Category Archives: Planning

Videos: Ban passes 3:2 on Planning Commission reviewing ULDC changes @ LCC Regular 2024-07-09

Only Commissioners Mark Wisenbaker and Clay Griner voted against prohibiting the Planning Commission from reviewing proposed amendments to the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC). Commissioner Scottie Orenstein made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Joyce Evants. Commissioner Demarcus Marshall also voted in favor. But if you’re a “stakeholder”, which county staff define as Chamber or Homebuilders, you’ll get special email notification and maybe sit-down meetings before ULDC changes appear before the County Commission.

[Collage @ LCC 9 July 2024]
Collage @ LCC 9 July 2024

If you’re a private citizen, you can speak in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, as Matthew and Debra Williams did, asking once again for the county to do something about a drainage easement draining onto their property.

Or Tara Parker, suggesting a spay and neuter program would be more effective than the new animal control building the Commissioners budgeted $10 million for. As usual, nobody answered them during the public meeting.

Everything else on the agenda passed unanimously.

Before they voted, on the ULDC changes, Gretchen Quarterman spoke in opposition, noting that they previously had ULDC text amendments in 2015 and last year, and the Planning Commission did not delay any of those. Also, if private citizens want a rezoning, they have to go through the Planning Commission first, yet this amendment means the county government does not.

Before that, Continue reading

Videos: ULDC text amendments, small rezoning, and liquor license @ LCC Work 2024-07-08

Update 2024-07-12: Videos: Ban passes 3:2 on Planning Commission reviewing ULDC changes @ LCC Regular 2024-07-09.

The County Planner had some slides at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session to explain the ULDC text amendments TXT-2024-02. He did not explain why they were different from the version presented to the Planning Commission, nor why the Planning Commission should not review further ULDC changes.

[Collage @ LCC 8 July 2024]
Collage @ LCC 8 July 2024

He said that instead, “Planning Commission, Homebuilders Association, stakeholders, Chamber, things like that, will be contacted as a courtesy, through just a standard email, and any potential sit-down meetings.” He did not mention taxpayer or voters or county residents.

As Gretchen noted, “Why should citizens be denied an opportunity to comment when builders and developers get special invitations to comment?”

The County Planner’s only excuse for this change was, Continue reading

Packet: ULDC text amendments, small rezoning, and liquor license @ LCC 2024-07-08

Update 2024-07-08: Videos: ULDC text amendments, small rezoning, and liquor license @ LCC Work 2024-07-08.

The ULDC text amendments TXT-2024-02 on the agenda for the Lowndes County Commission are not the same as those proposed to the Planning Commission.

They do still say the Planning Commission would never see any further ULDC text amendments.

How can the staff claim the Planning Commission approved TXT-2024-02 when that board got a different version?

How can the County Commission approve TXT-2024-02 under these conditions?

Why would the County Commission not want the Planning Commission to review ULDC text amendments?

[Packet: ULDC text amendments, small rezoning, and liquor license @ LCC 2024-07-08]
Packet: ULDC text amendments, small rezoning, and liquor license @ LCC 2024-07-08

The cover sheet for the Monday morning Work Session and the Tuesday evening voting Regular Session says, “Based on updates and direction from the County Attorney and County Leadership, Planning Staff and the GLPC recommend approval of Amendments 1,2, 3, 6, and 7.” Continue reading

Videos: Race Track Road SE abandonment and TXT-2024-01 ULDC Amendments @ LCC Regular 2024-04-09

“We’re down to one!” said Commissioner Scotti Orenstein, seeing Commissioners Joyce Evans and Demarcus Marshall coming out of the elevator before the April 9, 2024, Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.

“Due to an issue with some advertising, staff is requesting this item be tabled until until the May 14, 2024, meeting,” said Engineering Director Chad McLeod, in 5. Public Hearing a. Abandonment of a Portion of Race Track Road SE.

[Collage @ LCC 9 April 2024]
Collage @ LCC 9 April 2024

They meet again this morning at 8:30 AM for their Work Session, and Tuesday at 5:30 PM for their voting Regular Session.

Their Regular Session two weeks ago would have been very brief, except for Continue reading

Videos: Race Track Road SE abandonment and TXT-2024-01 ULDC Amendments @ LCC Work 2024-04-08

The Lowndes County Commissioners had no questions about the two items in their Work Session Monday morning.

In the meeting, the only thing unusual was the County Manager gave her report, because she was going to be absent the next day.

[LAKE Videos: Racetrack Road SE Abandonment and ULDC Text Amendments @ LCC Work 2024-04-08]
LAKE Videos: Racetrack Road SE Abandonment and ULDC Text Amendments @ LCC Work 2024-04-08

The interesting parts were outside the meeting:

  • Before the meeting, I asked Information Technology Services (ITS) Director Aaron Kostyu if the sound box in the video pen at the back of the room would be fixed soon. He said that was a $1700 item, but they were working on it. I asked loudly enough that all of the Commissioners could hear me, including when I noted that it’s hard to hear Commissioners on our videos without the direct audio feed. He said some of them probably would still be inaudible.
  • I went up to where Commissioner Joyce Evans was sitting and indicated that if Commissioners push their microphones away, they’re hard to hear. She said I was pointing at Commissioner Scottie Orenstein’s microphone. We shall see.
  • I had a video camera fail, so I took these videos with my phone, starting after they did, so the call to order and approval of minutes agenda items are not in these videos. Also, my phone does not stop and start videos quickly, so there may be a second or two missing between clips.
  • After the meeting was adjourned, Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker said he was disappointed to get dressed to come there for such a brief meeting. I feel his pain. It’s an hour round trip for me, this time for a five minute meeting.

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

See also the agenda and the board packet. Continue reading

Packet: Race Track Road SE abandonment and TXT-2024-01 ULDC Amendments @ LCC 2024-04-08

Update 2024-04-10: Videos: Racetrack Road SE Abandonment and ULDC Text Amendments @ LCC Work 2024-04-08.

This is the briefest Lowndes County Commission agenda I’ve seen in a while, with only two items: Abandonment of a Portion of Race Track Road SE (for Southern Gateway LLC) and TXT-2024-01 ULDC Amendments, both Public Hearings.

[Race Track Road SE abandonment and TXT-2024-01 ULDC Amendments @ LCC 2024-04-08]
Race Track Road SE abandonment and TXT-2024-01 ULDC Amendments @ LCC 2024-04-08

This is the last Public Hearing for the ULDC Amendments, after the one last month at the Planning Commission. So if you have any input, better show up Tuesday, or contact Commissioners or Planning/Zoning department head JD Dillard beforehand, preferably in writing.

The bit that may affect the most people is 10.00.07 Board of Commissioner Public Hearing Procedures. Continue reading

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.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

SUBJECT: REZ-2024-03 Southern Gardens, 4609 Bemiss Rd. 5ac, C-G to P-D,
County Utilities

DATE OF MEETING: March 12, 2024 Work Session/Regular Session
BUDGET IMPACT: N/A

FUNDING SOURCE: N/A

COUNTY ACTION REQUESTED ON: REZ-2024-03 Southern Gardens, 4609 Bemiss Rd. Sac, C-G to P-D, County Utilities


HISTORY, FACTS AND ISSUES: This request represents a change in zoning on the subject property from C-G (General Commercial) zoning to P-D (Planned Development) zoning, in order to develop a 60-unit apartment complex with amenities. The subject property possesses road frontage on Bemiss Road, a state-owned Arterial Road, and is within the Corridor Overlay, Urban Service Area and Neighborhood Activity Center Character Area. Per Comprehensive Plan guidance, Neighborhood Activity Centers “should include a mix of retail, services, and offices to serve residents’ day-to-day needs. Residential development should reinforce the center by locating higher density housing options adjacent to the center, targeted at a broad range of income levels, including multi-family town homes, apartments, and condominiums.”

The neighboring properties along the east, northeast and northwest are zoned P-D, and are comprised of single family, two-family, and multifamily dwellings, with a portion fronting Bemiss Road zoned C-H. The properties to the west and south are vacant commercially zoned parcels, with development potential for high- density residential, office, commercial, or a combination of the three under a planned development approach.

The TRC analyzed the request, the standards governing the exercise of zoning power set forth in 10.01.05 of the ULDC, and factors most relevant to this application, noting the difference in parking proposed by the applicant of one and a half spaces, and the two spaces per dwelling unit of ULDC Table 6.01.03(A), which is allowed per 4.06.02(B). Staff offered alternative design considerations for the site’s layout, aimed at providing greater separation and privacy to the existing 1-story dwellings abutting the property, including relocation of buildings and reductions in height. Staff found the request consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and surrounding land use pattern, and therefore recommended approval

At the GLPC meeting, the applicant spoke in favor, citing their 30 years of experience in developing similar projects in Lowndes County and other parts of the State, and stating that the reduction in parking is based on their experience and target markets, often being single vehicle family units. The opposition raised concerns about decreased property values and the adequacy of the buffering and setbacks on their privacy from the three-story buildings, in addition to a desire for the subject property to remain commercially zoned. The GLPC had a few followup questions for the applicant, before ultimately voting (5-1) to recommend Approval of the request as presented.

The applicants took note of the opposition’s comments, and have revised the layout, relocating the 1-story community building along the western property line adjacent to the Glen Laurel subdivision, and increased the onsite parking to 2 spaces per unit per 6.01.03(A). The TRC reviewed the updated site plan and again found no technical objections.

Patriot’s Place Apartments —112 units, 2 and 3-story buildings

Patriot’s Place Duplexes—32 units

Hamilton Green Townhomes—80 units

Glen Laurel Subdivision—105 single family homes

OPTIONS: 1) Approve
2) Approve with Conditions
3) Table
4) Deny

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Board’s Pleasure

DEPARTMENT: Planning/Zoning DEPARTMENT HEAD: JD Dillard

ADMINISTRATIVE COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

Below are images of the board materials for this agenda item.

-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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REZ-2024-03 Southern Gardens, 4609 Bemiss Rd. 5ac, C-G to P-D, County Utilities

[BUDGET IMPACT: N/A to develop a 60-unit apartment complex with amenities.]
BUDGET IMPACT: N/A to develop a 60-unit apartment complex with amenities.
PDF

Crown Real Estate Development Support Letter for Southern Gardens REZ-2024-03

[Total Number of Units: 60 units]
Total Number of Units: 60 units
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!
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate

Videos: Spring Creek Well, force main, and elevator with For Consideration and Bids from previous cancelled session @ LCC Regular 2024-02-27

In these LAKE videos of the February 27, 2024, Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, you can see they spent three minutes discussing the 6.e. Spring Creek Well Pilot Study. Everything else they breezed through.

They vote again this evening at 5:30 PM on three rezonings and other items.

[Collage @ LCC 27 February 2024]
Collage @ LCC 27 February 2024

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: Continue reading

ULDC Text Amendment Status @ LCC 2024-03-26 2024-02-26

Update 2024-03-23: Packet: ULDC text amendments, Hahira Personal Service Shops, Valdosta PSS and rezonings @ GLPC 2024-03-25.

Here is the ULDC Text Amendment handout from the Lowndes County Commission Work Session of February 26, 2024, received in response to a LAKE open records request.

[ULDC Text Amendments Status, Public Hearings @ LCC 2024-02-26]
ULDC Text Amendments Status, Public Hearings @ LCC 2024-02-26

Continue reading

Videos: ULDC Text Amendment, new well, force main, and elevator with For Consideration and Bids from previous cancelled session @ LCC Work 2024-02-26

Update 2024-03-09: ULDC Text Amendment Status @ LCC 2024-03-26.

Yesterday morning at the Lowndes County Commission Work Session, they went straight into the ULDC Text Amendment. The changes County Planner J.D. Dillard discussed were not in the board packet. I have filed an open records request to get them. It’s fine that they want to be business friendly for incoming businesses, as he said. A little more friendly to we the taxpayers and voters would also be good, for example by publishing the board packet and proposed ULDC changes on the county’s own website, lowndescounty.com.

They could even put the proposed ULDC Text amendments on lowndescounty.com before they vote this evening at 5:30 PM.

[Collage @ LCC 26 February 2024]
Collage @ LCC 26 February 2024

While discussing minutes for approval, Chairman Bill Slaughter asked when the rezoning cases that were not decided two weeks ago due to the meeting being cancelled due to Commissioner illness: when will those rezoning cases be heard? Answer: March 12 there will be five rezoning cases. So apparently the old ones plus the new ones from yesterday’s Planning Commission meeting. County Manager Paige Dukes further clarified that they had to go back through the process of public announcements of the rezoning Public Hearings. Thank you, Chairman, for asking that question.

Those were the two longest items, at 3 minutes and 30 seconds and one minute and 20 seconds, each. The entire meeting took eleven minutes.

About 6.e. Spring Creek Well Pilot Study, Gretchen noted, “I hope this money comes from the enterprise fund for water and sewer and not the general fund.”

About 7.d. Golden Oaks Subdivision Force Main she noted “$100,500 to service around 30 homes. Again, I hope this is funded by the enterprise fund. Perhaps in the interest of transparency, the source of funds could be mentioned.”

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

See also Continue reading