Tag Archives: LCC

Videos: Surprise trash, Hotchkiss Landing, 3 rezonings, 3 contracts @ LCC 2013-02-11

Surprise! Veolia, excuse me, Advanced Disposal showed up to try to defend their record so far with their new exclusive franchise solid waste contract. Also at this morning’s Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission, three rezonings, three contracts, and some new wrinkles on the proposed closing of the part of Old State Road leading to Hotchkiss Landing on the Alapaha River, revealed after the session was over. They vote Tuesday evening at 5:30 PM.

Here’s the agenda, with links to the videos, and a few notes, followed by a video playlist.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Surprise trash talk: repeat scheduled for tomorrow! @ LCC 2013-02-11

Not on the agenda, Veolia, excuse me, ADS, stood up to talk about trash collection Monday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session. All of the new Commisioners had questions, some of which were answered. A repeat performance is scheduled for Tuesday evening: don’t miss it!

Dave Shepler, regional manager of Advanced Disposal (not on the agenda)

He said ADS wanted to start March 1 in order to give people time to mail in their cards and sign up, but the February 1st date was “what the county wanted to do.” About 400 accounts that had slow delivery, even though they called in very early; “coding error”. Can deliver about 200 carts a day, one crew is doing nothing but handling complaints. Some carts delivered without pickup information; he blamed that on the wind. Missed pickups. When the Bemiss center (presumably the one at Pine Grove) was closed over 3,000 people had not signed up, and there is trash on the ground that ADS is picking up. After 30 days Continue reading →

News about Hotchkiss Landing @ LCC 2013-02-11

After the Monday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session was over, a couple of Commissioners indicated to inquiring citizens that they had seen a contract by which Acree Investments LTD sold land on both sides of Old State Road to the Alapaha River to Phillip Connell. This contract has not been filed with the county, and that’s why the Tax Assessors’ database doesn’t show it. I confirmed later today with Dr. Acree that he had sold 16 acres to Phillip Connell several years ago. Very interesting; if it is even Old State Road they’re considering closing (see below).

Public Hearing sign on Old State Road What sort of public hearing is it going to be tomorrow evening when this new information was not revealed to the public even in the Work Session, and the only way the public could find out was by going and asking a Commissioner personally?

In positive news, various Commissioners expressed approval of the idea of Continue reading →

Acree Park at Hotchkiss Landing?

How about if Lowndes County buys the land next to Old State Road at Hotchkiss Crossing on the Alapaha River and turns it into Acree Park? That would be a much better solution to the trash, tresspassing, and hunting problems there than closing the road. And Lowndes County itsels claims it has plenty of money available for just such a purpose.

As we’ve seen, Lowndes County’s own Comprehensive Plan says the county has $500,000 in Acquisition Funds Available to “Adopt, implement, and update provisions of the Greenspace Initiative Plan to include land acquisition and resource enhancement/protection.” And that it plans to “Continue preparation and implementation of the Withlacoochee River Greenway Plan.”

What say the county acquires parkland at Hotchkiss Landing from Continue reading →

What does Lowndes Comprehensive Plan say about river corridor protection?

Future Development Map Lowndes County 2030 Comprehensive Plan Is the Lowndes County Commission a “Qualified Local Government”? Georgia state law says perennial river corridors shall be protected, all of the major rivers in Lowndes County (Alapaha, Withlacoochee, Little) qualify as perennial, and GA EPD rules say to be a “Qualified Local Government” a comprehensive plan including River Corridor Protection Plans with protection for a natural vegetative buffer area bordering each protected river is required.

GA DCA keeps a list of all the comprehensive plans in the state. Here’s Lowndes County’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The main document is the Community Agenda and here is the map. Hm, the map shows a light blue color for “Park/Recreation/Conservation” for parts of the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers in Lowndes County, but not all. What about the rest of those rivers in the county?

What does the Community Agenda say? It doesn’t mention any River Corridor Protection Plans. However, it does say this:

Continue reading →

Hotchkiss Landing Road Closing, 3 rezonings, 3 contracts @ LCC 2013-02-11

Monday morning and voting Tuesday evening at the Lowndes County Commission, three rezonings, three contracts, and the proposed closing of the part of Old State Road leading to Hotchkiss Landing on the Alapaha River, with all its complications such as why did Code Enforcement do nothing about that road being blocked for many months? And why was there no public hearing sign on the road until (I hear) it suddenly appeared late yesterday?

Here’s the agenda. -jsq

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Why did Lowndes County do nothing about a blocked public road?

Old State Road at the Alapaha River is a county-maintained public road. How could Lowndes County not have known that it was blocked by two huge blocks of concrete Seen by google earth 2012-01-24 at Hotchkiss Landing from late 2010 through at least early 2012? Why did Code Enforcement do nothing about it?

These blocks of concrete have to be quite heavy. This is not random litter, and no partier or hunter or 4-wheeler would have any motivation to block the road, much less with blocks this size. Who would? Why didn’t the county find out and do something about it?

-jsq

About that flyer

Sent Wednesday. -jsq

Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:43:49 -0500

Dear Mr. Pritchard,

Thank you for your message of 1 February.

Yes, the binders of the documents for the closings of the various bonds are the sort of financial instruments I requested in my message of 28 January, and that Chairman Slaughter listed in his letter dated 18 January (that I received 28 January). Monday 11 Feb 2013 after the Work Session will be a good time for me to inspect and copy those binders. I will bring a camera and a photocopier. If that time will not work, please advise me of times that would.

Yes, there are other documents I would like to inspect. Please provide

Continue reading →

Public Notice for public hearing on abandoning part of Old State Road leading to the Alapaha River

Why is there no sign on Old State Road about the proposed abandonment of the part leading to the Alapaha River like there was in 2010? There’s a clue in the letter of the law Lowndes County is citing.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED ROAD ABANDONMENT TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED

NOTICE OF PROPOSED
ROAD ABANDONMENT
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that pursuant to O.C.G.A. 32-7-2(b)(1) the Parcel 0259 030A Lowndes County Board of Commissioners has determined that a section of Old State Road (CR # 16) has ceased to be used by the public to the extent that no substantial purpose is served or by it that its removal from the county road system is otherwise in the best public interest. The section of Old State Road that is proposed for abandonment lies .85 miles to the east of Good Hope Road (CR # 126) and travels approximately .17 miles before termination at the Alapaha River.

YOU ARE ALSO HEREBY NOTIFIED that pursuant to said Code section the 2009: canoeists taking out at that road Lowndes County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing for the purpose of determining whether to declare the subject section of the subject road abandoned. The public hearing will be at 5:30 P.M. on February 12, 2013, at the Lowndes County Administration Building located at 327 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia.

Any citizen of Lowndes County or any person wherever residing may be heard by the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners during the aforesaid public hearing.

County Manager, Joseph D. Pritchard This 28th day of January, 2013.

Joseph D. Pritchard

County Manager

Lowndes County, Georgia

00046658

2/1,8/13

Note that last part: “or any person wherever residing may be heard by the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners during the aforesaid public hearing.” That means you do not have to be a citizen or resident or taxpayer of Lowndes County to speak at this public hearing.

There’s no public hearing sign on the affected portion of that road. Why is that? Here’s O.C.G.A. 32-7-2(b)(1):

Continue reading →

Petition the Commission: Keep County Road 16 leading to the Alapaha River open to public access

Seen Monday. -jsq

Lowndes County Commission: Keep County Road 16 leading to the Alapaha River open to public access.

Petition by
April Huntley

This access to the Alapaha River is the only remaining public access within Lowndes County. It has great historical significance to the Naylor community. It continues to be used by boaters, fishermen and families for recreation.

To:
Lowndes County Commission
Keep County Road 16 leading to the Alapaha River open to public access.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

The Commission decided 26 October 2010 to keep that road open but because they think they have new information have scheduled it for another public hearing and vote apparently at their next Regular Session, which is next Tuesday, 12 February 2013.

-jsq