Tag Archives: Alapaha River

Videos: Lake Alapaha rezoning to ag., Howell Road rezoning and annexation to Valdosta @ GLPC 2026-07-27

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Update 2026-08-07: Packet: R-21 to E-A rezoning, Jail door lock and skylight, Subdivision Infrastructure, LMIG Resurfacing Bids @ LCC 2026-08-10.

After sixteen minutes and several citizen speakers, the Planning Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of 3. REZ-2026-15 Mardun Ventures, 6325 Lake Alapaha Blvd., ~10.7 acres, Map & Parcel 0261 056″.

[Videos: Lake Alapaha rezoning to ag. @ GLPC 2026-07-27, Howell Road rezoning and annexation to Valdosta]
Videos: Lake Alapaha rezoning to ag. @ GLPC 2026-07-27, Howell Road rezoning and annexation to Valdosta

In a rare showing, four Lowndes County Commissioners were present for whole session: Michael Smith, Chairman Bill Slaughter, Scottie Orenstein, and Mark Wisenbaker.

The Planning Commissioners took 35 minutes to reach a split vote on 4. VA-2026-07 Request by Sheldon Hill and Laine Chaney to rezone 15.57 acres and 5. VA-2026-08 Request by Sheldon Hill and Laine Chaney to annex a total of 21.97 acres into the City of Valdosta.

They even had Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter talk about water and sewer delivery pricing and annexation, at 15:10.

They recommended approval of the rezoning by 7:1, with Ed Hightower against.

They recommended denial of the annexation by 7:1, with James Miller against.

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

See also the Continue reading →

Packet: Lake Alapaha rezoning to ag., Howell Road rezoning and annexation to Valdosta @ GLPC 2026-07-27

Three cases with only two sets of applicants will be heard 5:30 PM, Monday, July 26, 2026, by the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

[Collage: Packet @ GLPC 2026-07-27]
Collage: Packet @ GLPC 2026-07-27

In a seldom-seen type of case, Michael Jones of Mardun Ventures wants to rezone 10.7 acres from R-21 to E-A, Estate Agriculture, to use for silviculture operations. The property does contain wetlands and it is near the Alapaha River.

Sheldon Hill and Laine Chaney want to rezone two parcels from R-A to M-2 and C-H, and to annex it into the City of Valdosta, at the northeast corner of Inner Perimeter Road and Howell Road. “The applicants are proposing to market this property for future industrial and commercial development due to its strategic location adjacent to the railroad and its proximity to Inner Perimeter Road. The applicants are requesting annexation in order to allow access to municipal utilities and other City services.”

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website, along with the minutes of the previous meeting, which surprisingly, were on the county’s own website!

Images of each page are 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 20, 2026 5:30 P.M. Work Session
Monday, July 27, 2026 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Valdosta City Hall Annex
300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia 31601

Continue reading →

Videos: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC Regular 2025-09-09

They unanimously denied the controversial rezoning, 5.a. REZ-2024-06 Budd Horace Ave, 1735 Madison Hwy, ~3.0ac, CON – C-H. The Lowndes County Commissioners approved the other rezoning, and everythig else, at their Regular Session, Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

In 8. Reports – County Manager, County Attorney Walter Elliott said the county is required by state law to initiate the Service Delivery Strategies (SDS) process. If I heard him correctly, they already did back in April. We already knew the county intends to stick with the current SDS.

[Collage @ LCC 9 September 2025]
Collage @ LCC 9 September 2025

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 →

Videos: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08

Update 2025-09-12: Videos: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC Regular 2025-09-09.

The Lowndes County Commissioners were quite chatty at their Work Session yesterday morning, which took more than 35 minutes; very unusual for them. They vote this evening at 5:30 PM.

Yesterday, they discussed the controversial rezoning for a suprisingly long time, almost 17 minutes: 5.a. REZ-2024-06 Budd Horace Ave, 1735 Madison Hwy, ~3.0ac, CON – C-H. Nobody seemed to be defending it. The Chairman did suggest maybe tabling it.

The other rezoning breezed by, 5.b. REZ-2025-14 Dinkins, 6533 Lake Alapaha Blvd, 1.0ac, C-C to R-21.

Also they spent more than 12 minutes on 6.a. Pet Shop Ordinance and more than 4 minutes on 7.a. Moody Water Storage Tank Rehab. It’s an underground concrete tank, and apparently those have to be lined these days.

[Collage @ LCC 8 September 2025]
Collage @ LCC 8 September 2025

Below are Continue reading →

Packet: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08

Update 2025-09-09: Videos: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08.

The rezoning on Horace Avenue next to Mud Swamp Creek that the Planning Commission recommended to deny is on the agenda for the Lowndes County Commission this week.

As is the Lake Alapaha Boulevard rezoning that sailed through the Planning Commission.

Plus a Pet Shop Ordinance, and Moody Water Storage Tank Rehab, for which Moody is reimbursing the county.

[Packet: 1 controversial, 1 easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08]
Packet: 1 controversial, 1 easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08

Here is the agenda.

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

For the rezonings, see also the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2025, 8:30 A.M.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2025, 5:30 P.M.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Videos: 1 Complicated Lowndes County case, 1 easy, 1 Lake Park, 6 Valdosta @ GLPC 2025-08-25

Update 2025-10-11: Packet: Rezonings, Dogs, Roads, and Subdivisions @ LCC 2025-10-13.

Update 2025-10-09: Packet: LP-2025-01, Lake Park Church of Christ @ GLPC 2025-08-25.

Update 2025-09-07: Packet: A controversial and an easy rezoning, pet shop ordinance, and Moody AFB water storage tank @ LCC 2025-09-08.

The apparently complicated rezoning did take 21 minutes, 3. REZ-2024-06 – 1735 Madison Hwy – Horace Ave. CON – C-H to CON – C-H. Ed Hightower moved to recommend denial, seconded by Tommy Willis. Vicki Rountree voted against, and the motion passed 6:1.

But the two longest were Valdosta City Cases, almost 39 minutes on 8. VA-2025-08 Andrew Duren (417 Brookfield Road) C-C(c) to C-C and almost 44 minutes on 11. VA-2025-11 Stoker Development LLC (310 Eager Road) R-15 to R-6.

[Collage @ GLPC 25 August 2025]
Collage @ GLPC 25 August 2025

The Planning Commissioners recommended denial 4:3 on VA-2025-11 Stoker, and approval everything else.

Commissioner Chip Wildes has been reappointed by the Valdosta City Council.

The meeting had item 13. 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update but the item was never announced.

See also the Continue reading →

Packet: Lowndes County materials @ GLPC 2025-05-19

Update 2025-06-07: Videos: Two Lowndes County cases, 1 Hahira, 2 Valdosta @ GLPC 2025-05-27.

Update 2025-05-20: There was no quorum, so there was no GLPC meeting yesterday.

In addition to the two Valdosta machine and welding shop Conditional Use Permit requests, this evening the Planning Commission will hear a C-G to C-H rezonings request for All Metal Buildings to “unifity the commercial zoning on the properties for their expanding business” across Madison Highway east of the Valdosta Airport.

[Collage, Lowndes County rezoning materials @ GLPC Packet 2025-05-19]
Collage, Lowndes County rezoning materials @ GLPC Packet 2025-05-19

Plus there’s a county request north of Naylor for E-A to R-A near the Cherry Creek that flows into the Alapaha River a bit upstream from Old State Road in Lowndes County and Hochkiss Road in Lanier County.

Those Lowndes County packet materials, received in response to a LAKE open recor ds request, are on the LAKE website.

See also the Continue reading →

Videos: Three rezonings, three tax items, Sheriff Office and Water Wells bids @ LCC Regular 2025-04-08

The Tuesday evening Regular Session two weeks ago took 28 minutes, 5 of which were a Citizen Wishing to be Heard: 10. CWTBH – Brian Cosey – 4881 Newton Circle – dangerous dogs. He was actually speaking for three people.

[Collage @ LCC 8 April 2025]
Collage @ LCC 8 April 2025

The Lowndes County Commissioners did not repeat 4. Georgia 811 Safe Digging Month Proclamation. For that, you’ll need to see the LAKE videos of the preceding Work Session.

There was some Commissioner discussion of the first of the three rezonings, but all three breezed through unanimously, as did everything else.

Once again, the item with the longest discussion, this time 2.5 minutes, was 8.a. Alapaha Plantation Water Treatment Plant New Wells – Water Main Ext.

Commissioner Scottie Orenstein wanted to know when.

Answer from Utilities Director Steve Stalvey: “We’re ready to roll” on approval.

He also wanted to know when it would be finished.

Answer: It’s a 180-day project. Within 3 or 4 months of completion we will know if we need to do a nanocompression or not.

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked about the Consent Order.

Answer: I couldn’t make out the answer.

Paige Dukes in 9. Reports – County Manager said the county’s hurricane debris collection program is finished.

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

See also the LAKE videos of the preceding Work Session and the agenda and board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request.

See also the board packet and LAKE videos for the preceding GLPC meeting.

Here is the LAKE video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiHashqrEifx8y43B9CUY_5-&si=duQqM6Qu3sQv7p75

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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!
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate

Videos: Four rezonings, mobile home decals, Lift Station Pump, Tax Refunds @ LCC Regular 2025-02-11

Another meeting so long it had to be interrupted by the second scheduled Public Hearing on opting out of the state homestead exemption law: Tuesday evening’s Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.

[Bethany Drive & River Run Passed over GLPC recommendation, Lowndes County Commission, February 11, 2025]
Bethany Drive & River Run Passed over GLPC recommendation, Lowndes County Commission, February 11, 2025

The longest items Tuesday evening were the same that had had opposition in the Planning Commission.

5.a. REZ-2025-01 Hurtado Property, Bethany Dr., ~6.4ac, R-A to R-1 after much opposition and discussion passed 3:1 with a condition: no more than 5 residences.

5.d. REZ-2025-04 River Run Farm, 6490 River Run, ~27ac., C-C to R-21. passed 3:2 with Chairman Bill Slaughter breaking a tie.

Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker was not present the entire meeting.

Everything else passed unanimously.

For 5.c. REZ-2025-03 Thomas Linville, 4888 Break Thru Rd., ~16.3ac, R-1 to E-A the applicant clarified that he does not use chemicals for fire retardant, only water, most of his work is computer work, and there will be no big light on the property.

Two items passed 3:0 because a Commissioner had stepped out of the room.

Commissioner Smith was out for 6.a. Resolution Authorizing Lowndes Co. Tax Com. to Receive Checks etc..

Commissioner Orenstein was out for 6.h. Rules and Regulations for Claims for Refunds of Taxes

For 6.f. Acceptance of Hazard Mitigation Grant for Generators Commissioner Orenstein noted that when Ashley Tye fixes a problem, it does not cost the county anything. See also 7. County Manager Report about FEMA, GEMA, and water wells.

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

See also Continue reading →

Videos: Four rezonings, mobile home decals, Lift Station Pump, Tax Refunds @ LCC Work 2025-02-10

Update 2025-02-13: Videos: Four rezonings, mobile home decals, Lift Station Pump, Tax Refunds @ LCC Regular 2025-02-11.

A meeting so long it had to be interrupted by the scheduled Public Hearing on opting out of the state homestead exemption law: yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session.

They vote on the regular items this evening at 5:30 PM.

The longest items yesterday morning were the same that had had opposition in the Planning Commission:
5.a. REZ-2025-01 Hurtado Property, Bethany Dr., ~6.4ac, R-A to R-1 and
5.d. REZ-2025-04 River Run Farm, 6490 River Run, ~27ac., C-C to R-21.

[Collage @ LCC 10 February 2025]
Collage @ LCC 10 February 2025

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 agenda and the Lowndes County Commission board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request:
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/02/four-rezonings-mobile-home-decals-lift-station-pump-tax-refunds-lcc-2025-02-10.html

For the separate homestead exemption opt-out Public Hearing, see:
http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/02/lowndes-county-considers-opting-out-of-house-bill-581-lcc-public-hearing-2025-02-10.html

For the rezonings, see also the preceding Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) board packet materials, its agenda, and the LAKE videos of the GLPC meeting. Continue reading →