Category Archives: ZBOA

Videos @ ZBOA 2012 03 06

The Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA) had a somewhat unusual case to start out its March meeting, of someone wanting to revert to a previous zoning after the County Commission had approved a rezoning. The owner wants to do a development, but doesn’t have the resources in this economy, so wants to go back to agricultural zoning to make a little money while waiting. It was complicated, with issues of wetlands, costs, advice by county staff, and small business employment. Watch and see!


View Larger Map
They also had a sign request from Denny’s, with input from the neighboring Mobil station and others.

Both of these cases were numbered 2012-01 (one from the county and one from the city). How can they be numbered 01? If I understand correctly, these were the first cases ZBOA has received this year, and this was the first ZBOA meeting this year. That could be an indication of the state of the local economy.

ZBOA mostly considers Continue reading →

ZBOA decides to publish agendas and minutes on Valdosta website

The Zoning Board of Appeals decided unanimously at its 6 December 2011 meeting to publish its agendas and minutes on the City of Valdosta’s website. This item was not on the agenda, but members of such a board can make motions anyway. Member Gretchen Quarterman suggested it. Valdosta City Planner Matt Martin said they could do it no problem. Discussion ensued. They all agreed to post agends before their meetings, and to post minutes after they are approved (usually at the next meeting, a month later). Maybe other local boards and authorities will follow this example.

Left to right: Laverne Gaskins (V), Gretchen Quarterman (L), Paul Alvarado (V), Allan Strickland, Chair (V), Nancy Hobby (V), Dave Kirk (L), Carmella Braswell (Lowndes County Zoning Administrator), Matt Martin (Valdosta City Planning and Zoning Administrator). Absent: Scott Orenstein, Vice-Chair (V), Dr. William Houseal (L). L: Lowndes County appointee. V: Valdosta appointee.

Here’s the video:


ZBOA decides to publish agendas and minutes on Valdosta website
Agendas and Minutes,
Regular Session, Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 6 December 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

ZBOA: Zoning Board of Appeals 6 December 2011

According to Valdosta City Planner Matt Martin today:
This is a reminder that your next meeting for the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA) is this coming Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 2:30pm. Attached is a copy of the meeting agenda and also the draft minutes from both the October and November meetings.

Just like the November meeting, there are again NO public hearing items for December. However, we still need to meet (& have a quorum) to approve the Minutes and also elect officers for 2012.

ZBOA does not explicitly post its agendas, but the above appears to be the entire agenda for next week’s meeting.

Here are backgrounders on Who is ZBOA? and On What Basis Does ZBOA Decide?

-jsq

The Council of Hamlets meets tonight in Valdosta!

The Valdosta City Council regular meeting is tonight. You remember them, the council that may or may not be able to say whether or not they can or cannot speak during, at the end of, or after their council meetings. Tonight they appoint people to boards that decide who can put up how big a sign, and that spend millions in your tax money.

I want to see if Mayor Fretti will keep to his word to expand the Wiregrass Solar plant.

Also, maybe now this city council can do what Gretna, Florida, did: put out a proclamation saying there will be no biomass plant. Or they could sit on their hands some more and wait until some Sonny finds a way to do it anyway.

They have lots of other stuff on their agenda for tonight, including an appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA), and an appointment to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority.

ZBOA decides on variances to Valdosta’s LDR and Lowndes County’s ULDC, including sign variances, much to the annoyance of some local entitled rich people and of McDonald’s.

Parks & Rec receives 1.5 mil of tax money, about $4.5 million dollars a year, more than the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA). Parks and Rec board members get to spend that tax money that you pay.

AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, June 9, 2011
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
Continue reading →

Open Board Appointments

We need to watch local boards regardless of whatever else happens. But to ensure local boards and agencies become more responsive to the community, even better is to appoint people to them who want to be more responsive to the community. Many such appointments are available right now.

Valdosta’s list of open appointments, qualifications, etc. can be found here. There are 14 positions open on 8 boards, ranging from the Parks and Recreation Authority, which has its own dedicated tax millage larger than that of the Industrial Authority, to the Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful Board, which has a paid executive director. Here’s an excerpt: Continue reading →

LCC 8:30 AM Monday 11 April & 5:30 PM Tuesday 12 April 2011

It’s a light agenda but you never know what will happen. Some of those who are concerned about their community may want to attend.

Oh, look, they’ve apparently taken up Scott Orenstein’s suggestion and moved Citizens Wishing to be Heard to the end of the meeting! Personally, I think that’s a fine idea as long as Commissioners stay for that item.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Celebrate citizen participation –John S. Quarterman

A message to the only elected body in Lowndes County that represents the entire county. I’ve added a few links, and otherwise what you see is the suggestions I sent to the Commissioners and the County Clerk Thursday after offering them Tuesday. -jsq
From: John S. Quarterman
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 1:40 PM
To: Commissioner@lowndescounty.com
Cc: Paige Dukes
Subject: Policies and Procedures for Citizens Wishing to be Heard

Dear Commissioners,

At your most recent meeting I mentioned I had a few suggestions about your new Policies and Procedures for Citizens Wishing To Be Heard, and at least one of you has indicated he would like to see them, so here they are.

“2. A maximum of 10 persons shall be allowed to speak at any meeting.”
I think that number is too low. On the one hand,

Continue reading →

Dialog and something new –Gretchen Quarterman

Gretchen Quarterman applauds Chairman Paulk for increasing the transparency of the government in the last few years, then says:
I’m concerned that a barrier to dialog is getting higher, rather than lower. When the citizens make the effort to come to a meeting after a long day of work, or maybe they come in the morning when they don’t actually get to talk, it’s important for them to get a chance to be heard.
She describes how the Zoning Board of Appeals (on which she is a county appointee) does it:
When you’re done saying stuff new, then everybody else that has something to say, they just raise their hand.
And her main point:
I’d like to sort of suggest that hou have some dialog about this resolution that you just made. Maybe it could be modified so that people could continue to come, rather than three people could come.


Video by John S. Quarterman
of the regular meeting of the Lowndes County Commission, 25 Jan 2011
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

On What Basis Does ZBOA Decide?

How does the Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA) base its decisions? Well, its members are appointed by two different local governments, of the City of Valdosta and Lowndes County, and each government provides its own criteria. Here they are: Continue reading →

Who is ZBOA?

The current members of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA) are:
City of Valdosta
Allan Strickland, Chair
Laverne Gaskins
Scott Orenstein, Vice-Chair
Nancy Hobby
Paul Alvarado 		Lowndes County
Gretchen Quarterman
Dr. William Houseal
Dave Kirk
Here they are at their 14 Sep 2010 meeting:

Left to right: Laverne Gaskins, Gretchen Quarterman, Paul Alvarado, Allan Strickland (Chair), Scott Orenstein (Vice-Chair), and Dr. William Houseal. (Nancy Hobby and Dave Kirk were not present at that meeting.)

According to the city’s web page about them:

The ZBOA is a joint board consisting of eight appointed citizens, four each for the City of Valdosta and Lowndes County. Members are appointed for three year terms. City board members are appointed by the Mayor-Council based on their experience in land development, their familiarity with the City of Valdosta Zoning Ordinance, and their willingness to commit sufficient time to the board in order to be an effective board member.
What do they do? Continue reading →