Category Archives: Comprehensive Plan

Packet: Four small items, 2 Valdosta, 2 Lowndes County @ GLPC 2025-07-28

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Crossroads Baptist Church wants to expand at 3001 Country Club Drive and the City of Valdosta is entertaining some LDR text amendments.

The two Lowndes County rezonings are both to bring their properties into conformity or compliance.

These are on the agenda for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) this evening.

[Collage @ GLPC Packet 2025-07-28]
Collage @ GLPC Packet 2025-07-28

Here is the agenda.

The board packet materials, received in response to a LAKE open records request, are on the LAKE website, with images below.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~
~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~

Monday, July 21, 2025 5:30 P.M. Work Session
Monday, July 28, 2025 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia

Continue reading →

Videos: Appointments to 2 boards, 2 law grants, 2 lift station items, 1 Comp. Plan contract @ LCC Regular 2025-07-22

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Two citizens spoke at the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session. Gretchen Quarterman about water wells, including private wells getting contaminated since Hurricane Helene, or running dry, and expenses of testing and well drilling. Commissioners actually discussed afterwards that you can take a water sample and get Public Health to test it.

Keyara Hamilton spoke about Goodwill.

[Collage @ LCC 22 July 2025]
Collage @ LCC 22 July 2025

The Lowndes County Commissioners appointed Scottie Orenstein, Joe Brownlee, and Rob Green to the Lowndes County Development Authority, which apparently never meets. Then they also reappointed Jerome Tucker and Barry Green.

They reappointed Michael Walker and J.D. Rice to the Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority. Then they also appointed Lowndes County Commissioner Mike Smith to succeed Clay Griner, and Andy Griffin to succeed Crawford Powell. They also clarified the when each term will end.

Chairman Bill Slaughter recommended that Commissioners should get a list of boards and their meeting dates and times so they can attend an learn things. This is good advice for citizens in general.

The Commissioners approved everything else unanimously.

County Manager Paige Dukes’s Reports lasted almost ten minutes, including Fire Department people speaking.

Below are Continue reading →

Videos: Appointments to 2 boards, 2 law grants, 2 lift station items, 1 Comp. Plan contract @ LCC Work 2025-07-21

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Update 2025-07-25: Videos: Appointments to 2 boards, 2 law grants, 2 lift station items, 1 Comp. Plan contract @ LCC Regular 2025-07-22.

The Lowndes County Commissioners discussed much more than usual, making yesterday morning’s Work Session 44 minutes long.

[Collage @ LCC Work Session 21 July 2025]
Collage @ LCC Work Session 21 July 2025

They vote today at 5:30 PM, which is about now.

Yesterday, the County Attorney weighed in on both the board appointment items.

The Comprehensive Plan update won’t change the Service Delivery Strategy (SDS) that the county and the five cities agreed would last for ten years.

Both of the Juvenile Justice grant items lasted more than 9 minutes.

The longest item was not on the agenda: a report by Jeff Lovell on well issues and river water infiltration.

And we got a clue where the Blue Lake Lift Station is: near I-75 Exit 13.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the Continue reading →

Packet: Appointments to 2 boards, 2 law grants, 2 lift station items, 1 Comp. Plan contract @ LCC 2025-07-21

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Update 2025-07-22: Videos: Appointments to 2 boards, 2 law grants, 2 lift station items, 1 Comp. Plan contract @ LCC Work 2025-07-21.

The Lowndes County Commission this Monday and Tuesday will consider and decide on many appointments to two boards, and two Juvenile Justice grants.

The county is also outsourcing part of its five-year Comprehensive Plan Update to the Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC), for $30,000.

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2025-07-21]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2025-07-21

Lowndes County is still fixing problems from Hurricane Helene, this time at the Blue Lake Lift Station.

  • In September 2016 they replaced a pump there for no-bid $43,959.
  • In June 2020 they did a $71,789 no-bid emergency repair there due to corrosion.
  • In October 2021 they applied for $700,000 from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for “Permanent bypass pumps at lift station” for Bevel Creek, Whitewater, Heart road, Blue Lake, Highway 84, and Frances Lake, as well as $300,000 for “On-Site Crane/ Hoist lift station” for Whitewater, Frances Lake, and Blue Lake, all at the recommendation of Carter & Sloope.
  • In June 2022 they approved an apparently no-bid agreement with Carter & Sloope:

    “The scope of work at the County’s lift station is two-fold. A permanent bypass pump will be installed at the following six (6) lift stations: Bevel Creek, Whitewater, Heart Road, Blue Lake, Highway 84, and Frances Lake. The bypass pump will serve as the station’s backup/redundancy method if the primary pumping failed at any time. The new pump will be connected to the existing wet well and force main at the station on a concrete housekeeping pad. Where necessary based on location, the pump can be installed in an enclosure to reduce sound (i.e. if near a residential neighborhood). Electrical and controls will be installed on site with the new pump. Of the 6 stations, the following three (3) will also be retrofitted with an on- site crane/hoist system: Whitewater, Frances Lake, and Blue Lake. Those stations need a local mechanism for retrieving pumps from the wet well because of their layout and location.”

This time they have bids for the control panel, but still only one no-bid source for the pump: xylem, Inc. However, the county is going for repairing the pump this time, for $44,661.

It’s good Lowndes County is fixing its sewer infrastructure before it breaks. And it’s good they’re bidding at least part of the repairs this time.

Meanwhile, we still don’t know where the Blue Lake Lift Station is. So far as I can tell, there is no waterbody, road or street, or subdivision name Blue Lake in Lowndes County. More on that in a later post.

Cost What
$44,661.00Blue Lake Lift Station Pump Repair
$43,615.00Blue Lake Lift Station Control Panel
$88,276.00Blue Lake Subtotal
 
$30,000.002026 Comprehensive Plan Technical Assistance Contract
 
$118,276.00Total

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website. Images of each page are below.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 21, 2025, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2025, 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 – July 7, 2025 & Regular Session – July 8, 2025
  5. Appointments
    1. Lowndes County Development Authority

      Documents:Lowndes County Development Authority 7.pdf

    2. Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority

      Documents:Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority 4.pdf

  6. For Consideration
    1. 2026 Comprehensive Plan Technical Assistance Contract

      Documents:2026 Comprehensive Plan Technical Assistance Contract.pdf

    2. FY 2026 Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Grant Application

      Documents:FY 2026 Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Grant Application.pdf

    3. Acceptance of FY2026 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Award

      Documents:Acceptance of FY2026 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Award.pdf

    4. Blue Lake Lift Station Pump Repair

      Documents:Blue Lake Lift Station Pump Repair.pdf

    5. Blue Lake Lift Station Control Panel

      Documents:Blue Lake Lift Station Control Panel.pdf

  7. Reports – County Manager
  8. Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address
  9. Adjournment

-jsq

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July-22-2025-Meeting-Packet

[PROPOSED AGENDA]
PROPOSED AGENDA
PDF

Lowndes County Development Authority

[The terms of Mr. Brooks Akins, Mr. Jerome Tucker, Mr. Gary Cannon, Mr. Barry Broome, and Mr. Clay Griner have expired. Mr. Akins, Mr. Tucker, Mr. Cannon, and Mr. Broome have all expressed an interest in being reappointed to the board. Mr. Griner is not interested in being reappointed at this time. There are now three vacant seats on the board previously held by Mr. Gary Moser, Mr. Crawford Powell and Mr. Clay Griner. Mr. Robert Green has also expressed an interest in being appointed to the board.]
The terms of Mr. Brooks Akins, Mr. Jerome Tucker, Mr. Gary Cannon, Mr. Barry Broome, and Mr. Clay Griner have expired. Mr. Akins, Mr. Tucker, Mr. Cannon, and Mr. Broome have all expressed an interest in being reappointed to the board. Mr. Griner is not interested in being reappointed at this time. There are now three vacant seats on the board previously held by Mr. Gary Moser, Mr. Crawford Powell and Mr. Clay Griner. Mr. Robert Green has also expressed an interest in being appointed to the board.
PDF

Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority

[The terms of Mr. J.D. Rice, Mr. Michael Walker, and Mr. Clay Griner have expired. Mr. J.D. Rice and Mr. Michael Walker have expressed an interest in being reappointed. Mr. Clay Griner is not interested in being reappointed at this time. This leaves two vacant seats on the board previously held by Mr. Clay Griner and Mr. Crawford Powell. Mr. Robert Green has also expressed interest in being appointed to the board.]
The terms of Mr. J.D. Rice, Mr. Michael Walker, and Mr. Clay Griner have expired. Mr. J.D. Rice and Mr. Michael Walker have expressed an interest in being reappointed. Mr. Clay Griner is not interested in being reappointed at this time. This leaves two vacant seats on the board previously held by Mr. Clay Griner and Mr. Crawford Powell. Mr. Robert Green has also expressed interest in being appointed to the board.
PDF

2026 Comprehensive Plan Technical Assistance Contract

[BUDGET IMPACT: $30,000.00 purpose of this assistance is to ensure that the 2026 Comp Plan Update in its entirety will be in compliance]
BUDGET IMPACT: $30,000.00 purpose of this assistance is to ensure that the 2026 Comp Plan Update in its entirety will be in compliance
PDF

FY 2026 Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Grant

[BUDGET IMPACT: $50,000.00 - All expenditures are paid by Lowndes County and reimbursed 100% by the CJCC through the grant.]
BUDGET IMPACT: $50,000.00 – All expenditures are paid by Lowndes County and reimbursed 100% by the CJCC through the grant.
PDF

Acceptance of FY2026 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant

[BUDGET IMPACT: $325,000.00 CJCC Funding 100% of eligible expenses]
BUDGET IMPACT: $325,000.00 CJCC Funding 100% of eligible expenses
PDF

Blue Lake Lift Station Pump Repair

[BUDGET IMPACT: $44,661.00 FUNDING SOURCE: (X) Annual]
BUDGET IMPACT: $44,661.00 FUNDING SOURCE: (X) Annual
PDF

Blue Lake Lift Station Control Panel

[BUDGET IMPACT: $43,615.00 FUNDING SOURCE: (xX) Annual]
BUDGET IMPACT: $43,615.00 FUNDING SOURCE: (xX) Annual
PDF

July-7-2025-Work-Session-Minutes

[Page 1]
Page 1
PDF

July-8-2025-Regular-Session-Minutes

[Page 1]
Page 1
PDF

-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!
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Packet: Lowndes County Commission Annual Planning Meeting 2025-03-05

Update 2025-03-23: Packet: Utilities in Lowndes County Commission Annual Planning Meeting 2025-03-06.

Here is what we got in response to an open records request for the agenda and board packet for the Lowndes County, Georgia, three-day Annual Planning Meeting, which you may recall was held on Jekyll Island with one day’s notice to the public.

There are packet materials for many of the agenda items, including Finance (in some detail), SPLOST VIII, VLPRA (in great detail), TIA I and II, Comprehensive Plan, and E-911.

[Lowndes County Commission, Annual Retreat 2025-03-05-7, Agenda and Board Packet]
Lowndes County Commission, Annual Retreat 2025-03-05-7, Agenda and Board Packet

I don’t seem to see materials for South Health DIstrict, Utilities, Public Works, or Lowndes County Fire Rescue. If any of those are in here, somebody please point them out.

Not listed on the agenda there are long sections by the Engineering Department, and lists of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee staff.

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

Agenda:

Lowndes County Board of Commissioners
2025 Annual Planning Meeting Agenda
March 5 1:00 p.m. — 4:30 p.m.*
March 6 8:30 a.m. — 4:30 p.m.*
March 7 8:30 a.m. — 1:00 p.m.*
(*times may vary based on length of discussion)
The Westin — Jekyll Island
110 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, Georgia

Wednesday-
1:00 p.m. Finance
2:30 p.m. SPLOST VIII
3:00 p.m. SPLOST IX
Thursday-
8:30 a.m. VLPRA
10:00 a.m. South Health District
11:00 a.m. TIA I
11:30 a.m. TIA II
12:00 noon Lunch
12:45 p.m. Utilities
2:00 p.m. Public Works
3:00 p.m. Comprehensive Plan Review
Friday-
8:30 a.m. Lowndes County Fire Rescue
9:30 a.m. E-911
Continue reading →

ULDC text amendments remove pines and pecans from protected trees @ LCC 2024-11-12

Update 2024-11-12: Videos: GLPC appointments, ULDC Amendments, 2 rezonings, Street Lighting, Beer and Wine, UPS, infrastructure acceptance, Regional Transit, Georgia Power, VSU, LMIG, Fire @ LCC Work 2024-11-12.

Thanks to Jason Davenport for sending a current draft of the ULDC text amendments for this evening’s Public Hearing at the Lowndes County Commission at 5:30 PM.

They are on the LAKE website in Word and PDF formats.

I’m not sure how the public is supposed to comment intelligently on these changes with about two hours to look at them, if they happen to look when I post this. The county has not posted any drafts of these text amendments.

[Pines and pecans no longer protected: ULDC Text Amendments @ LCC 2024-11-12]
Pines and pecans no longer protected: ULDC Text Amendments @ LCC 2024-11-12

The big change is:

5. Replace 4.07.07 (D) with:

4.07.07(D) All pine and pecan trees, even those over 24 inches dbh, are not considered protected trees.

Everyone understands that trees falling in Hurricane Helene (and Debby and Idalia) were a big problem.

But this seems like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Continue reading →

Videos: ULDC text amendments, Hahira Personal Service Shops, Valdosta PSS and rezonings @ GLPC 2024-03-25

The ULDC text amendments were on the agenda, at the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, 5:30 PM, Monday, March 25, 2024. However, Lowndes County never published them for the public to see, so far as LAKE knows. But LAKE obtained a previous version of them by open records request and published that version of the amendments. Nobody spoke for or against the amendments at the Planning Commission, which then voted unanimously to recommend approval.

[Collage @ GLPC 25 March 2024]
Collage @ GLPC 25 March 2024

The Planning Commission also unanimously recommended approval of almost all the other cases. Except 7. VA-2024-06 Park-Hawthorne LLC (North Forrest Street Extension) – R-6(c) to R-M, which had two votes against.

They adjourned at 6:30, making it a 50-minute meeting, which was brief for the Planning Commission.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also the Continue reading →

Packet: ULDC text amendments, Hahira Personal Service Shops, Valdosta PSS and rezonings @ GLPC 2024-03-25

Update 2024-05-06: Videos: ULDC text amendments, Hahira Personal Service Shops, Valdosta PSS and rezonings @ GLPC 2024-03-25.

The ULDC text amendments get on the agenda this time, at the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, 5:30 PM, Monday, March 25, 2024. They were heard last month unscheduled in a Lowndes County Commission Work Session,

Hahira has a Special Exception and Valdosta has a CUP and two small rezonings.

[Packet: ULDC text amendments, Hahira Personal Service Shops, Valdosta PSS and rezonings @ GLPC 2024-03-25]
Packet: ULDC text amendments, Hahira Personal Service Shops, Valdosta PSS and rezonings @ GLPC 2024-03-25

Here is the agenda.

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

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~
~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~

Monday, March 18, 2024 5:30 P.M. Work Session
Monday, March 25, 2024 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia

  1. Call to Order, Pledge and Invocation
  2. Approval of the Meeting Minutes: February 26, 2024

    Lowndes County Case:

    FINAL ACTION by the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners, 327 N. Ashley Street,
    Valdosta, Georgia, Lowndes County Judicial and Administrative Complex Commission
    Chambers, 24 Floor, Tuesday, April 9′, 2024, 5:30 pm
    Point of Contact: JD Dillard, County Planner, (229) 671-2430

  3. TXT-2024-01 Lowndes County Board of Commissioners, ULDC Amendments, County-wide

    City of Hahira Case:

    FINAL ACTION by the City of Hahira Mayor-Council, 301 W. Main St., Hahira, Georgia
    Hahira Courthouse, Thursday, April 4th, 2024, 6:00 p.m.
    Point of Contact: Matt Martin – Planning Director (229) 259-3529

  4. HA-2024-04 David Deloach (505 South Church Street) Special Exception for multiple Personal Service Shops in conditional R-P(c) zoning

    City of Valdosta Cases:

    FINAL ACTION by the City of Valdosta Mayor-Council, 216 E. Central Avenue,
    Valdosta, Georgia, Valdosta City Hall, Council Chambers, 2nd Floor
    Thursday, April 11th, 2024, 5:30 p.m.
    Point of Contact: Matt Martin – Planning Director (229) 259-3529

  5. CU-2024-03 Scott Shalek (2704-B2 North Oak Street) CUP for a Personal Service Shop in R-P zoning
  6. VA-2024-05 Thomas Rowell (4507 Inner Perimeter Road) Rezone a total of 1.64 acres from R-P and R-10, to C-H zoning
  7. VA-2024-06 Park-Hawthorne LLC (North Forrest Street Extension) Rezone 6.34 acres from R-6(c) to R-M

OTHER BUSINESS

ADJOURNMENT

-jsq

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New and old site plans for REZ-2024-03 Southern Gardens, 4609 Bemiss Road @ LCC 2024-03-11

In addition to the support letter from Crown Real Estate Development, the Bemiss Road rezoning has a revised conceptual site plan.

According to county staff, the applicant for REZ-2024-03 Southern Gardens listened to suggestions by county staff and objections from neighbors and changed their plan to add more parking and to move the community building to the back.

[New and old Conceptual Site Plans for Southern Gardens, 4609 Bemiss Road]
New and old Conceptual Site Plans for Southern Gardens, 4609 Bemiss Road

The Lowndes County Commission will vote on this and other rezonings tonight at 5:30 PM.

Here is the agenda sheet for that item. For information on the rest of the agenda, see Packet: Petition against Gresham Event Venue and letter supporting Southern Gardens @ LCC 2024-03-11. Continue reading →

Videos: Gresham Event Venue passed 3:2, surprise Hospital Authority bond agreement @ LCC Regular 2024-03-12

Commissioners Joyce Evans and Demarcus Marshall voted against 5.a. REZ-2024-01 Gresham Event Venue, 8415 Old Valdosta Road. Commissioner Clay Griner moved to approve with four conditions, Commissioner Scottie Orenstein seconded, and they and Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker voted for. Most of the audience left, clearly not happy.

The Lowndes County Commission at its Regular Session approved everything else unanimously. At an hour and fourteen minutes, this was among its longest meetings.

[Collage @ LCC 12 March 2024]
Collage @ LCC 12 March 2024

Approvals included the last-minute addition, 6.f. Intergovernmental agreement with the Hospital Authority. The hospital wants to fund expansion, in the usual way by floating bonds guaranteed by the county.

One citizen wished to be heard. Continue reading →