Videos: Inner Perimeter Overlay Zone, Personal Care, and Estate Agriculture @ GLPC 2017-04-24

The Planning Commission welcomed a new member, Mrs. Vicki Rountree representing Hahira, but neither Valdosta’s nor Lowndes County’s websites have her listed; they both still list Ted Raker for Hahira.

They unanimously recommended a split rezoning to conservation and E-A for REZ-2017-04 Jeffrey Taibl, and they unanimously recommended REZ-2017-05 Cody Califf’s rezoning of agricultural to residential development. Nobody spoke for or against either Lowndes County case, both of which are on the Lowndes County Commission agenda for this Monday and Tuesday.

The front yard was the main concern on the Valdosta case about the CU-2017-02 Personal Care Home on Hollywood Street, which they recommended unanimously after adding a condition to keep staff from parking on the street. The other two Valdosta cases involved the Inner Perimeter Road Corridor Overlay District of Valdosta’s Land Development Regulations. CU-2017-03 Flint Equipment wants to be an additional John Deere dealer, and Planning Commissioners unanimously approved their request, which had already been slightly reduced by city staff. VA-2017-07 Sapelo Sound Investments wants “signage ability like their commercial neighbors” and Planning Commissioners unanimously recommended that.

Below are links to each of the LAKE videos, followed by a video playlist. See also Continue reading →

Videos: Conditions on Valdosta Country Club, unanimous county access ariance @ ZBOA 2017-04-04

Last month the Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved Don Brotherton’s road access variance and by an unusual 3-2-1 vote approved the Valdosta Country Club’s city variance for its clubhouse golf cart barn, with the conditions including planting native plants between the barn and Country Club Road.

This 4 April 2017 meeting had a very light agenda for the decision-making Zoning Board of Appeals. Courtesy of ZBOA member Gretchen Quarterman, the entire board packet is on the LAKE website. Below, from the Valdosta city website, is ZBOA’s Meeting Results Summary. Continue reading →

Almost 90% of new power in Europe from renewable sources in 2016 | Environment | The Guardian

Adam Vaughan, The Guardian, 9 February 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/feb/09/new-energy-europe-renewable-sources-2016

Renewable percentages 2009-2016

That’s an even higher proportion than the approximately 64% solar and wind percentage of new U.S. electric power in 2016.

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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!

Videos: Juvenile Court, County Extension, Aiport, Tax Appraiser, Budget Requests (3 of 3 days) @ LCC 2017-03-29

The Tax Appraiser finally showed up, and got the longest discussion at half an hour, with County Extension clocking in at 22 minutes, Juvenile Court at 15, and the Airport Authority at almost 13 minutes, in the last of three days of budget requests to the Lowndes County Commission.

Here are links to each of the LAKE videos of this day 3 of 3 budget meeting, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

Four County Cases in ZBOA Packet 2017-05-02

All four are county cases for tomorrow 2:30 PM at the decision-making [Zoning Location Map] Zoning Board of Appeals, one each lot width and family ties and two about setbacks. The agenda and board packet are on the LAKE website courtesy of ZBOA board member Gretchen Quarterman.

Valdosta – Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals

Matt Martin,
Valdosta Planning and Zoning Administrator
300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia
(229) 259-3563

Carmella Braswell,
Lowndes County Zoning Administrator
327 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia
(229) 671-2430

AGENDA
May 2, 2017
2:30 p.m.

Continue reading →

Videos: 911, T-SPLOST details, delinguent subdivision, Juvenile Justice Incentive, GDOT Exits @ LCC 2017-04-11

The Lowndes County Commission did not meet this week (no reason given: the meetings merely marked Canceled on the county’s online calendar), but it did two weeks ago.

On April 11, 2017 we discovered the T-SPLOST meeting would be at the regular SGRC location in Pearson, 1PM Monday April 17, 2017. Michelle Williams of Hahira noted a phenomenon of people not checking for ownership of lost and found pets. The week of 10 April 2017 was Telecommunications Week and the Chairman thanked 911 Center personnel.

The GDOT Mowing Contract includes all the exits in Lowndes County. They unanimously approved that and everything else, The longest item at almost eight minutes was the Tuscan Palms subvision asking to be forgiven paving money the county gave it that never was used. Continue reading →

Duke Energy solar: NC, SC, and now Florida

Duke’s new solar farms in Florida echo what Duke was already doing three and a half years ago when an independent study concluded more solar power in North Carolina would save utility ratepayers tens of millions of dollars annually.


Duke solar power farm in Perry, Florida, courtesy Duke Energy

John Downey, Charlotte Business Journal, 23 October 2013, Study: Solar benefits outweigh costs in NC, Continue reading →

Inner Perimeter Overlay Zone, Personal Care, and Estate Agriculture @ GLPC 2017-04-24

Two of the three Valdosta cases for tonight involve the Inner Perimeter Road Corridor Overlay District of Valdosta’s Land Development Regulations. The other Valdosta case is about a Personal Care Home on Hollywood Street. The two Lowndes County cases on ‘ the Planning Commission agenda are opposite: REZ-2017-05 Cody Califf wants the usual rezoning of agricultural to residential development, but REZ-2017-04 Jeffrey Taibl wants to return to Estate Agricultural.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA
Monday, April 24, 2017 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue

Continue reading →