Tag Archives: flood

Folsom Bridge and Skipper Bridge USGS gauge funding, beer and wine, Extension Office Presentation @ LCC 2021-10-25

Continued funding for two river gauges is the only significant decision on a very brief agenda for the Lowndes County Commission 8:30 AM tomorrow morning, and voting 5:30 PM ~~Tuesday~~ Monday, that same evening. One of them used to be funded by Valdosta, which it primarily benefits, but Lowndes County picked up that one back in 2019. The other the county has been funding since 2009; it’s at the same Little River location that at its last meeting the Commission fortunately decided not to close to the public.

There’s a Monday morning Work Session presentation from the Lowndes County Extension Service Office.

The only actual decisions are on yet another beer and wine license, and on funding two USGS gauges, at Folsom Bridge on GA 122 on the Little River west of Hahira, and at Skipper Bridge on the Withlacoochee River north of Valdosta.

Gauge cost, Little River, Withlacoochee River

Lowndes County has been funding $14,200 for the Folsom Bridge gauge since shortly after the big flood of 2009. Note that this the same Little River site that the Commssion in its last meeting decided not to close to the public by not closing Wells Road.

Here are LAKE videos of their October 2012 Continue reading →

Neighbors oppose Val Del rezoning @ LCC 2018-10-09

If not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, nor with the water and sewer growth plan, fire and rescue doesn’t want it, and the Planning Commission recommended rejecting it, what does it take for the Lowndes County Commission to reject a zoning, in this case for REZ-2018-17 for The Settlement North, 5999 Val Del Road?

Only three people were allowed to speak against, of the five whose hands went up.

The developer promised restrictive covenants enforced by nobody but the homeowners. County-imposed conditions on the Nelson Hill development, also on Val Del, were largely waived by county staff without public hearings. What promises should we believe?

Will the developer’s demand to ignore the Comprehensive Plan because of “market conditions, supply and demand” prevail? Do property values of neighbors not matter? How about saddling the county school system with houses priced too low for property taxes on them to cover expenses of sending school buses? Or is profit for a few all that matters?

See the Continue reading →

Major climate change victory in U.S. House on Bastille Day 2017-07-14

On the anniversary of the French Revolution against a corrupt old regime, the U.S. House of Representatives took a step towards independence from the clammy grip of the fossil fuel companies. This has direct implications on Moody AFB. No more pipelines. Solar power now.

Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, 14 July 2017, In Landmark Move, GOP Congress Calls Climate Change ‘Direct Threat’ to Security: Extreme weather and rising seas threaten bases from Virginia to Guam. For the first time, a Republican House has voted to recognize that.,

One study last year found that rising oceans threaten 128 military installations on the coasts, including naval facilities worth around $100 billion.

The Pentagon has been aware for years of Continue reading →

Flood map funding on Valdosta agennda @ VCC 2016-08-11

It’s Valdosta’s turn, after Lowndes County approved up to $40,000, tomorrow (Thursday 11 Aug 2016), it’s on the Valdosta City Council agenda for the city to approve a similar amount, adding up to matching what USGS is willing to supply. It was Valdosta’s idea in the first place, and maybe this interactive flood map for a small part of the Withlacoochee River through Valdosta will help prevent, or at least provide early warning for, the types of road closings and other floodings that happened in 2009.

REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
5:30 PM Thursday, August 11, 2016
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
Continue reading →

Videos: funded flood map, Behavioral Health Board still vacant, Rezoning also on GLPC Monday, road abandonment, land exchange @ LCC 2016-07-26

On July 26th 2016, they approved up to $40,000 for the Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project, and I thanked them for that and for considering my modest suggestion. The County Manager, unlike the previous morning, did not mention it’s time for scheduling meetings to set millage rates. Still no applicant for the Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Board, but Commissioner Joyce Evans thought she had a prospect for later.

They approved the event center rezoning which also sailed by the previous night’s Planning Commission.

Below are links to each LAKE video with a few notes, followed by a video playlist. See also Continue reading →

Videos: Vacant seat Behavioral Health Board, Rezoning also on GLPC Monday, road abandonment, land exchange, and flood map project @ LCC 2016-07-25

They didn’t have an applicant for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities at Monday morning’s Work Session; Chairman Bill Slaughter invited anyone who wanted to apply to speak up. The Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project had the longest discussion, and the County Manager reminded everyone it’s time for scheduling meetings to set millage rates. They vote tonight at 5:30 PM; see Continue reading →

Vacant seat Behavioral Health Board, Rezoning also on GLPC Monday, road abandonment, land exchange, and flood map project @ LCC 2016-07-25

Public hearings for the event center rezoning and the Abandonment of a Portion of Worthington Triangle are on the agenda for the Monday morning Work Session and for voting in the Tuesday evening Regular Session. That rezoning is also (back) on Planning Commission agenda for Monday evening.

And back on the County Commission agenda is the Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project; see LAKE videos from the previous County Commission meetings, and a modest suggestion.

Also in water, another LAS Pump Motor Repair and a Foxborough Pressure Reducing Valve/Vault. It was actually an LAS pump control panel last month.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JULY 25, 2016, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2016, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: 3 appointments, 1 well public hearing, Withlacoochee River Flood Map @ LCC 2016-07-12

They tabled the Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project, which is better than rejecting the idea of spending $40,000 to match Valdosta for a composite 50% match for a USGS grant.

As expected from the previous morning, they appointed Chairman Bill Slaughter to the South Georgia Community Service Board, after he got that board to change the time of its meetings to be different from this Commission’s time.

They approved the REZ-2016-12 Salami, 3320 Bemiss Rd community well for a home school science facility.

Below are links to each LAKE video of the Monday June 12th 2016 Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, followed by a video playlist. See also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session, and the agenda.

1. Call to Order 2. Invocation 3. Pledge
Video.
4. Minutes for Approval
Video.
5.a. Appointment – South Georgia Community Service Board
Video. A Commissioner after the vote appointing Chairman Slaughter asked what this board did. Chairman’s answer: mostly behavioral health, and they used to hold their meetings the same time as the Lowndes meetings, but they have moved them to Adel at 1PM presumably also on Tuesday.
5.b. Appointment – Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals
Video. They reappointed Randall Crews.
5.c. Appointment – Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)- County Appointment
Video. They reappointed Paul Alvarado.
6.a. REZ-2016-12 Salami, 3320 Bemiss Rd, R-21 to C-G,
Video. Nobody spoke against. The applicant spoke for, summarizing what had already been said in the LAKE video of the June 27th 2016 Planning Commission review of this rezoning request. The County Commission unanimously approved the rezoning.
7.a. Beer Wine & Liquor License Holiday Market Liquors 3954 Old US Hwy 41N
Video. “The old country store location which has been out of business for a few months.” They unanimously approved.
7.b. Grants Management Policy and Procedures
Video.
7.c. Evidence Based Associates Service Agreement
Video. See the LAKE videos from the previous morning’s Work Session for more background.
7.d. Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project
Video. For quite a bit more background, see the LAKE video from the previous morning’s Work Session. Chairman asked for timeline. Ashley Tye said federal year starts October 1st, so Valdosta would like to have and agreement ready to sign before then. Also they could come back at a later time, but could lose out on the federal funding match.
Chairman asked for timeline to get agreement ready by then. Tye said agreement with USGS would be with Valdosta, and he would check back with them for a more firm date, and would probably be best to decide at next Lowndes County Commission meeting.
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall asked confirmation that waiting until the next meeting would work. Answer: tabling until next meeting would work. And that’s what they did.
8.a. Bid for Pest Control Services
Video. Same summary as in Work Session. They unanimously approved the low bid from Astro Exterminating Services.
9. Reports – County Manager
Video. “No additional report.”
10. CWTBH (none) 11. Adjournment
Video. No citizens wished to be heard, so they adjourned.

Here’s a video playlist:

Videos: 3 appointments, 1 well public hearing, Withlacoochee River Flood Map
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, July 12, 2016.

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Videos: 3 appointments, 1 well public hearing, Withlacoochee River Flood Map @ LCC 2016-07-11

They vote Tuesday 5:30 PM. Monday morning at the Work Session, after some resistance from a Commissioner, surprisingly Chairman Bill Slaughter argued for paying the $40,000 to match Valdosta on the LiDAR flood maps to prevent loss of life and property damage. He even said “folks that live in our cities are Lowndes County Citizens as well.”

Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye answered questions the Commissioners didn’t think to ask about Continue reading →

3 appointments, 1 well public hearing, Withlacoochee River Flood Map @ LCC 2016-07-11

Monday morning, will Lowndes County match Valdosta with $40,000 for LiDAR for the Withlacoochee River Flood Inundation Map Project? They vote Tuesday 5:30 PM.

A bit more information about the REZ-2016-12 Salami, 3320 Bemiss Rd community well for a home school science facility; see also the LAKE video of the June 27th 2016 Planning Commission review of this rezoning request.

No explanation of why there’s a vacancy on the South Georgia Community Service Board nor why Chairman Bill Slaughter is who they’re going to appoint. Reappointing Randall Crews to the Valdosta- Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals and Paul Alvarado to the Valdosta/Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA). Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange