Tag Archives: Valdosta City Council

Senior living, pool, food trucks @ GLPC 2018-04-30

Could it be food trucks Hahira wants to change in its Zoning Ordinance? In Valdosta, a request for a Planned Development on Gornto Road, and two rezonings for a senior living residential housing complex which would have access on Ashley Street, Emory Street, and University Drive, based around the site of China Garden.

Map: Lowndes County Tax Assessors.
Red outline of affected parcels: drawn by John S. Quarterman for LAKE.

All on the agenda for 5:30 PM tonight at the Planning Commission.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA
Monday, April 30, 2018 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing Continue reading →

Videos: Suing big pharma, resolutions to support WWALS water trails @ VCC 2018-04-05

Everything passed: yes, Valdosta is joining a lawsuit against big pharma about opioid addiction, yes, The Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church can expand, and yes resolutions passed supporting the Withlacoochee and Little River (WLRWT) and the Alapaha River Water Trail.

There was amusement about Council members joining the BIG Little River Paddle Race, and maybe writing a song for the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. Two citizens had complaints. Valdosta City Council members had praise for departing Public Information Officer Sementha Mathews and also for each other.

Below are Continue reading →

Where you at, onevaldostalowndes.com?

Well, they spelled that wrong, as “Where are we now?” Maybe for the video narrator from California who showed a picture of lily pads when he said “River”.

But to be fair, this website and the video from the Development Authority organized by VisionFirst whom Lowndes County paid $25,000, presumably matching Valdosta, also adopted by SGRC, does work hard to show a positive vision of the local area. Oops, I forgot the hospital and the Chamber, and, most importantly, Georgia Power, listed in the FAQ:

Who is the leading the effort? Continue reading →

Opioid addiction lawsuit, 2 water trail resolutions, 1 of 2 rezonings withdrawn @ VCC 2018-04-05

The Valdosta City Council plans to sue big pharma over opioid addiction. The Thursday agenda also includes two rezonings (one withdrawn), and two water trail resolutions: one for the Alapaha River and one for the Withlacoochee and Little Rivers. For the rezonings, see the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission meeting.

AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, April 5, 2018
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
Continue reading →

Valdosta Strategic Initiatives Summit 2018-03-16-17

Once again the Valdosta Mayor and Council hold their retreat outside Valdosta and outside Lowndes County at Lenox River Ranch, Lenox, Cook County, Georgia, today and tomorrow. Excuse me: Strategic Initiatives Summit (SIS). I compliment them on publishing on their website before the event the agenda, the topics submitted by each council member, and the Mayor and Council Goals for Fiscal Year 2018 (I got this four days ago). Hm, what’s this about:

5. Find additional resources for the executive director of Valdosta-Lowndes Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful (KLVB) to include the Mayor’s Adopt-A-Street program.

However, I don’t see who else they are meeting with for it to be called a Summit. Oh wait: the Chamber. Probably George Boston Rhynes will be there to video like last year.

Valdosta SIS Agenda

I don’t know why the Continue reading →

Used cars, manufacturing, and subdivision @ GLPC 2018-02-26

A longish agenda led to a quite long GLPC meeting.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA
Monday, February 26, 2018 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue
Continue reading →

Videos: subdivision, manufacturing, and used cars @ GLPC 2018-02-26

Third time was the charm for William Branham and his Copeland Road subdivision, which the Planning Commission recommended 6:1.

Below are links to each LAKE video with a few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the agenda.

Continue reading →

Videos: Branham subdivision, Bemiss Knights Academy, Lake Park @ GLPC 2015-09-28

Almost half an hour on the Bill Branham subdivision on Copeland Road resulted in a split denial: the only denial in this Planning Commission Regular Session.

Slightly less time on the Charles Bennett accessory dwelling unit on Green Meadown Drive got unanimous approval with staff conditions.

Ten minutes on the Clint Joyner’s request for Knight’s Development’s 30-acre subdivision rezoning on Bemiss Knights Academy Road got unanimous approval. About the same on Tim Blanton’s rezoning of 45+ acres to residential agriculture passed unanimously. Ditto rezoning for Richard Bonner’s rezoning for a fast-growth corridor between Highway 84 and Interstate 75. Less time for Jon Nijem’s expanded parking on Baytree Road to pass unanimously.

Keith Sandlin’s Lake Park case did sail through, as did John Thomas’ rezoning for a showroom for his show car business.

Commissioner Willis’ term was coming up for reappointment.

Below are links to each LAKE video with a very few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist. See also the Continue reading →

Videos: Passed resolution for dedicated state fees and bids for equipment @ VCC 2018-01-25

The big item was they passed the Resolution to support GA HR 158 for dedicated fee collections. That and the T-SPLOST projects and upcoming public meetings, by Mayor Gayle. There was only one Citizen to Be Heard, which was me, about the resolution and about public access to the Withlacoochee River at Gornto Road in Valdosta.

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

Continue reading →

Resolution for dedicated state fees and bids for equipment @ VCC 2018-01-25

Valdosta has a very light agenda Thursday, with a couple of bids and the same resolution in support of Georgia HR 158 to stop diversion of state fees that has already been passed by Lanier County 2018-01-08, by the City of Adel 2018-01-16, by Atkinson County 2018-01-18, and is on the agenda for Lowndes County 5:30 PM tonight 2018-01-23 and on the agenda for Hahira 6PM next Thursday 2018-02-01.

Photo: Valdosta City Council by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange, 2018-01-11.

If you can attend one of these meetings and thank these elected officials for doing the right thing, I’m sure they would appreciate it.

Valdosta City Council Tim Carroll talked about this resolution Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange