tillman Crossing when there’s a train. Request came from Norfolk Southern. Chairman agreed to add it to the agenda, then they adjourned.

The annual continued funding for the Little River USGS stream gage at GA 122 costs $400 more this year. Commissioner Marshall wanted to know what happened with the automated gage reporting system he thought they voted for previously, that would send reports when the gage was high. County Manager Joe Pritchard said that was actually the SCADA system for the county’s wells and sewage lift stations. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know how this gage operates. Box on bridge, tube down into river, monitors height and flow, reported through a cell phone, real time data on the web. It’s been there long enough to establish flood stages and advanced warning levels so people can protect their property.

The Abandonment of a portion of Spain Ferry Road and Kinderlou Clyattville Road turns out to be from Continue reading

River gage, abandon two roads, dedicate another @ LCC 2015-09-21

This morning at 8:30 AM, USGS Funding Agreement for HWY 122 Stream Gauge continue funding for Little River USGS stream gage at GA 122, Abandonment of a portion of Spain Ferry Road and Kinderlou Clyattville Road because “the county has received a request” from whom wasn’t said, Dedicate a portion of Shiloh Road to whom or what wasn’t said. Plus GEMA Sheltering Memorandum of Agreement “for the sheltering of evacuees from Coastal Georgia and/or Florida in the event those areas are threatened by a hurricane”. Plus Declaration of Surplus Items and Authorization to Sell on GovDeals.com.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015,  5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

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