The Lowndes County Commissioners approved everything unanimously at their Regular Session of July 8, 2025.
There was (for them) extensive discussion of the large rezoning off Coleman Road and North Valdosta Road that was controversial at their Work Session the previous morning, as it was at the preceding Planning Commission meeting. Each speaker pro and con and the Commissioners’ remarks are in these LAKE videos.
![[Collage @ LCC 8 July 2025]](http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2025-07-08--lcc-regular-videos/many.jpg)
County Engineering Services Director Chad McLeod reported they are still on target to be finished by August 2nd with the Val Del Road intersection with North Valdosta Road.
Two citizens spoke. Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman thanked the Chairman for paddling in the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper. He provide dates for the 2026 paddle. He invited everyone to a chainsaw cleanup on the Withlacoochee River, and to the WWALS River Revue including the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
Jamie Parks, 106 E Grace Street, Hahira, said on behalf of some people he had been trying to get a rezoning on on Horace Ave. off of Madison Highway next to Mud Creek, which he needed to get the Army Corps to delineate the floodplain. Chairman Bill Slaughter said they would look into it.
Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item or speaker, with some notes by John S. Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.
See also the LAKE videos of the Work Session, the the agenda and the board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, and the LAKE videos of the preceding Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) meeting.
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1. Order 2. Invocation 3. Pledge
Video:
https://youtu.be/O74CJLwUzYMTwo rezonings and a beer and wine license @ LCC Regular 2025-07-08
Videos by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/07/videos-two-rezonings-and-a-beer-and-wine-license-lcc-regular-2025-07-08.html -
4. Minutes for Approval
Video:
https://youtu.be/FHxqqqYOfBY4. Minutes for Approval
a. June 23, 2025, Work Session Minutes & June 24, 2025, Regular Session Minutes
b. June 23, 2025 Budget Public Hearing Minutes
c. June 30, 2025, Special Called Meeting (Budget Adoption) Minutes
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5.a. REZ-2025-10 Cain Property, 6261 US HWY 41 N, ~21ac, R-21 to PD-R,
Video:
https://youtu.be/gzSKO6uyoy85.a. REZ-2025-10 Cain Property, 6261 US HWY 41 N, ~21ac, R-21 to PD-R, Well & Septic
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5.b. REZ-2025-11 Langdale Capital Assets, Coleman Road, ~719 ac, C-C, R-1,
Video:
https://youtu.be/OKdjvi4wTV4
5.b. REZ-2025-11 Langdale Capital Assets, Coleman Road, ~719 ac, C-C, R-1, & CON, to M-1 & CON, County Utilities
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5.b. REZ-2025-11 against: Fracesca Theres, 4641 Rustic Ridge Road
Video:
https://youtu.be/78MZgLMDTbUShe said she was representing many residents.
Concerns included flooding, protected species, traffic, noise, visual effects, and public safety.
She handed in a petition started the day before, with about 40 signatures.
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5.b. REZ-2025-11 against: Windy Scott, 4629 Briarberry Drive
Video:
https://youtu.be/LmCkuyBykkgShe said it was very rural when she moved in 20 years ago.
Small, tight-nit. Already lost some woods on the front.
Were trapped in recent floods.
Major concern of where water will go if subject property is clearcut.
Already worried about the clearcut across North Valdosta Road,
and loss of trees across Valdosta due to the hurricanes.
Concerned about flood insurance.
Plus not knowing what might be built on the subject property.
Also it’s adjacent to Langdale Park.
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5.b. REZ-2025-11 against: Joe Young, 4017 Quail Hollow Circle
Video:
https://youtu.be/tyV0UOvT-AwHe’s concerned about a potential datacenter on the subject property, due to recent proof of datacenters polluting local waters.
He wanted to know if only the side across the railroad tracks could be approved and not the side by the river.
Chairman Bill Slaughter replied: “That’s not the question. We’re considering the current request.” -
5.b. REZ-2025-11 for: Pope Langdale
Video:
https://youtu.be/cFrlf0x_Y2oHe said he appreciated the neighbors’ concerns, and his family has always been a good steward of the environment. “The last thing we’ll ever do is get in there and pollute a river, disturb wetlands, or do something that would harm the neighbors.”
He said they (the applicants) had no opposition to the 200-foot buffer.
He talked about the “cleanup” (clearcutting) they’d been doing along Coleman Road to reduce fire risk, at “great expense.” “Our goal is to be a friendly neighbor.”
Rest assured he said, they would not harm the river or endangered species.
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5.b. REZ-2025-11 rebuttal: Jeff Ford, 4633 Briarberry Drive
Video:
https://youtu.be/BvJxd7JhnPwHe said the neighbors appreciate the concern of the Langdale family.
But nothing prohibits sale of the land to somebody who does not care as much.
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5.b. REZ-2025-11 Commissioners: discussion and decision
Video:
https://youtu.be/p23An5ayy0UCommissioner Scotti Orenstein said this was “the most civil contentious case.”
He said he took notes about the neighbors’ concerns about trees, wildlife, traffic, and noise. Also infrastructure limitations that he doesn’t think they actually have, with utilities available from the county side. Also woodlands, trees, and the wind.
But “me personally, we have a responsability to the property owner….” “I feel like we can’t deny a man to do what he wishes with his property when the arguments are we don’t want to lose the trees because of protection from heavy winds and I’m big on individual property owner rights as long as it doesn’t negatively affect the neighbors.” He didn’t think there would be such a negative effect.
Chairman Bill Slaughter pointed out that the property owner could cut every tree on the entire property [without any need for rezoning]. He reiterated he appreciated everybody who came and spoke. He said all the state concerns were being considered.
He noted that a property owner across North Valdosta Road had clearcut. Although he was prevented from pulling the stumps.
Commissioner Orenstein said regarding traffic, he had always though of retail along Coleman Road. He thought other possible rezonings would be more intrusive than what was being considered.
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall said his concern was some of the conditions overlapped.
The Chairman said County Planner JD Dillard had addressed that earlier, when he noted that the conditions had been designed to stand alone even if others were removed.
Commissioner Orenstein moved to approve with the seven conditions. Commissioner Marshall seconded. All aye. The motion passed and the rezoning was approved.
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6.a. Beer – Wine License – Mustapha Ndure of Wawa Southeast, LLC DBA WAWA
Video:
https://youtu.be/3U6aS5rdmKE
6.a. Beer & Wine License – Mustapha Ndure of Wawa Southeast, LLC DBA WAWA Store #6308 located at 4598 North Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GAFinance Director Stephanie Black said it’s a new store.
The Commissioners unanimously approved the license.
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7. Reports – County Manager
Video:
https://youtu.be/aMEQBJ8w4xkJuly 21, 10 AM, groundbreaking for the new [Fire] Station 10 on Stewart Circle in the Mineola area.
The week of July 21 is National Probation Week. “Rockstar director with a rockstar team.”
Engineering and Utilities are talking to Moody AFB about restoring Grassy Pond.
She asked Engineering Director Chad McLeod to update on the Val Del Road intersection with North Valdosta Road.
He said it was about 95% complete. Utilities including water and sewer have been relocated. The new [traffic] signals have gone as far as they can before the pavement is installed. Reames and Son are installing limerock.
Still on target to be finished by August 2nd.
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8. CWTBH: John S. Quarterman, 6565 Quarterman Road
Video:
https://youtu.be/QHdtlbfM7bYHe reluctantly agreed with Commissioner Orenstein that the Langdale property discussion was the best he had heard.
He thanked the Chairman and others for paddling in the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper.
For next year the main target date is March 7, with fallback dates of March 28 and April 18, all Saturdays, so we don’t have to scramble to find fallback dates.
He invited everyone to a chainsaw cleanup on that route (the Withlacoochee River between Langdale Park and Troupville Boat Ramp).
Nobody has to saw: can photograph, pick up trash, or just paddle or walk along.He invited everyone to the WWALS River Revue with the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday, September 6, 2025.
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8. CWTBH: Jamie Parks, 106 E Grace Street, Hahira
Video:
https://youtu.be/Pin3X4DqFz4He said he represented some people who had been trying to get a rezoning to build a building near Mud Creek.
Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker wanted to know whether that was off Madison Highway, on Horace Ave. Answer: yes.
There was some discussion about flood zone, but the speaker said they were not planning on using the flood zone. He said he needs rezoning to get the Army Corps of Engineers to delineate the flood zone.
The Chairman said they would look into it.
Here is the
LAKE video playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiFuoOYgdquud5mwJqbgqn2W
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