Category Archives: Water

Packet: 1 County, 4 Valdosta, 1 Hahira @ GLPC 2025-10-27

You’ve seen the agenda and the LAKE videos of the Work Session. Here is the board packet for Regular Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

The one Lowndes County case has a backstory going back ten years of failed and at least one successful rezoning.

At least two of the Valdosta City cases also have extensive backstory.

The Hahira case is to replace a billboard that was blown over by Hurricane Helene.

Packet: Collage @ GLPC 2025-10-27

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website.

Images of each page are below.

-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!
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate

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Videos: 1 Lowndes County Case, 4 Valdosta Cases, 1 Hahira Case @ GLPC Work 2025-10-20

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2025-10-25: Packet: 1 County, 4 Valdosta, 1 Hahira @ GLPC 2025-10-27.

The one Lowndes County case has a backstory going back ten years of failed and at least one successful rezoning.

At least two of the Valdosta City cases also have extensive backstory.

The Hahira case is a billboard.

These cases were presented at the Work Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC). GLPC will vote for their recoomendations next Monday, 27 October 2025.

Collage @ GLPC Work Session 20 October 2025

Here is the agenda.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~
~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~

Monday, October 20, 2025 5:30 P.M. Work Session
Monday, October 27, 2025 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia
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Videos: Rezonings, Dogs, Roads, and Subdivisions @ LCC Work Session 2025-10-14

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At this morning’s Work Session, the Lowndes County Commissioners spent the most time on the Telecommunications Tower on Rocky Ford Road (5:38) and on 6.a. Lowndes County Responsible Dog Ownership Ordinance.

They vote this evening at 5:30 PM (same day due to Monday being a holiday). Anyone can speak in the two rezoning Public Hearings,

Collage @ LCC 14 October 2025

Commissioner Mike Smith was absent this morning. Commissioner Joyce Evans is still absent due to illness.

They ended with an Executive Session about a potential real estate purchase and attorney-client privilege about potential litigation.

County Manager Paige Dukes mentioned in her Reports that the James Road water main project came out $800,000 under budget. Those funds can be used for other projects in the vicinity. She recommended a change order to work on a water main on Old Clyattville Road. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker said to proceed.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman.

Packet: Rezonings, Dogs, Roads, and Subdivisions @ LCC 2025-10-13

Update 2025-10-14: Videos: Rezonings, Dogs, Roads, and Subdivisions @ LCC Work Session 2025-10-14.

The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval for both rezonings, but the communications tower rezoning on Rocky Ford Road near Watkins Road has acquired a petition and a lengthy letter of opposition as it goes to the Lowndes County Commission.

The commercial rezoning on Stewart Circle does not seem to have any opposition.

Collage, Packet @ LCC 2025-10-13

The county finally has an agreement to sign with GDOT and CSX about the Old Quitman Highway bridge, which will be paid for and organized by GDOT.

The county thinks it’s ready to sign the Lowndes County Responsible Dog Ownership Ordinance, “Approval of the attached ordinance will eliminate the need for the current citizen review board and move the hearing of these cases to Probate Court.”

There’s a Purchase of Wetland Credits for the Twin Lakes Road Paving Project.

And one of the usual: Acceptance of Infrastructure for The Landings Phase IV, which is 52 lots off of Val Del Road on Landings Circle and Brinlee Way.

Here is the agenda. The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website.

See also the LAKE videos of the preceding meeting of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2025, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2025, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
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Videos: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC Regular 2025-09-09

They unanimously denied the controversial rezoning, 5.a. REZ-2024-06 Budd Horace Ave, 1735 Madison Hwy, ~3.0ac, CON – C-H. The Lowndes County Commissioners approved the other rezoning, and everythig else, at their Regular Session, Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

In 8. Reports – County Manager, County Attorney Walter Elliott said the county is required by state law to initiate the Service Delivery Strategies (SDS) process. If I heard him correctly, they already did back in April. We already knew the county intends to stick with the current SDS.

Collage @ LCC 9 September 2025

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

Community Preparedness Townhall 2025-08-26

Valdosta City Council Nick Harden organized an informative meeting that he called a Community Preparedness Townhall, also known as a Disaster Recovery Meeting. Hurricane Helene featured, and also the flash flood last November.

A cavalcade of Valdosta City, Lowndes County, and Georgia state officials spoke, as well as people from private nonprofits.

They attempted to answer all the citizen questions.

Collage @ Community Preparedness Townhall, 26 August 2025

Below are links to LAKE videos of most of the speakers, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist. Continue reading →

Videos: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08

Update 2025-09-12: Videos: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC Regular 2025-09-09.

The Lowndes County Commissioners were quite chatty at their Work Session yesterday morning, which took more than 35 minutes; very unusual for them. They vote this evening at 5:30 PM.

Yesterday, they discussed the controversial rezoning for a suprisingly long time, almost 17 minutes: 5.a. REZ-2024-06 Budd Horace Ave, 1735 Madison Hwy, ~3.0ac, CON – C-H. Nobody seemed to be defending it. The Chairman did suggest maybe tabling it.

The other rezoning breezed by, 5.b. REZ-2025-14 Dinkins, 6533 Lake Alapaha Blvd, 1.0ac, C-C to R-21.

Also they spent more than 12 minutes on 6.a. Pet Shop Ordinance and more than 4 minutes on 7.a. Moody Water Storage Tank Rehab. It’s an underground concrete tank, and apparently those have to be lined these days.

Collage @ LCC 8 September 2025

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Packet: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08

Update 2025-09-09: Videos: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08.

The rezoning on Horace Avenue next to Mud Swamp Creek that the Planning Commission recommended to deny is on the agenda for the Lowndes County Commission this week.

As is the Lake Alapaha Boulevard rezoning that sailed through the Planning Commission.

Plus a Pet Shop Ordinance, and Moody Water Storage Tank Rehab, for which Moody is reimbursing the county.

Packet: 1 controversial, 1 easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website, with images of each page below.

For the rezonings, see also the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2025, 8:30 A.M.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2025, 5:30 P.M.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
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Videos: 1 Complicated Lowndes County case, 1 easy, 1 Lake Park, 6 Valdosta @ GLPC 2025-08-25

Update 2025-10-11: Packet: Rezonings, Dogs, Roads, and Subdivisions @ LCC 2025-10-13.

Update 2025-10-09: Packet: LP-2025-01, Lake Park Church of Christ @ GLPC 2025-08-25.

Update 2025-09-07: Packet: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08.

The apparently complicated rezoning did take 21 minutes, 3. REZ-2024-06 – 1735 Madison Hwy – Horace Ave. CON – C-H to CON – C-H. Ed Hightower moved to recommend denial, seconded by Tommy Willis. Vicki Rountree voted against, and the motion passed 6:1.

But the two longest were Valdosta City Cases, almost 39 minutes on 8. VA-2025-08 Andrew Duren (417 Brookfield Road) C-C(c) to C-C and almost 44 minutes on 11. VA-2025-11 Stoker Development LLC (310 Eager Road) R-15 to R-6.

Collage @ GLPC 25 August 2025

The Planning Commissioners recommended denial 4:3 on VA-2025-11 Stoker, and approval everything else.

Commissioner Chip Wildes has been reappointed by the Valdosta City Council.

The meeting had item 13. 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update but the item was never announced.

Videos: Community Service Board, Lake Alapaha Well, Jail Expansion, Bicentiennial, Millages, Opioid Litigation, Hightower Road, SPLOST IX, TREES Act, PFAS Groundwater Claims @ LCC Regular 2025-08-25

They actually increased the Industrial Authority’s millage to 1.1 mil, above its historic rate of 1 mil. This was not discussed in the preceding Budget Hearings, nor I think even in the previous morning’s Work Session. They unanimously approved that and everything else on the agenda.

Chairman Bill Slaughter added an item to the agenda, for 5.j. Appointment – Community Service Board – must be elected official. They appointed Commissioner Demarcus Marshall. You may recall that on May 27, 2025 they appointed Commissioner Joyce Evans to this board. She was absent at that meeting, and has been absent from every Lowndes County Commission meeting since then. Since she has not made public why, I will not say, other than that her absences are not because she does not want to be there.

County Manager Paige Dukes had three staff give reports at the end of this Regular Session:

Utilities talked about Lake Alapaha well
Engineering reported on jail expansion
PIO gave report on bicentennial activities

Collage @ LCC 26 August 2025