Category Archives: Valdosta City Council

Nova Scotia banned fracking; will southeast U.S. ban fracked methane pipelines?

Yesterday Nova Scotia announced a ban on fracking. Will local or state governments in the southeast, now threatened by the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline, ban such pipelines? Especially since FERC has now directed Sabal Trail to examine routes through Americus, Cordele, Ashburn, Tifton, Adel, Valdosta, and even Thomasville, in addition to the ones it already proposed through Dougherty, Colquitt, Brooks, and Lowndes Counties?

Sierra Club Canada wrote about public meetings in its Media Release of 28 August 2014, Government of Nova Scotia Needs to Ban Fracking,

“Public meetings held by the panel were attended by an overwhelming majority of well-informed citizens who had deep concerns about fracking,” according to [Gretchen] Fitzgerald, “Those concerns should be met with the type of leadership they deserve: an immediate, legally binding ban.”

And the Nova Scotia government listened. Bruce Erskine wrote for The Herald Business 3 September 2014, Nova Scotia to ban fracking, posting a video in which you can hear Energy Minister Andrew Younger say: Continue reading →

Water, events, flea market, religious events @ GLPC 2014-08-25

The Turner Brooks rezoning next to Pine Tree Road turns out to be in paved-over wetlands that previously flooded, only slightly uphill from notoriously-problematical Sugar Creek. GLPC recommended tabling until Historic Preservation could look at one of the houses, but these water issues could be at least as important, and Valdosta City Council could decide to approve anyway without waiting.

Also in Valdosta an accessory building, an event center and flea market, and an office park. In Lake Park an ordinance text change about religious meetings in commercial districts. In the county, a request to remove some existing zoning restrictions and the county wants to approve all its recent ULDC changes.

And they only submitted one name for the County Commission to consider for appointment to GLPC.

Here’s the agenda followed by links to the videos as events occurred in the meeting.

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, August 25, 2014* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

Continue reading →

Turner Brooks: flooding, runoff, Sugar Creek? @ GLPC 2014-08-25

The Turner Brooks rezoning next to Pine Tree Road turns out to be in paved-over wetlands that previously flooded, only slightly uphill from notoriously-problematical Sugar Creek. GLPC recommended tabling until Historic Preservation could look at one of the houses, but these water issues could be at least as important, and Valdosta City Council could decide to approve anyway without waiting.

People were six deep in the foyer Monday night Continue reading →

SRO against Pine Tree subdivision @ GLPC 2014-08-25

Stuck in the foyer six deep because SRO in the Planning Commission tonight, mostly for the Turner Brooks item, back with another plan after being withdrawn last month. Tom Call, representing some of the owners of the property sellers, said they’d tried to meet with the neighbors, who refused. He didn’t say whether they tried meeting with them one-on-one. GLPC could have put a bunch of conditions on it that would have mostly satisfied the neighbors’ concerns, leaving the developers and sellers to decide whether it was worth it. Instead, they tabled. The Valdosta City Council can still decide if they want to. However, one of the houses they’d have to demolish is potentially on the National Historic Register, and if so, they can’t tear it down.

600x170 Panorama, in Standing Room Only, by Gretchen Quarterman, 25 August 2014

Also, they only submitted one name for the County Commission to consider for appointment to GLPC; attorney Brad Folsom. They didn’t include several potential women applicants, several of them attorneys, and yes, also Gretchen. As an old white man, even I find it impressive how much this area is run by old white men.

The agenda arrived only as images Gretchen took at the meeting. Videos to come. Continue reading →

GA-EPD to SRWMD re: VLD WWTP per OSFR

The head of GA EPD went to Florida to explain Valdosta. Pictured is Judson Turner, Director, Georgia Environmental Protection Division telling the Suwannee River Water Management District what Valdosta is doing to stop sewage from flowing down the Suwannee River from Valdosta’s Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant. Found on OSFR. -jsq

PR by Abby Johnson, Office of Communications, Suwannee River Water Management District, RWMD gets Valdosta wastewater treatment plant update,

LIVE OAK, FL, August 13, 2014 — The Governing Board of the Suwannee River Water Management District (District) was given an overview and update at their August 12 meeting about the wastewater treatment plant in Valdosta, Ga., which affects the Withlacoochee and Suwannee rivers.

More than 90 area concerned residents and Continue reading →

Riverview development next to Withlacoochee River? @ GLPC 2014-07-28

A flood plain rezoning next to the Withlacoochee river came back from 2011, at the 28 July 2014 Planning Commission meeting, which voted unanimously for, as did the Valdosta City Council later.

7. VA-2014-05 Riverview Development LLC

Video. This is parcel 0074 088 on North Valdosta Road behind Music Funeral Home, next to Langdale Park, on the other side of the Withlacoochee River from Foxborough.

City Planner Matt Martin said only a tiny part of the property was in the floodplain of the Withlacoochee River. Continue reading →

Videos: Hahira rezoning and annexation, two Valdosta CUP @ GLPC 2014-04-28

Tabled at applicant’s request: the Hahira rezoning and annexation; see also the Lowndes County Commission letter of objection of 22 April 2014. The proponents to establish a recycling center didn’t show up to answer questions, and due to lack of information (noise, hours, odors, vermin, expansion, etc.), GLPC unanimously voted to recommend tabling. GLPC voted to recommend approval with selected conditions for Langdale Ford’s minor automotive repair facility.

Remember, Lowndes County answered an open records request for the agenda 47 hours after this Planning Commission meeting started. Here’s the actual agenda by other means.

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

Here are videos of what GLPC did. Continue reading →

USACE presentation online at City of Valdosta

Emily Davenport, Valdosta Stormwater Manager, sent a letter 2 June 2014 to attendees of the 6 May 2014 Army Corps of Engineers presentations, with paper materials attached, and a note that they are also online at Stormwater Division, Regional Flooding. [Not there anymore, but see updated first bullet item below. 2018-01-28 -jsq]

Valdosta boards and authorities openings

Remember, you don’t even have to live in Valdosta to apply to serve on one of the many appointed boards or authorities (you do have to live in Lowndes County). Details:

CITY OF VALDOSTA
APPOINTMENTS FOR BOARDS, COMMISSIONS,
AUTHORITIES & ADVISORY COMMITTEES

In accordance with the City of Valdosta’s Appointment Policy and to provide an opportunity for qualified citizens to be made aware of opportunities to serve on various Boards, Commissions, Authorities, and Advisory Committees, the City of Valdosta announces the following openings: Continue reading →

Videos: Against Hahira annexation, for 2 county and 4 Valdosta @ GLPC 2014-05-27

Almost unanimous against the Hahira rezoning and annexation, even though the reduction from 66.1 to 58.09 acres was to exclude Hagen Bridge Road and obviate the paving issue. A county ULDC amendment request for Special Events and such and a Valdosta LDR amendment request. A county rezoning to agricultural and three Valdosta use changes: daycare, fraternity, and commercial office.

Here’s the agenda, with some notes and links to the videos.

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

Tuesday, May 27, 2014* 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

Continue reading →