Videos: No-bid Old US 41 N, private Carter Way, VLMPO, Bemiss Road * 2, sewer, safety, and incarceration @ LCC 2016-04-11

The Old US 41N paving project is no-bid. If they bid, they would actually know which was the most cost-effective….

In his Report, County Manager Joe Pritchard asked them to add to the agenda an item about fixing a private road off US 84, Carter Way. Most of the Commissioners previously seemed to be unfamiliar with this issue, although we had seen Chairman Bill Slaughter and Commissioner Joyce Evans listen to what seemed to be a request for this same road at the Lowndes County Democratic Party Meet the Candidates meeting the previous Monday.

See also Continue reading

Videos: PUD setback, road access, and building variances @ ZBOA 2016-04-05

LAKE videos of the four Lowndes County cases before ZBOA. There was some discussion about VAR-2016-04 Joshua Restoration Ranch (5808 McDonald Road), which is about road access for a group/family personal care home. One was already withdrawn by the applicant: VAR-2016-03 Southers (1290 Southers Lane). The other two are about minimum building setbacks and road access. Thanks to ZBOA member Gretchen Quarterman, the entire board packet is on the LAKE website, and here’s the agenda.

ZBOA makes actual decisions, unlike the Planning Commission, which only recommends. Here’s a video playlist:


Videos: PUD setback, road access, and building variances
Regular Session, Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 5 April 2016.

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VLMPO appointment, Bemiss Road * 2, sewer, safety, and incarceration @ LCC 2016-04-11

A very busy agenda, for Monday morning’s Work Session and Tuesday evening’s Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. See also the LAKE videos of the three county cases from the recent Planning Commission meeting.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016,  8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2016,  5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

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Videos: Bemiss Rd * 2, Mulligan Road, US 94 @ GLPC 2016-03-28

Here are the LAKE videos of the 28 March 2016 Planning Commission meeting; see also the agenda. Continue reading

Bemiss Rd * 2, Mulligan Road, US 94 @ GLPC 2016-03-28

Here’s the agenda for the 28 March 2016 Planning Commission meeting.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA

Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue
Monday, March 28, 2016 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

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A Tour of Remerton

Welcome to Remerton

Welcome to Remerton

Jessica Freeman, planner and probation officer in Remerton, invited me to get to know Remerton a little better. “It’s not just college student housing and bars.”

Remerton City Hall

Remerton City Hall

I met up with her at Remerton City Hall. She showed me around the new construction, which includes a second payment window for the busy days when water bills are due. It seems that everyone wears more than one hat on the city staff.
Remerton City Council Chambers

Remerton City Council Chambers

If you haven’t been Continue reading

Federal court rules fossil fuels violate constitutional rights 2016-04-08

Our Children’s Trust, Press Release, 9 April 2016, Judge Denies Motions by Fossil Fuel Industry and Federal Government in Landmark Climate Change Case,

Today, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin of the federal District Court in Eugene, OR, decided in favor of 21 young Plaintiffs, and Dr. James Hansen on behalf of future generations, in their landmark constitutional climate change case brought against the federal government and the fossil fuel industry. The Court’s ruling is a major victory for the 21 youth Plaintiffs, ages 8-19, from across the U.S. in what Bill McKibben and Naomi Klein call the “most important lawsuit on the planet right now.” These plaintiffs sued the federal government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty and property, and their right to essential public trust resources, by permitting, encouraging, and otherwise enabling continued exploitation, production, and combustion of fossil fuels.

Full press release and court order.

In denying the motions of the federal government and the fossil fuel industry, the court’s decision framed the issue as follows:

“Plaintiffs are suing the United States … because the government has known for decades that carbon dioxide (C02) pollution has been causing catastrophic climate change and has failed to take necessary action to curtail fossil fuel emissions. Moreover, Continue reading

Wind and Solar are winning by 2 to 1 over gas and coal

Guess what’s really inevitable, pipeline companies? Solar and wind power.

Utility scare tactics that no coal means pipelines are so much hot air. Scare tactics that no pipelines would mean LNG trains are burnt up by solar power. Stop pipelnes or fracking and stop the other and LNG export along with it. And we’re winning!

Tom Randall, Bloomberg, 6 April 2016, Wind and Solar Are Crushing Fossil Fuels: Record clean energy investment outpaces gas and coal 2 to 1. Continue reading