Update 2021-10-12 Videos: Subdivision way out of bounds approved, and million-dollar water main, but Wells Road stays open.

A road abandonment apparently had not taken into account people who live farther north up Wells Road, this morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session. Nor that closing that road would close one of only two public access points to the Little River in Lowndes County. Nor that the Mary Turner Lynching monument is on that road.

Beaver Run, GW Farms, Villages subdivisions, Wells Road abandonment

Of the $5 million for utilities, $1 million is for a water main to promote more subdivisions northwest in the county. To their credit, two Commissioners asked about that.

They breezed through seven rezonings, three of them for subdivisions, one so far out of place their own staff recommend against it, with no comments nor questions.

There was a question about some improvements to the historic Carnegie Library Museum.

They vote tomorrow, Tuesday, evening at 5:30 PM.

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

• 1. Call to Order 4. Minutes for Approval
  

  Video.

• 5.a. REZ-2021-15 Beaver Run Subdivision, Bemiss Knights Academy, E-A to R-10
  

  Video.

• 5.b. REZ-2021-16 G W Farms, 5999 Val Del Road, R-A to R-1, ~98.95 acres
  

  Video. County Planner JD Dillard said there was much discussion at the Planning Commission about wetlands, septic tanks, and how it was not in an appropriate character area, and GLPC recommended against by a split vote.

• 5.c. REZ-2021-17 Jeffrey Atkison, 4365 Williams Rd, R-1 to R-A, ~8.0 acres
  

  Video. It’s for a dog training kennel.

• 5.d. REZ-2021-18 The Villages, Bemiss Rd., PD Site Plan Amendment, ~3 acres
  

  Video. Now they want duplexes.

• 5.e. REZ-2021-19 LCBOC for Frank Wetherington, 4224 Val Del Road, P-D to R-A
  

  Video. Gretchen Quarterman remarks: I’m going to go with sloppy work here. Something was rezoned before it was actually owned by the rezoning requestor and then the Commission has to put it back the way it was on behalf of the original owner.

• 5.f. REZ-2021-20 LCBOC for Harold and Gina Warr, 4154 Val Del Road, P-D to R-A
  

  Video. Gretchen notes: Sloppy time two. A second property that was rezoned before the requestor actually owned it and had to be put back as it was.

• 5.g. REZ-2021-21 LCBOC for Val Del Estates, Val Del Rd, P-D Amend, ~56 acres
  

  Video. Gretchen says: More sloppy work. Documents didn’t match.

• 6.a. Abandonment of a portion of Salem Church Road and Wells Road
  

  Video. County Engineering Services Director Chad McLeod said, “ The county received a petition from the landowner, which is TLV Limited Partnership, who purchased the property from Lakewood Farms, to close a portion of Salem Church Road and Wells Road.”

  It’s still listed in the Tax Assessors map as owned by Lakewood Farms LLC. This petition was not in the board packet returned in response to a LAKE open records request. I have sent a request for the county to correct that omission.

  There was no mention in the board packet or in the Work Session as to whether anyone else who uses that public road was asked if they wanted it closed. So far, at least one person who lives up that road for sure does not want it closed.

  Gretchen notes: Wells Road is the road to turn on to go to Folsom Bridge Landing on the Little River.

  That is one of only two public access points to the Little River in Lowndes County.

  Chairman Bill Slaughter said over the weekend he received an email from the Stalvey family saying they use Wells Road and don’t want it closed. He asked for staff to “look closely at that.”

  Gretchen saw the petition letter. It had four signatures on it. But apparently not signatures of people farther north up the Wells Road.

  Commissioner Demarcus Marshall noted that the Mary Turner Lynching monument is on that road, and closing the road would limit access for the descendants.

  Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know whether Wells Road exiting Lowndes County goes into Cook County. Answer yes. He wanted to know does it dead end in Cook County? Chad could not answer that.

  No, it does not dead end; it connects with MJ Taylor Road, which is what Old Valdosta Road is called in Cook County. But that makes quite a long way around if you want to get out from Wells Road and go west on GA 122 into Brooks County.

• 6.b. American Rescue Plan Funding Application for Utilities Repairs/Expansion
  

  Video. Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker asked if projects had been identified. Utilities Director Steve Stalvey said the list is in the packet. Among them is a water main extension. Wisenbaker asked if we had to stick with that list, or could we go elsewhere. Stalvey said he would check.

  Commissioner Demarcus Marshall said Wisenbaker was referring to the water main from Val Del Road to MacMillan Road, which is still agricultural, not residential, and we could use that money better elsewhere.

  Chairman Bill Slaughter said it was about looping the water system for redundancy. And “regardless of what the character area is, this is the route that has been chosen….” He said it was to connect up Bemiss Road and the school [Pine Grove School].

  Commissioner Marshall said another concern was the Alapaha deal needs another well; could we use some of this money there.

  Chairman Bill Slaughter said we could look at all that, and we need to get the answer to whether if a higher precedence project comes up could we move the money.

  Gretchen notes: Look carefully what they are trying to slip into this repair and expansion. Running water up Val Del Road to MacMillan Road. Supposedly under the guise of “closing the loop”. However, the loop is already complete as it ran across the county from Bemiss Road, along Orr Road and came out near Lucas Ricardson Road.

• 7.a. Improvements to the Historic Carnegie Library Museum
  

  Video. Gretchen notes: Lowndes County Historical Museum needs a new roof and the basement leaks and leaving these things unrepaired will just make repairs cost more in the future.

  Chairman Bill Slaughter wanted to know if the quote matched the request. Chad McLeod said it was a little over, but with the recent rains, if we don’t get on with the roof work it would only get worse.

• 8. Reports – County Manager 10. Adjournment
  

  Video. Gretchen notes: County Manager Paige Dukes did not give a report today but said that she would have something exciting to say at the meeting tomorrow. And introduced Leadership Lowndes participant Kelley Saxon.

Here’s a LAKE video playlist:

Videos: Subdivisions, Wells Road abandonment, Water Main, Library @ LCC 2021-10-11
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, .
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).

-jsq

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