Tag Archives: Unified Land Development Code

ULDC text amendments remove pines and pecans from protected trees @ LCC 2024-11-12

Update 2024-11-12: Videos: GLPC appointments, ULDC Amendments, 2 rezonings, Street Lighting, Beer and Wine, UPS, infrastructure acceptance, Regional Transit, Georgia Power, VSU, LMIG, Fire @ LCC Work 2024-11-12.

Thanks to Jason Davenport for sending a current draft of the ULDC text amendments for this evening’s Public Hearing at the Lowndes County Commission at 5:30 PM.

They are on the LAKE website in Word and PDF formats.

I’m not sure how the public is supposed to comment intelligently on these changes with about two hours to look at them, if they happen to look when I post this. The county has not posted any drafts of these text amendments.

Pines and pecans no longer protected: ULDC Text Amendments @ LCC 2024-11-12

The big change is:

5. Replace 4.07.07 (D) with:
4.07.07(D) All pine and pecan trees, even those over 24 inches dbh, are not considered protected trees.

Everyone understands that trees falling in Hurricane Helene (and Debby and Idalia) were a big problem.

But this seems like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Continue reading →

Packet: ULDC text amendments, Loch Winn LTD rezoning, adoption of millage rates, USGS stream gauges, sprayfield expansion, watermain interconnection @ LCC 2024-10-14

Update 2024-10-21: Agenda: DRC Emergency Services and VSU South Campus Purchase @ LCC 2024-10-21.

The TXT-2024-03 ULDC Text Amendments are quite long and detailed. The county still has not published them for the tax-paying and voting public to see. You can see them now, because LAKE got them with an open records request, and now they are on the LAKE website.

Packet: ULDC text amendments, Loch Winn rezoning, millage rates, river gauges, sprayfield expansion, watermain interconnection: Grove Pointe, Nelson Hill @ LCC 2024-10-14

It’s good the Lowndes County Commissioners decided Tuesday to table those amendments (and the rezoning) until the Planning Commission can review them.

Cost	What
$3,369,213.71	Sprayfield Expansion Phase
$78,392.6.00	Grove Pointe Nelson Hill Watermain Interconnection
$3,025.00	Joint Funding Agreement with USGS for Stream Gauge Maintenance
$3,450,631.31	Total

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

Videos: ULDC text amendments, Loch Winn LTD rezoning, adoption of millage rates, USGS stream gauges, sprayfield expansion, watermain interconnection @ LCC Regular 2024-10-15

Update 2024-10-17: Packet: ULDC text amendments, Loch Winn LTD rezoning, adoption of millage rates, USGS stream gauges, sprayfield expansion, watermain interconnection @ LCC 2024-10-14.

As Chairman Bill Slaughter said they would in the preceding Millage Public Hearing, they adopted the roll back millage rate of 7.356 rather than the advertized rate of 7.804. Last year (2023) the rate was 8.778.

The Fire District Millage Rate is continuing at 2.5 mil. The commission plans to continue this rate for 5 years from the start date. This is probably year 3, so apparently 2 more years.

Collage @ LCC 15 October 2024

They actually did table the 5.a. TXT-2024-03 ULDC Text Amendments and the rezoning 5.b. REZ-2024-15 Loch Laurel – Carroll Ulmer so the Planning Commission could hear them at the October 28 meeting and then voted on at the November 12 Lowndes County Commission Regular Meeting.

There was quite a bit of discussion between Commissioners and Lowndes County Manager Paige Dukes and Utilities Director Steve Stalvey about the Sprayfield Expansion. Continue reading →

Videos: Forestry, Weather, ULDC text amendments, Loch Winn LTD rezoning, adoption of millage rates, USGS stream gauges, sprayfield expansion, watermain interconnection @ LCC Work 2024-10-14

Update 2024-10-17: Videos: Millage Public Hearing @ LCC 2024-10-15.

Only in the Work Session this morning, and if you weren’t there, only in these LAKE videos:

8.a. Reports – Georgia Forestry Presentation (Work Session) by Chief Ranger Kenneth M. Wells
8.b. Reports – EMA Director Ashley Tye on Hurricane Helene

Collage @ LCC Regular 14 October 2024

In regular items, County Planner JD Dillard recommended tabling the ULDC Text Amendments until stakeholders have more time to comment. He referred to the copy Commissioners had in their packet. We the taxpayers and voters do not have a copy.

He also recommended tabling 5.b. REZ-2024-15 Loch Laurel – Carroll Ulmer until the Planning Commission can review it. Which indicates that GLPC did not meet last month, even though there was no announcement that it had been cancelled.

Finance Director Stephanie Black said there would be a Millage Public Hearing at 5PM tomorrow, Tuesday, October 15, before the 5:30 PM Regular Session.

There was discussion in 7.a. Sprayfield Expansion Phase I. Continue reading →

Agenda: ULDC text amendments, Loch Winn LTD rezoning, adoption of millage rates, USGS stream gauges, sprayfield expansion, watermain interconnection @ LCC 2024-10-14

Update 2024-10-14: Videos: Forestry, Weather, ULDC text amendments, Loch Winn LTD rezoning, adoption of millage rates, USGS stream gauges, sprayfield expansion, watermain interconnection @ LCC Work 2024-10-14.

The long-quorum-and-hurricane–delayed REZ-2024-15 Loch Winn LTD rezoning will probably be decided Tuesday evening by the Lowndes County Commission. Before that, it will be heard at the Work Session Monday morning 8:30 AM, along with suprise ULDC text amendments, two millage rates, river gauges, sprayfield, and watermain interconnection between two northside subdivisions.

The adoption of the regular and Fire District millage rates will presumbably get presentations much like the last Millage Public Hearing on September 19.

We get a one-paragraph summary of TXT-2024-03 ULDC Text Amendments, but not the actual text.

We would have seen the text in the GLPC packet, but back in June the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission abdicated oversight of ULDC text amendments. And in June, the Lowndes County Commission rubberstamped that abdication.

The agenda item says, “9/2024 VDT Advertisements Published (Public Notice)” but I can’t find that in GeorgiaPublicNotice.com.

What is it the county planners and Commissioners do not want the public to see?

ULDC text amendments, Loch Winn rezoning, millage rates, river gauges, sprayfield expansion, watermain interconnection: Grove Pointe, Nelson Hill @ LCC 2024-10-14

Here’s a refresher for where this would be, between Old US 41 North and Val Del Road: Grove Pointe Nelson Hill Watermain Interconnection. Continue reading →

Packet: Family Ties tabled 4-0, Personal Care denied 3-1, Sewer System approved 4-0 @ ZBOA 2024-08-20

Hurricane Debby wrought confusion on the Valdosta-Lowndes Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA), causing a controversial variance request to be bumped back weeks or maybe longer.

The board packet materials for that item VAR-2024-07 are somewhat lacking, since there is no WRPDO Site Map for it, and while the Zoning Location Map shows a green area to the left, nothing on that map nor in the text says the green area borders the Little River.

Collage @ ZBOA 2024-08-20

A request for a variance about Family Ties Land Division was tabled because the September ZBOA meeting was postponed for two weeks because of the hurricane. The Meeting Results Summary says “(Tabled 4-0)” but it does not say until when.

According to Terry Richards, Valdosta Daily Times, August 22, 2024, Appeals board denies variance for group home,

— The board voted to table any action on a request for a variance on family ties land division for a property at 7365 Webb Hall Road until a later meeting.

Part of the concern over the variance concerned the timing of advertisement of the meeting. Thursday’s meeting was originally scheduled to be held Aug. 6, but was postponed two weeks due to the threat of Hurricane Debby.

As state law requires a 30-day notice of meetings of this sort, board members were concerned they needed to push action on this matter further out.

There were also concerns as to whether a misprint of an address in a published legal ad would affect the situation.

According to the City of Valdosta’s ZBOA web page “The ZBOA meets the first Tuesday of each month at 2:30 p.m. in the City Hall Annex Building, Multi-Purpose Room located at 300 North Lee Street.” That would seem to mean the next ZBOA meeting will be September 3. But that is less than 30 days from now. So maybe October 1. If that is the date of the October meeting. Continue reading →

Videos: Animal Policies, Wetland and stream credits for Kinderlou-Clyattville Road, UPS, Fire Station alterations, Moody Hydrant, Grassy Pond Utilities @ LCC Regular 2024-07-23

Five citizen speakers said spending more money on an Animal Shelter building was not a solution to a problem that needs different policies: Burton Fletcher, Nancy and Danny Griffin, Janice Monaco, and Tara Parker.

Collage @ LCC 23 July 2024

All the voting agenda items sailed through unanimously, including the Wetland and Stream Credits for the Kinderlou Clyattville Road Paving and Drainage project. Also, as staff recommended, they rejected as too high the bid for the 6.b. Moody Hydrant Replacement Project.

Commissioner Scottie Orenstein asked if the architect had given a budget estimate for 6.a. Alterations to Lowndes County Fire Station #10. Engineering Services Director Chad McLeod said no, but they had done an internal estimate and the project is within the estimated range. Chairman Bill Slaughter added that the project is within budget.

A Commissioner, I think Mark Wisenbaker, wanted to know whether the county had had experience with the low bidder for 6.c. Grassy Pond Utilities Replacement. Answer: yes, on the LAS project, and they’re well known in the Waycross and Ware County area.

I’m still mystified why Moody AFB doesn’t count as a stakeholder.

I had some issues with the camera direction on 5.c. Vertiv Service Contract, UPS, 911 Center, Valdosta – Clyattville Tower. The battery ran down and I lost the beginning of 5.d. Quit-Claim Deed of Abandoned Section of Race Track Road SE. Gretchen is back and will handle this coming week’s videoing.

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

Videos: Wetland and stream credits for Kinderlou-Clyattville Road, UPS, Fire Station alterations, Moody Hydrant, Grassy Pond Utilities @ LCC Work 2024-07-22

Update 2024-08-11: Videos: Animal Policies, Wetland and stream credits for Kinderlou-Clyattville Road, UPS, Fire Station alterations, Moody Hydrant, Grassy Pond Utilities @ LCC Regular 2024-07-23.

The Lowndes County Commissioners and staff were surprisingly inquisitive at yesterday morning’s Work Session. They vote this evening at 5:30 PM.

There was some discussion on 6.a. Alterations to Lowndes County Fire Station #10, which is the main station east on US 84.

Collage @ LCC 22 July 2024

About the 5.a. Purchase of Wetland Credits for PI#0016278 Kinderlou Clyattville Road, Gretchen noted, “There was a brief discussion of wetland credits and how they are calculated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The calculation is now cumulative to the project, not at each individual site. In my opinion, this is a good thing as a project with a lot of “little” encroachments now does not get a pass.

They also discussed the less expensive 5.b. Purchase of Stream Credits for PI#0016278, Kinderlou Clyattville Road.

Moody AFB is going back to the drawing board for the Continue reading →

Packet: Wetland and stream credits for Kinderlou-Clyattville Road, UPS, Fire Station alterations, Moody Hydrant, Grassy Pond Utilities @ LCC 2024-07-22

Update 2024-07-23 Videos: Wetland and stream credits for Kinderlou-Clyattville Road, UPS, Fire Station alterations, Moody Hydrant, Grassy Pond Utilities @ LCC Work 2024-07-22.

Update 2024-07-23: Southern Gateway LLC annexation, rezoning, and aquifer recharge zone on Race Track Road SE, in All Valdosta cases: 2 small and 1 big annexation and rezoning @ GLPC 2024-07-29.

The ongoing Kinderlou Clyattville Road Paving and Drainage Improvements are getting both wetland and stream credits.

Wetland & stream credits for Kinderlou-Clyattville Road, 2 Moody AFB projects, UPS, Fire Station alterations @ LCC 2024-07-22

Something that seldom happens: staff recommends rejecting a bid, this one for the Moody Hydrant Replacement Project, because the one bid “far exceeded the budgeted amount for this project.”

Staff got four bids for the Grassy Pond Utilities Replacement and recommend the low bid for almost a million dollars.

Cost	What
$995,604.00	Grassy Pond Utilities Replacement
$891,210.00	Moody Hydrant Replacement Project
$362,662.00	Alterations to Lowndes County Fire Station #10
$59,220.00	Purchase of Stream Credits for PI#0016278, Kinderlou Clyattville Road Paving and Drainage Improvements
$21,389.9.00	Vertiv Service Contract for the UPS at the 911 Center, Valdosta Tower and Clyattville Tower Work/Regular
$10,800.00	Purchase of Wetland Credits for P1#0016278 Kinderlou Clyattville Road Paving and Drainage Improvements
$2,340,885.9.00	Total

Why is the Lowndes County Commission approving bids for these two Moody AFB projects when, according to the ULDC, Moody AFB is not a “stakeholder” and was not even mentioned in the previous County Commission Regular Session as getting drafts or meetings about changes to the ULDC?

Don’t get me wrong. I think Moody needs fire hydrants and Grassy Pond needs utilities repaired after hurricane of last fall. And Moody needs the wastewater treatment plant that the county now runs. I’m just mystified why Moody AFB doesn’t count as a stakeholder.

The bulk of this week’s board packet consists of three contracts for Vertiv Service Contract for the UPS at the 911 Center, Valdosta Tower and Clyattville Tower, each a dozen pages long, with only two pages each different: order number on one page, and site number, address, and a table of what is being bought for that site and for what amount on the other.

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website. We also got a copy of the draft minutes for the previous Planning Commission meeting. I don’t know why that was included in response to a request for County Commission packet materials, but we’re publishing it anyway.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 22, 2024, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2024, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: ULDC text amendments, small county rezoning, Airport Authority annexation and rezoning, small Valdosta rezoning @ GLPC 2024-06-24

The Planning Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of everything on their agenda for June 24, 2024.

Including an item that Commissioner Vicki T. Rountree clarified that if they approved it, that would be the last time the Planning Commission would see such items.

The rationale by the County Planner was so staff could make “minor amendments” and “move forward with them more quickly.” He did mention there would be meetings with “stakeholder groups”. We know that means builders and developers, not the tax-paying and voting public.

Collage @ GLPC 24 June 2024

Nonetheless Commissioner Chip Wildes made the motion to recommend that amendment, seconded by Commissioner Steve Miller. And all the Commissioners voted for the motion.

Different text under the same agenda item title is on the agenda for the July 8 and 9, 2024, Lowndes County Commission meetings.

What does the Planning Commission recommendation mean, since the content changed before it got to the County Commission?

This is the far-reaching amendment to the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC), or at least the version presented to the Planning Commission: Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange