Tag Archives: Valdosta

The never-ending Lake Alapaha Water Treatment Plant saga @ LCC 2021-08-10

Back in 2013 and 2014, Lowndes County spent at least $35,500
to “fix” the Lake Alapaha Water Treatment Plant,
which had been getting notices of violation from GA-EPD since 2004.
In 2018 the county spent another $16,915 to upgrade a water line for a private developer there.
These are just the costs we know about.

Back in 2013 Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked, “The water is good now, right?”

Well, apparently the water is not good, because here we are again, with
a proposed
$173,000 to fix the same plant.
I have sent the county an open records request to get the two proposals
and the corrective action plan by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD)
and related correspondence.

At least this time the county did not do yet another no-bid contract to the same
engineering firm that did not fix it seven years ago.
Maybe this contractor can finally fix this seventeen-year problem.
But that won’t fix the county’s chronic problem of assuming responsibility
for private water wells for subdivisions.

Remember Lake Alapaha when you see the three rezonings

on the agenda for voting Tuesday evening
listed as having no “BUDGET IMPACT”,
the same as every rezoning before them.
Every subdivision affects the county’s budget, for water and sewer,
or for roads, or for sending fire or Sheriff vehicles, or the school system’s
budget for school busses,
not to mention likely increases in flooding due to impervious surfaces.
Yet Lowndes County never seems to mention any of that when considering a rezoning.

8.b.

Alapaha Plantation Water Treatment Pilot Study

This is the kind of extra expense Valdosta avoided

by sinking its water wells at Guest Road twice as deep after Withlacoochee River water was discovered reaching them from Shadrick Sink, on the other side of the Withlacoochee River,
and the other side of what is now the Cherry Creek Mitigation Bank,
recently sold to Uvalde Land Company, which

wants to deannex half of it from Valdosta.

The Alapaha Water Treatment Plant is
at

6328 Lake Alapaha Boulevard, Naylor, GA.
Go
east of Naylor on US 84, right into Lake Alapaha Hidden Cove subdivision, then on the right.


Your location will be on your right (No trespassing All violators will be prosecuted).

The

agenda sheet for voting tomorrow evening at 5:30 PM says: Continue reading →

Tourism Authority appointment, 3 rezonings, wetlands, solar, UPS, Lake Alapaha water treatment, body cameras @ LCC 2021-08-09

Update 2021-08-09:
The never-ending Lake Alapaha Water Treatment Plant saga @ LCC 2021-08-10.

The biggest ticket item is yet more public money to be spent on water for the
private Lake Alapaha subdivision next to the Alapaha River,
in the Lowndes County Commission agenda for Monday morning, August 9, 2021, and voting Tuesday evening, August 10.

On the

Tourism Authority appointment,
Molly Deese succeeded the previous General Manager of Wild Adventures,
so it’s a safe bet that the current GM, Jonathan Vigue, will succeed her on that Authority.
But he’s got some competition with Rita Hightower of the Garden Center and The Crescent.

As usual, none of the three rezonings are counted as affecting the county budget,
although all three will have long-term effects, two negative because of school buses and Fire and Sheriff Department calls, and one maybe positive because
it’s for solar panels:
REZ-2021-12 US 84/I-75 Industrial Park ~542 ac., County Utilities, I-S, M-1, M-2 and P-D (Amended).

[The three rezonings]

The three rezonings

Note the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determination that the remaining part of

Val Del Villas off Val Del Road
is not jurisdictional wetlands, so more houses can be built.
Northside Property Development has the same registered agent as
Uvalde Land Company that bought the Cherry Creek Mitigation Bank
next to the Withlacoochee River
and wants to deannex the upland half of it from Valdosta.
The uplands in that Bank tract are not jurisdictional wetlands, either.

The other subdivision also involves wetlands, two creeks leading to Bay Branch
and the Withlacoochee River,
plus at least one retention pond:
REZ-2021-09 Building Valdosta Subdivision (0070 018), R-A to R-21, Community Well & Septic, ~64.84 acres.

Cost What
$173,000.00 Alapaha Plantation Water Treatment Pilot Study
$102,812.00 Purchase of Body Cameras and Dash Cameras for Various Departments
$24,778.59 Vertiv Service Contract for the Liebert UPS at the 911 Center & the 4 Tower Sites
$300,590.59 Total

The $300 thousand total is a bit apples and oranges, since the cameras are for five years and the UPS is annual.

Here is the agenda.
The board packet, received after a LAKE open records request,
is on the LAKE website:


http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2021-08-09–lcc-packet

See also
the preceding Planning Commission meeting.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2021, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Deannexation of Cherry Creek Wetlands Mitigation Bank @ VCC 2021-08-05

The Greater Lowndes Planning Commission recommended 6-3 to deny the

de-annexation of 310 acres of the Cherry Creek Wetlands Mitigation Bank.
Thursday evening at 5:30 PM

the Valdosta City Council decides.

[Map, Agenda]

Map, Agenda

Among other items on

the agenda are

Consideration of an Ordinance for Film Production in the City of Valdosta
and

Consideration of an appointment to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Citizens Advisory Committee.
We don’t know who they are considering appointing.

AGENDA

REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL

5:30 PM Thursday, August 5, 2021

COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL


  1. Opening Ceremonies


    1. Call to Order


    2. Invocation


    3. Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag

  2. Awards and Presentations


    1. Consideration of the August, 2021 Employee of the Month Award (Patrol Officer Jermaine Johnson, Valdosta Police Department).

  3. Minutes Approval


    1. The Minutes from the July 22, 2021 Regular Meeting are forthcoming.

  4. Public Hearings


    1. Consideration of an Ordinance for a Conditional Use Permit for a Car Wash and Quick
      Oil Change business in a Community-Commercial (C-C) Zoning District as

      requested
      by SHJ Construction Group (File No. CU-2021-03). The property is located at 3205
      Inner Perimeter Road. The Planning Commission reviewed this at their July 26, 2021
      Regular Meeting and recommended approval with four conditions (9-0 vote).


    2. Consideration of an Ordinance to rezone 0.59 acres from Single-Family Residential (R15) to Community-Commercial (C-C) as requested by SW North Valdosta, LLC (File
      No. VA-2021-15). The property is located at 3277 North Valdosta Road. The Planning
      Commission reviewed this at their July 26, 2021 Regular Meeting and recommended
      approval (9-0 Vote).


    3. Consideration of an Ordinance to deannex 310 acres from the City of Valdosta as

      requested by Uvalde Land Company (File No. VA-2021-16). The property is the City
      portion of the Cherry Creek Wetlands Mitigation Bank property which is located
      between the Withlacoochee River and the Cherry Creek residential neighborhoods. The
      Planning Commission reviewed this

      request at their July 26, 2021 Regular Meeting and
      recommended denial (6-3 Vote).


  5. Ordinances and Resolutions


    1. Consideration of an Ordinance for Film Production in the City of Valdosta. (First
      Reading)


    2. Consideration of a Resolution to approve an Amendment to the Georgia Municipal
      Employees Benefit System (GMEBS) Master Defined Benefit Retirement Plan.


  6. Bids, Contracts, Agreements and Expenditures


    1. Consideration of bids for 95 Gallon Roll Out Cart Containers for the Public Works Department (Bid No. 58-20-21 95).


  7. Local Funding and Requests


    1. Consideration of a request to declare two vehicles from the Valdosta Police Department as surplus property.


  8. Boards, Commissions, Authorities, and Advisory Committees


    1. Consideration of an appointment to the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Citizens Advisory Committee.


  9. Citizens to be Heard


  10. City Manager’s Report


  11. Council Comments


  12. Adjournment

-jsq

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!

Videos: Building Valdosta Subdivision and The Landings on Val Del Road, Moody AFB water & wastewater, Reports @ LCC Work 2021-07-12

Update 2022-09-12: O’Neal rezoning back after a year: Packet: redo 2 rezonings, 3 extraterritorial water & sewer, $438,537 RR crossing, $2,542,586 Griner Park @ LCC 2022-09-12.

Two weeks ago at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session, by far the longest item at almost seven minutes was

6.b. REZ-2021-09 Building Valdosta Subdivision (0070 018), R-A to R-21.
It fronts on Val Del Road, but has no county water and sewer.
Commissioner Scottie Orenstein wanted to know about the two creeks that run through it: see the notes below on the item.


6.d. REZ-2021-11 The Landings (PD Amendment), Val Del Road (0071 056)
got two and a half minutes.

The

County Manager Reports was almost as long.

The whole meeting still only took 23 minutes.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item with a few notes, followed by a LAKE video playlist.
See also the
agenda,
the
board packet on the LAKE website due to a LAKE open records request,
and the
Minutes.


[Rezonings, Juvenile Justice, Moody AFB water & wastewater]

Rezonings, Juvenile Justice, Moody AFB water & wastewater

Videos: Bandit film, air conditioning, insolvent taxes, Fender Road Improvement Project, VLPRA @ LCC 2021-06-08

Just before
adjournment,
County Manager Paige Dukes said the Bandit film continued filming downtown.
She answered Commissioners Demarcus Marshall and Mark Wisenbaker
saying the new millage letters were going out, with the exemption
for the new fire tax,
At the June 8, 2021, Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.

Everything passed unanimously.


[Chairman, Finance, Attorney, Griner, Manager, Audience]

Chairman, Finance, Attorney, Griner, Manager, Audience

The

Minutes record the County Manager also said in
Reports:

Mrs. Dukes stated staff will
be meeting with our Southern Marketing Coordinator, with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Beth
Meeks next week regarding a Farmer of the Year recognition. Additionally, Mrs. Dukes mentioned
State Court Judge, John Edwards, was notified that Judge Melton has sent the last order extending
the emergency order for the courts through June 30th. Lastly, Mrs. Dukes commended Mr. Tye’s
leadership in providing a renewal of our ‘storm ready’ designation in Lowndes County; Mrs. Dukes
asked Mr. Tye to give the commission an update. Chairman Slaughter stated this would not have
happened without the partnerships with emergency management and thanked Mr. Tye for his efforts
and dedication.

See also
the LAKE videos of the preceding morning’s Work Session,
and
the agenda and the board packet.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item,
followed by a LAKE video playlist. Continue reading →

Deannexation east of Withlacoochee River linked to subdivision west @ GLPC 2021-07-26

What does a big parcel of flood plain property on the east (left) bank of the Withlacoochee River have to do with a subdivision to the west,
both on the agenda
for this Monday’s Greater Lowndes Planning Commission?

Well, both seem to have been requested by the same person,
who is also somehow involved with the owner of the land in between.

What do the various LLCs and people involved want to do with
hundreds of acres of floodplain next to the Withlacoochee River?
They probably can’t build subdivisions on it,
but they could log it, dig sand mines, put a shooting range there,
or many other possibilities that might not be good for the river
or nearby homeowners.

I have filed an open records request with Lowndes County so we can find out more.

Let’s start with the Valdosta deannexation case:

City of Valdosta Cases:


  1. VA-2021-16 Uvalde Land Co. (Cherry Creek — Withlacoochee
    River) Deannex 310 acres from the City of Valdosta

[Map: Uvalde Land Company, LLC:]

Map: Uvalde Land Company, LLC:

The

Lowndes County Tax Assessor says: Continue reading →

Deannexation + 2 Valdosta cases, 2 Lowndes County cases @ GLPC 2021-07-26

A Valdosta deannexation and a Lowndes County rezoning case seem linked,
although that is not obvious by the agenda for Monday’s Greater Lowndes County Planning Commission.
See
the next blog post for how.

[GLPC Agenda July 2021]

GLPC Agenda July 2021

PDF

Here is the agenda.


Greater Lowndes Planning Commission


~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~

~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~

Monday, July 19, 2021 5:30 P.M. Work Session

Monday, July 26, 2021 5:30 P.M. Regular Session

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office

325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia

Continue reading →

Boards * 2, Rezonings * 4, Moody AFB wastewater @ LCC 2021-07-12

A third of a million dollars will be decided Tuesday by the Lowndes County Commission, after review at its Monday morning Work Session.

However, the items that will cause a chronic drain on county resources, including the school district, are not shown as having any “BUDGET IMPACT”: the four rezonings, especially the two 60+ acre subdivisions.

Cost What
$153,738.00 Bid for a Fuel Truck for the Public Works Department
$165,427.00 Acceptance of FY22 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant
$319,165.00 Total

[Bethany Drive, Val Del Road, Wild Adventures]

Bethany Drive, Val Del Road, Wild Adventures

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


http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2021-07-11–lcc-packet

See also
the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 12, 2021, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2021, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

  1. Call to Order

  2. Invocation

  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

  4. Minutes for Approval

    1. Work Session – June 21, 2021 & Regular Session – June 22, 2021
  5. Appointments

    1. Valdosta Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals

      Documents:Valdosta Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals -.pdf

    2. South Georgia Regional Library Board

      Documents:South Georgia Regional Library Board (2).pdf

  6. Public Hearing

    1. REZ-2021-08 O'Neal Properties, 2547 US HWY 84 W (0089 095/094), R-21 to C-H, Well & Septic, 4.53 Acres

      Documents:REZ-2021-08 ONeal Properties, 2547 US HWY 84 W.pdf

    2. REZ-2021-09 Building Valdosta Subdivision (0070 018), R-A to R-21, Community Well & Septic, ~64.84 acres

      Documents:REZ-2021-09 Building Valdosta Subdivision.pdf

    3. REZ-2021-10 Wombles, Lineberger Road (0091 037), E-A to R-A, Well & Septic, 6.0 acres

      Documents:REZ-2021-10 Wombles, Lineberger Road.pdf

    4. REZ-2021-11 The Landings (PD Amendment), Val Del Road (0071 056), County Water & Sewer, ~65 acres

      Documents:REZ-2021-11 The Landings (PD Amendment), Val Del Road.pdf

    5. Street Lighting Ordinance Amendment 7

      Documents:Street Lighting Ordinance Amendment 7.pdf

    6. Beer and Wine License – Jonathan Vigue with HFE Valdosta, LLC., DBA Wild Adventures Theme Park – 3766 Old Clyattville Rd., Valdosta, GA

      Documents:Beer and Wine License – Jonathan Vigue with HFE Valdosta, LLC., DBA Wild Adventures Theme Park – 3766 Old Clyattville Rd., Valdosta, GA.pdf

  7. For Consideration

    1. Acceptance of FY22 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant

      Documents:Acceptance of FY22 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant.pdf

    2. Moody Air Force Base Water & Wastewater Contract Renewal

      Documents:Moody Air Force Base Water and Wastewater Contract Renewal.pdf

  8. Bid

    1. Bid for a Fuel Truck for the Public Works Department

      Documents:Bid for a Fuel Truck for the Public Works Department.pdf

  9. Reports – County Manager

  10. Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address

  11. Adjournment

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!

-jsq

Videos: Court * 4, Boards * 2, Sewer * 4, Beer, Computers, Pest, Fire, Grounds, Road truck @ LCC 2021-06-21

They spent the most time discussing the several court funding cash match requests,
two weeks ago at the Lowndes County (GA) Commission Work Session.
At the end, Project Manager Chad McLeod had updates on the Courthouse renovation
and the Commission Chambers audio and video restoration.


Judge Golden, Accountability Court

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item,
followed by a LAKE video playlist.
See also
the agenda.
The board packet is on the LAKE website, received in response to a LAKE open records request.


http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2021-06-21–lcc-packet
Continue reading →

Budget Meetings, LCC 2021-06-21

Lowndes County, GA, has a budget Public Hearing today at 5PM,
and a Special Called Board of Commissioners Meeting on June 29th
to approve the budget.
It will include the new fire special tax collection district,
the one that is causing

tax assessment notices to go out again with corrections.

As usual, the draft budget is not on the

Finance Department web page.
Probably if you go down to the Commission office and wheedle,
they will point you to one bound copy you can look at.

[Two budget meetings]

Two budget meetings

Here is the agenda for today’s budget meeting,
which is just before the Continue reading →