Tag Archives: Lake Alapaha

Videos: MAZ again, Lake Alapaha, Emergencies, but no Sabal Trail @ LCC 2015-07-27

300x297 Parcel 0181 001, in Davidson Road, by John S. Quarterman, 27 July 2015 The proposed MAZ changes have “absolutely nothing to do with” the 23 acres on Davidson Road that were proposed to be rezoned R-21 back in 2010, after the county paved Davidson Road, said County Chairman Bill Slaughter at yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session. County Planner Jason Davenport said he had hoped to get “on the same page with Moody” before that same evening’s Planning Commission meeting for the MAZ ULDC Text Amendments, but as yet he had nothing to report, and tabling was an option. I don’t think that word “ultimately” means what he thinks it does. See more below about Davidson Road.

Not on the agenda were three, no four, reports:

Like the MAZ changes, also requiring a public hearing Tuesday evening is Continue reading →

MAZ again, Lake Alapaha, Emergency Management and Liability, but no Sabal Trail @ LCC 2015-07-27

While Dougherty County, Albany, and their state and federal reps plan a joint opposition meeting to the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline invader, there’s nothing about that pipeline on Monday’s 8:30 AM agenda of the Lowndes County Commission. Three items on emergency response, emergency planning, and 911 operations, plus one on liability, but nothing about the invading pipeline soft target.

The highly controversial Moody Activity Zoning Districts (MAZ) are back, despite massive opposition. The Planning Commission will hear MAZ again Monday evening, and because there’s only one day from then until the County Commission can vote on MAZ Tuesday, the County Planner says: Continue reading →

Videos: Four board appointments, plus Justice, Water, and Alcohol @ LCC 2015-06-23

$16,915 to upgrade a water main to subsidize a developer, but no approval of $15,957 to study public transportation and truck routing.

Speaking of subsidizing private developers, there’s yet more fallout from the failed 2007 mega-mall-and-subdivision Market Street project; see separate post.

And the Chairman gave an excellent demonstration of why elected officials would benefit by interacting and even debating with citizens, instead of jumping to conclusions and preaching at them.

Here’s the agenda, and the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session and the budget hearing immediately before the Regular Session. Below are the Regular Session LAKE videos with a few comments, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

Videos: Four board appointments, plus Justice, Water, and Alcohol @ LCC 2015-06-22

The Chairman said the Finance Director would make a presentation about the Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Tuesday before they voted; he said nothing about that presentation being the second Public Budget Hearing. See LAKE videos of the first Budget Hearing and of the second budget hearing.

The Commercial Driveway for Raceway on James Road. is yet more fallout from the failed 2007 mega-mall-and-subdivision Market Street project; see separate post. Also five pre-bidders but only one bid, this one from Scruggs Co., for Widening of a Portion of Old US 41 N.

Why is the county paying the cost to Upgrade Water Main at Lake Alapaha Subdivision from 2 inches to 6 inches? At least we found out where and why for the Engineering and Surveying Services for Water and Sewer.

Here’s the agenda. Below are the LAKE videos of the Work Session with a few comments, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

Four board appointments, plus Justice, Water, and Alcohol @ LCC 2015-06-22

Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget to be considered Monday morning and voted on Tuesday evening (see LAKE videos of Budget Hearing of two weeks ago), plus a 300x298 Parcel 0043 016, in Buck Cato Road, by John S. Quarterman, 22 June 2015 GEFA Loan Modification (thought they approved that 26 May 2015 for the Alapaha Water Treatment Plant), a Justice Assistance Grant, a SCADA lease-purchase agreement, and the annual controversial Mosquito Contract.

Two appointees each to KLVB and the Library Board. We don’t know who, because the county posted the agenda only in PDF, with no item sheets.

Public Hearing approved last month for the Abandonment of Buck Cato Road: what’s causing all of these in the last couple years? And they’ve found an excuse for their long-desired Continue reading →

Videos: Denied Lake Alapaha variance @ ZBOA 2015-02-03

The variance about not connecting to county water at Lake Alapaha Blvd. seemed to actually involve adjoining property, as several Commissioners pointed out, and ZBOA denied it, 4 to 3. Zoning Director Carmella Braswell represented the county as usual.

Here’s the agenda, which now is on the City of Valdosta website as http://www.valdostacity.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=7948, after Board member Gretchen Quarterman asked for agendas to be posted up to date.

Scroll down below for the video. Continue reading →

One variance at Lake Alapaha @ ZBOA 2015-02-03

One variance at Lake Alapaha, about not connecting to county water. Since the county has had to spend a lot of money recently on upgrading the Lake Alapaha water treatment plant, digging individual wells down into groundwater containing Alapaha River water seems dubious to me. With no County Director of Utilities since Mike Allen moved on, I wonder who will represent the county?

Here’s the agenda, which oddly is not yet on the City of Valdosta website. Thanks to Alexandra for sending it.

Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals

Matt Martin, Valdosta Planning and Zoning Administrator Carmella Braswell, Lowndes County Zoning Administrator
300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia 327 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia
(229) 259-3563 (229) 671-2430

AGENDA
February 3, 2015
2:30 p.m.

  1. Call to Order

LOWNDES COUNTY CASES:

  1. VAR-2015-01 — Robert Dinkins (Lake Alapaha Boulevard, Naylor)
    Variance to ULDC Chapters 4.04.02 (F2) and 6.03.03 (D) as they pertain to water connection requirements

OTHER BUSINESS:

  1. Approval of Minutes: January 6, 2014
  2. Adjournment

-jsq

Videos: ULDC Lake Alapaha, house, design; LDR solar parking lot @ ZBOA 2014-08-05

ZBOA postponed Lowndes County’s Lake Alapaha water treatment plant variance so the county could think about it some more, presumably related to that no-bid contract for equipment upgrade.. Two other county Lowndes County variances ( minimum side yard setbacks (approved), lot access (denied). Both of Dr. Urbonas’ solar parking lot Valdosta cases were tabled for a month so he could figure out a revised way to do it, probably involving connecting the supports to the building so they wouldn’t be accessory structures. Plus some sentiment that Valdosta City Council needed to address this issue that solar parking shouldn’t be classed as accessory structures.

The county cases are variances from the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) and the city cases are variances from Valdosta’s Land Development Regulations (LDR), and both the ULDC and LDR are supposed to be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.

Here’s the agenda with links into the videos and some notes. All ZBOA members were present: Paul Alvarado, Laverne Gaskins, Nancy Hobby, Dr. Willie Houseal, Mac McCall, Scott Orenstein, Gretchen Quarterman, and Chairman Allan Strickland. The City of Valdosta puts ZBOA agendas and minutes online in real PDFs.

Valdosta -Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals

Continue reading →

7.b. Lovell Eng. letter to EPD for Lowndes County @ LCC 2013-07-23

in the 22 July 2013 Work Session Here is the letter discussed (“So at this point, in order to comply with the deadline submitted by EPD, it was necessary to go ahead and work with Lovell on this.”) and approved (“The water is good, right?”) at the 23 July Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, obtained through an Open Records Request by April Huntley, plus a transcription. You may wonder, as I do, why the county didn’t just put it online along with the agenda, like so many other county commissions and city councils do. Continue reading →

The water is good now, right? –Demarcus Marshall about Alapaha Water Treatment @ LCC 2013-07-23

A County Commissioner wanted the Utilities Director to confirm that the water was already good before the county fixes the treatment plant at Alapaha Plantation, at the 23 July Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

7.b. Letter to Environmental Protection Division concerning Alapaha Water Treatment Plant Upgrade

The water is good now, right? --Demarcus Marshall Regarding the letter written by Lovell Engineering to GA EPD on behalf of the county, discussed in the previous morning’s 22 July 2013 Work Session, Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked:

I just had a question regarding the timing of the letter. I know it says eight month pilot study. And I just wanted to know for the record, that the water is good now, right? It’s drinkable, and so forth, just for the public to be aware that it’s not some public health risk out there.

Answer from Utilities Director Mike Allen: Continue reading →