Tag Archives: Valdosta

Community Policies, Comprehensive Plan Workshop #5 @ SGRC 2016-04-18

6PM tonight at SGRC, fifth Workshop, as Ariel Godwin reminded us five days ago:

At our next workshop, we will finish reviewing the Issues and Opportunities for the Greater Lowndes Comprehensive Plan. We have two sections to review: Community Facilities & Services and Intergovernmental Coordination. I am attaching the Issues from those sections as they currently stand.

Since this is our second-to-last workshop, in the interest of time, I am attaching Continue reading

Videos: Lowndes Comprehensive Plan Workshop @ SGRC 2016-04-04

Here are links to the LAKE videos of the 4 March 2016 Workshop on the Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan Update, followed by a video playlist. The next Workshop is 6PM tonight.

Here’s a video playlist:


Videos: Lowndes Comprehensive Plan Workshop
Workshop, 2016 Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan Update (SGRC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
327 West Savannah Ave., Valdosta, GA 31601, 4 April 2016.

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Fixing private road Carter Way next to proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane path @ LCC 2016-04-12

Cowart & Son, Carter Way If heavy rains washed out culverts on Carter Way, why would we not expect them to wash up the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline, aimed barely 500 feet to the west, downstream on Tiger Creek? And why didn’t the county mention that the company to which they just awarded an emergency no-bid contract to fix a private road owns extensive properties on that same private road? Actually, no: see correction.

The Lowndes County Tax Assessors online database shows Cowart & Son own Parcel 0017 024 of 13.09 acres on Carter Way. Yet the item 7.h. Carter Way agenda sheet for yesterday’s 12 April 2016 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. mentions “Over 10 residences and a telecommunications tower” on Carter Way, but never mentions that the contractor, Cowart & Sons, just awarded that emergency no-bid contract for $67,822 to fix culverts on Carter Way, is also located on Carter Way. Actually, Rountree Construction got the contract; see correction. It’s still an emergency no-bid contract for a private road.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM Continue reading

Videos: Sabal Trail and no-bid private Carter Way, no-bid Old US 41 N, Animals, VLMPO, Bemiss Road * 2, sewer, safety, and incarceration @ LCC 2016-04-12

In these LAKE videos you can see the Commissioners and staff didn’t mention the contractor for the emergency no-bid $67,822 to fix the Carter Way Culverts owns property on Carter Way. They never said how much the no-bid Old US 41N paving project would cost. Citizen Judy Havercamp thanked the Commission for the recent animal ordinance. She clapped, but did not get shouted down by the deputy; I guess his instructions only apply to people not complimenting the Commission. Citizen John S. Quarterman, president of WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., asked for wastewater spills to be posted on the county’s website and sent out by their alert system, and with a written letter updated the Commission on many recent pipeline developments and asked them to rescind their recent Sabal Trail easement or to help in other ways to stop that boondoggle.

See also Continue reading

Videos: No-bid Old US 41 N, private Carter Way, VLMPO, Bemiss Road * 2, sewer, safety, and incarceration @ LCC 2016-04-11

The Old US 41N paving project is no-bid. If they bid, they would actually know which was the most cost-effective….

In his Report, County Manager Joe Pritchard asked them to add to the agenda an item about fixing a private road off US 84, Carter Way. Most of the Commissioners previously seemed to be unfamiliar with this issue, although we had seen Chairman Bill Slaughter and Commissioner Joyce Evans listen to what seemed to be a request for this same road at the Lowndes County Democratic Party Meet the Candidates meeting the previous Monday.

See also Continue reading

Videos: PUD setback, road access, and building variances @ ZBOA 2016-04-05

LAKE videos of the four Lowndes County cases before ZBOA. There was some discussion about VAR-2016-04 Joshua Restoration Ranch (5808 McDonald Road), which is about road access for a group/family personal care home. One was already withdrawn by the applicant: VAR-2016-03 Southers (1290 Southers Lane). The other two are about minimum building setbacks and road access. Thanks to ZBOA member Gretchen Quarterman, the entire board packet is on the LAKE website, and here’s the agenda.

ZBOA makes actual decisions, unlike the Planning Commission, which only recommends. Here’s a video playlist:


Videos: PUD setback, road access, and building variances
Regular Session, Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 5 April 2016.

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VLMPO appointment, Bemiss Road * 2, sewer, safety, and incarceration @ LCC 2016-04-11

A very busy agenda, for Monday morning’s Work Session and Tuesday evening’s Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. See also the LAKE videos of the three county cases from the recent Planning Commission meeting.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016,  8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2016,  5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading

Videos: Bemiss Rd * 2, Mulligan Road, US 94 @ GLPC 2016-03-28

Here are the LAKE videos of the 28 March 2016 Planning Commission meeting; see also the agenda. Continue reading

Bemiss Rd * 2, Mulligan Road, US 94 @ GLPC 2016-03-28

Here’s the agenda for the 28 March 2016 Planning Commission meeting.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue
Monday, March 28, 2016 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

Continue reading

Federal court rules fossil fuels violate constitutional rights 2016-04-08

Our Children’s Trust, Press Release, 9 April 2016, Judge Denies Motions by Fossil Fuel Industry and Federal Government in Landmark Climate Change Case,

Today, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin of the federal District Court in Eugene, OR, decided in favor of 21 young Plaintiffs, and Dr. James Hansen on behalf of future generations, in their landmark constitutional climate change case brought against the federal government and the fossil fuel industry. The Court’s ruling is a major victory for the 21 youth Plaintiffs, ages 8-19, from across the U.S. in what Bill McKibben and Naomi Klein call the “most important lawsuit on the planet right now.” These plaintiffs sued the federal government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty and property, and their right to essential public trust resources, by permitting, encouraging, and otherwise enabling continued exploitation, production, and combustion of fossil fuels.

Full press release and court order.

In denying the motions of the federal government and the fossil fuel industry, the court’s decision framed the issue as follows:

“Plaintiffs are suing the United States … because the government has known for decades that carbon dioxide (C02) pollution has been causing catastrophic climate change and has failed to take necessary action to curtail fossil fuel emissions. Moreover, Continue reading