A dozen or more people in opposition were visible.
Turns out the county did send the
correspondence about that before I asked for it in this meeting,
and within the statutory three days for answering a Georgia open records request.
All the letters returned were in opposition.
They made the historic purchase for Troupville Nature Camp and River Park,
of Land Between the Rivers at the Little River Confluence with the Withlacoochee River.
And Chairman Bill Slaughter called seller Helen Tapp up to say a few words.
In Citizens Wishing to be Heard,
Kelly Saxon asked for assistance for the homeless,
John S. Quarterman complimented the Commission on purchasing the Troupville land,
and
Blake Robinson
said there may not be many young people who come to these meetings,
but they do appreciate the local government work the Commissioners are doing.
Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item,
with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman,
followed by a LAKE video playlist.
See also the Continue reading →
County Manager Paige Dukes said they are legally required to table the
rezoning for a Dollar General,
because they were a day late on getting notices out,
although she twice blamed that on the Valdosta Daily Times.
County Chairman Bill Slaughter said the applicant had requested tabling,
and he recommended the second meeting in January (January 24, 2023).
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know why.
The Chairman said, “It works out for two of the parties involved, the county and the developer.” (Nevermind the people.)
Commissioner Scottie Orenstein said “I’m not in favor of tabling something only to give the developer more time… If he has true intentions on meeting with the community and having a meeting with them, a town hall, something a little more official,
then I’m OK with that.
But not to just give them more time.”
The Chairman disagreed, “Well, I don’t think time is going to resolve anything in this particular situation.” Plus regarding the applicant, “We’re here to give them the courtesy if they make a request through that application process.”
Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted clarified that the main issue was the date issue.
Alleged County Attorney G. Walter Elliott reminded them they have to vote to table
(the Chairman cannot just unilaterally table).
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know if the Planning Commission knew about the timing issue. Continue reading →
It took a pandemic to impress upon the county that fast Internet access for everyone really is necessary,
and Windstream volunteering, plus state funding,
but something is apparently finally happening.
Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter thanked state Senator Russ Goodman for helping.
Slaughter also made it clear that Windstream would be making all the decisions about deployment.
Slaughter emphasized that the county would be working closely with windstream,
but apparently the county’s role is mostly telling people about it.
Slaughter said information about this program would be available on the county’s website,
but I can’t find anything on lowndescounty.com.
Update 2022-12-10: Fixed my number dyslexia in the dates.
Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter tells me the applicant for the Dollar General
at GA 122 & Skipper Bridge Road (REZ-2022-20 Teramore Development)
has requested tabling until a later meeting.
Bill says he intends to table it until the second January 2023 meeting.
So that’s January 25 24, 2023.
He asked me to tell people that.
If I were you, I would show up this Tuesday, December 12 13th, anyway,
so they see you are watching.
Also, the agenda has not yet changed, and the item has not yet been tabled.
In any case, keep them letters, telephone calls, and petition signatures going in.
Ask them to hold the public hearing and then just vote to deny it instead of tabling it.
The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request,
is
on the LAKE website.
The county did not send letters from citizens to Commissioners or staff about the Dollar General rezoning, even though those were specifically part of the request.
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!
Most of the budget dollar items on the Lowndes County Commission agenda are recurring, but the
Purchase of Between the Rivers, L.L.C. Property
for incorporation into the proposed Troupville Nature Park
is one-time.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2022, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2022, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Two presentations the Lowndes County Commission will hear tomorrow morning:
on Broadband and Fire Prevention.
That’s at the Work Session.
Tomorrow evening there will be a Proclamation on Operation Greenlight, whatever that is.
Most of the board packet consists of details on Enhanced and Basic Decorative Lighting Districts
and bids for aspects of renovation of the historic Lowndes County Courthouse.
There are also items on repairing lightning damage to the Public Safety Radio System,
a grant acceptance, and a service provider. Continue reading →
The Commissioners unanimously denied the rezoning for the
subdivision on Miller Bridge Road.
Applicants spoke a minute over their time, yet did not present the slides
they said the previous morning they were going to present;
we include scans of those slides here for historical reference,
for when the next subdivision like this comes up, next week or next year.
Commissioners unanimously approved the other two rezonings.
Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know if this was for private wells.
County Planner JD Dillard said the application was for a community well,
and while the lots were big enough for private wells, the soils had
not been tested for that.
Don Powell spoke for the applicant.
Jesse Bush also spoke for, listing many things they were not there to talk about,
including aquifer recharge or community wells.
He said the only question was six homes (which the landowner can do by right anyway) or twelve homes.
Chairman Bill Slaughter cut them off saying he’d given them an extra minute,
and he’d give the other side an extra minute.
Brad Folsom spoke against on behalf of a room full and a 360-signer petition of opponents.
He reminded the Commissioners that the subject property was in an Agricultural and Forestry Character Area.
While R-A was permissible in such an Area, it was not appropriate.
He discussed nearby zonings and lots that had been brought up by staff previously.
Among the many other points he brought up was flooding would be exacerbated by tree cutting and paving for a subdivision.
He reminded the Commissioners that they had told him they did not want any more community well systems.
Somebody else (unnamed, but see below) speaking against said it would be spot zoning.
He said he owned 320 acres and had been there for more than a hundred years.
This rezoning would change the character of the community and would be
a precedent for other rezonings.
He said he owed this community a debt and he would like to repay it.
Elton D. Redding, 7649 Webb Road, representing the Redding property,
John L. Redding his brother.
Demarcus Marshall moved to deny, Mark Wisenbaker seconded, unanimous vote to deny.
Unanimously voted down: Miller Bridge Road subdivision @ LCC 2022-02-08
Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Lowndes County adheres to Local and State standards when in the Groundwater Recharge Area
Notable Developments in Recharge Area in Lowndes County)
Landfill
Kinderlou Forest and Foxborough Subdivisions
Valdosta Regional Airport
Moody Airforce Base
City of Dasher
City of Lake Park and surrounding area
Lake Park Industrial Park
While probably all these points are true (I haven’t checked each location),
most of them precede current concerns about groundwater recharge,
and there is no need to make the problem worse.
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!
The developer of the proposed
5.c. REZ-2022-03 Windy Hill Subdivision, 7532 Miller Bridge Rd.
plans to make a presentation this evening at the voting Regular Session,
we heard at yesterday morning’s February 7, 2022, Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission.
Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen, who was there, followed by a LAKE playlist.
See also the agenda and board packet,
and that post has links to the previous relevant meetings and materials.
On the agenda for tomorrow morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session,
county staff included the petition against
REZ-2022-03 Windy Hill Subdivision, 7532 Miller Bridge Rd..
County staff note “RECOMMENDED ACTION: Board’s Pleasure or Deny”,
unlike the other two options, where the second option is “Approve”.
Those who do not want that rezoning to pass would do well to contact their Commissioners before the meetings, and then show up at the meetings,
or at least the Tuesday 5:30 PM voting Regular Session.
As usual, county staff say rezonings do not cost the county anything.
Nevermind that subdivisions far from county services will never pay enough
in property taxes to fund sending school buses, fire trucks, and Sheriff vehicles,
so all the taxpayers subsidize those costs.
![[Collage @ LCC 13 December 2022]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-12-13--lcc-videos/many.jpg)
![[Collage @ LCC 12 December 2022]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-12-12--lcc-videos/many.jpg)
![[Collage @ LCC 7 November 2022]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-11-07--lcc-videos/many.jpg)
![[Windstream presenter, map, Lowndes County officials]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-11-07--lcc-broadband/sddefault.jpg)
![[Second meeting in January 2023]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-12-12--lcc-packet/many.jpg)
![[Dollar General sprawl and Land Between the Rivers park]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-12-12--lcc-agenda/many.jpg)
![[Collage @ LCC Packet 2022-11-07]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-11-07--lcc-packet/many.jpg)
![[WINDY HILL SUBDIVISION, Lowndes County Rezoning Application, REZ-2022-03]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-08--lcc-videos/REZ-2022-03-applicant-slides-0001.jpg)
![[Requested Zoning Change]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-08--lcc-videos/small/REZ-2022-03-applicant-slides-0002.jpg)
![[WINDY HILL SUBDIVISION CHARACTERISTICS]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-08--lcc-videos/small/REZ-2022-03-applicant-slides-0003.jpg)
![[Location of Property]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-08--lcc-videos/small/REZ-2022-03-applicant-slides-0004.jpg)
![[Justification for Zoning Request]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-08--lcc-videos/small/REZ-2022-03-applicant-slides-0005.jpg)
![[Zoning map]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-08--lcc-videos/small/REZ-2022-03-applicant-slides-0006.jpg)
![[OPPOSITION POINTS ADDRESSED (1 of 3)]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-08--lcc-videos/small/REZ-2022-03-applicant-slides-0007.jpg)
![[OPPOSITION POINTS ADDRESSED (2 of 3)]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-08--lcc-videos/small/REZ-2022-03-applicant-slides-0008.jpg)
![[OPPOSITION POINTS ADDRESSED (3 of 3)]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-08--lcc-videos/small/REZ-2022-03-applicant-slides-0009.jpg)
![[Chairman and Miller Bridge Road rezoning]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-07--lcc-videos/many.jpg)
![[Miller Bridge Road rezoning: Petition, Opposition parcels; Bemiss Road rezoning]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2022-02-07--lcc-packet/many.jpg)