Category Archives: Transportation

Packet: Lowndes County Commission @ LCC 2019-05-14

Update 2019-07-09: Missing items supplied by the county.

Here’s the mysterious Moody AFB “Helicopter Corridor and Class D Airspace” map from item 6.c. TWR-2019-01 Value Concepts, Inc., US Hwy 84 E. E-A, New 300′ Telecommunications Tower on the May 13 and 14, 2019, Lowndes County Commission agenda.

[Page 24]
Page 24

This in the agenda packet, now on the LAKE website, including files returned by the county in response to a LAKE open records request. The county supplied those files on a USB drive, for which it charged LAKE $6.65.

Missing from what the county sent: Continue reading →

Two sewer projects, personal care home, street name change @ VCC 2019-06-06

This agenda brought to you by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), because mighty Valdosta’s new website forgot all its agendas and minutes since last October. No doubt they will get that fixed soon.


Still from LAKE video of CUP-2019-03 at the preceding Planning Commission meeting.

Here’s the agenda. See also the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission meeting about the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to establish a Family Personal Care Home facility in a Residential-Professional (R-P) Zoning District as requested by Chad Bailey (File No. CU-2019-23 at 4019 Forrest Run Circle.

AMENDED AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, June 6, 2019
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL

Continue reading →

One county case: Knudson & Son Outdoor Activities @ ZBOA 2019-06-04

Update 2019-06-10: LAKE video of the ZBOA meeting, in which the case didn’t look nearly so good when presented.

I have to admit I like this part, on page 9 of the one variance request, a Lowndes County case, the only case on the ZBOA agenda for today:

Requirements for variances: 9.02.03:

A. Due to the size of the property it would create a financial hardship to tear down current natural vegetation to build a fence around the activity area. Also one of the property lines goes through wetlands, and runs along a creek. I would have to disturb a considerable amount of wetlands to do a fence or wall. It would also create a hardship with my overall goals for the property. I plan to have it setup to where for the most part if you are standing at a property line you wont be able to see the field area. If I have to tear down natural buffer then it will be easier for neighbors to see the field from their property vs natural untouched woods. If we were also required to tear up an area to plant new trees and shrubs this would create a few hardships. The first would be financial as it would require several trees and shrubs due to the size of the property. The second is that it would strain the relationships with my neighbors as they will more than likely be able to see more of the recreation area vs if we left the vegetation that is currently in place.

[Map of setbacks requested]
Map of setbacks requested
PDF

The entire ZBOA board packet is on the LAKE website, thanks to ZBOA member Gretchen Quarterman.

Here is the agenda:

Valdosta – Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals

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

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

AGENDA
June 4, 2019
2:30 p.m.

  1. Call to Order

    LOWNDES COUNTY CASE:

    Continue reading →

Tower, GDOT Utilities, 2 appointments, various agreements @ LCC 2019-05-28

Both the Work Session and the Regular Session are Tuesday, due to Monday being a holiday. That puts the Regular Session at the same time as the Planning Commission.

The proposed 300′ tower is back on the agenda. Its agenda sheet says they’re still waiting for Moody AFB to do a Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS) analysis, and for a response from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). So the County Commission could make a decision and adjourn before the Planning Commission even gets that far on its agenda.

Utilities has a Standard Utility Agreement/Preliminary Engineering Agreement with GDOT that “that covers the engineering cost of Water and Sewer Distribution facilities relocations incurred by Lowndes County for improvements of the interchange on CR 274/Lake Park-Bellville Road. The amount of the contract is $49,270.00, of which the DOT will bear 100 percent of the cost.”

Two appointments: somebody unnamed resigned from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) and Berinda Nwakamma wants to be appointed. Naturally, the agenda says nothing about who she is, but linkedin says “Program Director at Georgia Home Visiting Program”, ResearchGate says “Valdosta State University | VSU ยท department of social work”, and Great Start thanks providers, by Daniel DeMersseman, VDT, 10 June 2017, says “GSGL [Great Start Georgia Lowndes] supervisor.” I’m guessing she’s the one in the front left of the picture, not holding a certificate, because she’s the one organized giving them out.


Daniel DeMersseman | The Valdosta Daily Times Great Start Georgia Lowndes thanks social services providers at its Thank-a-Provider event.

Commissioner Joyce Evans’ term Continue reading →

Videos: Tower, appointments, sewer main, boat ramp, water trails, Paddle Georgia @ LCC 2019-05-14

All three rezonings breezed through, except slightly the longest was the tabling of the proposed 300′ communications tower off of US 84 East. The tower had the most people: those sitting in the back.

Surprisingly, one of the two Authority appointments was not the incumbent. None of the candidates were introduced, and none spoke.

One Citizen spoke, me, on behalf of WWALS, thanking them and inviting them.

Commissioner Clay Griner was not present. The other four voting Commissioners unanimously approved everything, including the one tabling. At least two staff speakers were not introduced, one not named except by last name, and one never named at all.

Below are Continue reading →

Videos: Tower and online packets @ LCC 2019-05-13

As expected, the longest item was about the 300′ communications tower proposed south of US 84 E. Second was bids for rotary mowers (really). And a Commissioner wanted to know what’s a blade.

Afterwards, at 9AM, was a special appearance by Tax Commissioner Rodney Cain and his staff, which at 16 3/4 minutes, took almost as long as the entire Work Session.

In between, Commissioners answered my question: Continue reading →

3 Appointments, Alcohol and Public Transportation @ LCC 2019-04-22

With no prior notice to the public, and no invitation for people to apply, the Lowndes County Commission will appoint members to three boards:

VDT: Creacy Sermons, Soror of the Year, 2016
Valdosta Daily Times: Sermons named Soror of the Year for 2016.

As usual, the county did not publish the applications the applicants turned in, nor any information about them. You could file an open records request for those, but three days from when the agenda is posted on Friday is after they vote on Tuesday.

You do still have time to turn in your own application if you want to be on one of these boards.

There’s also a Beer, Wine, and Liquor License for a new restaurant and Updated Section 5311 Rural Transportation Program Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy.

So the Monday morning Work Session will probably last less than ten minutes.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2019, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2019, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: DFSCS Board appts, Old Hwy 41 N rezoning, paving, and alcohol @ LCC 2019-04-08

About six minutes in yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session, including the office space rezoning recommended last month by the Planning Commission.

They vote tonight at 5:30 PM. Below are Continue reading →

DFSCS Board appts, Old Hwy 41 N rezoning, paving, and alcohol @ LCC 2019-04-08

On the agenda for this morning is reappointing Mrs. Elsie Napier to the Lowndes County Division of Family and Children Services Board. I don’t know if she will speak, but here’s video of her previously speaking at the Valdosta City Council about community grants.

Photo: Gretchen Quarterman, still of LAKE video of Elsie Napier at Valdosta City Council, 2016-10-05
Photo: Gretchen Quarterman, still of LAKE video of Elsie Napier at Valdosta City Council, 2016-10-05.

There’s also a rezoning for offices on Old US 41 North, two alcohol licenses, a Bid for Purchase of Structural Fire Fighting Gear, and two road paving items, for Boring Pond Lane and 2019 Resurfacing of Five County Roads, plus 2019 Re-striping of Four County Toads.

They expect this Work Session to take less than 15 minutes, since they have a Special Called Meeting at 8:45 AM: “There could be a slight delay if the work session runs longer than expecte.” Why they couldn’t wait one day to vote on that also in tomorrow’s Regular Session is mysterious.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2019, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: six minutes on Lighting, Paving, and Trash @ LCC 2019-03-26

Subtract out the invocation, pledge, and approval of minutes (which you couldn’t hear anyway because the county’s sound system wasn’t working) and the Chairman’s ending comments on Youth Leadership, and your elected Commissioners spent about six minutes on the business of the county, including spending some unknown amount of money on road services.

Below are Continue reading →