So well attended there weren’t enough handouts,
as remarked on by Greg Odom,
who
later also said the proposed Comprehensive Plan Update didn’t have any plans for canopy roads, or roads on existing rights of way like in Virginia:
“For the past 25 years there has not been a healthy attitude
about people who want to maintain dirt roads.
There has been an attitude of let’s pave everything,
and let’s pave it in an outrageous way….”
Last night’s meeting was billed Continue reading
No agenda available to the public,
not on county’s website,
and not available at the door at Monday’s Planning Commission Work Session.
They didn’t even say the rezoning case numbers.
Apparently the Planning Commissioners had a board packet with some materials,
but the citizens and taxpayers did not get to see it,
and the City Planner said the electronic version would be much different.
They haven’t even put a sign up on
the Lowndes County property.
The
Valdosta rezoning
is a pretty big deal, with a grocery store and a gas station
for the unnamed applicant, who apparently is Continue reading
For an item
also on the Valdosta agenda tonight,
lack of transparency and concern for trees perplexed a prominent local citizen at the Planning Commission,
as you can see in
the LAKE video of the
25 January 2016 GLPC Regular Session.
Glenn Gregory said:
I think y’all might have a site plan, but the public does not have a site plan.
Commissioner Celine Godwin recommended Gregory take his transparency recommendation to the Valdosta City Council. We shall see, at 5:30 PM tonight. Gretchen will be there with the LAKE video camera.
Jason Stewart, VDT, 29 January 2016, Gregory opposes cemetery proposal, Continue reading
Following
the email announcement about the Comprehensive Plan,
I showed up late, expecting no formal presentation and
a typical SGRC tables-and-easels mill-about meeting,
and found the Planning Commission and staff in their usual seats.
Turns out they were there for their
Work Session agenda;
see the
LAKE videos.
As you can see in this video of the first part of the meeting,
there were citizen questions from Valdosta City Council Sandra Tooley and from me. Continue reading
The Lowndes County cases
are the ones the County Commission is reviewing
this morning in their Work Session.
GLPC recommended approval for all of them, with conditions on one,
REZ-2016-03 Jacob Eckwahl on US 41 South.
See also the GLPC agenda and the LAKE videos of the 19 Jan 2016 GLPC Work Session. Below are the LAKE videos of the 25 Jan 2016 GLPC Regular Session, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading
Not on
the agenda,
they started with
a public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan.
Expecting from
the email announcement about the Comprehensive Plan
that this would be a typical SGRC tables-and-easels mill-about meeting,
I didn’t show up on the dot and was quite surprised to find
the Planning Commission and staff in their usual spots.
See separate post.
Here are the LAKE videos with some notes, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading
The owner of
a parcel on US 41 South wants to rezone
from R-10 back to Estate Agriculture.
That Lowndes County case is the opposite of the Hahira case that wants
rezoning
from single-family to multi-family,
and there are many other cases in between, plus
another cemetery case!
Here’s the agenda for Monday’s Regular Session, and also for last Monday’s Work Session, even though it doesn’t say that.
Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Continue reading
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
Tuesday, January 25, 2016 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing
Even the Planning Commissioners weren’t told what company “Project Max” is, because
the Development Authority is still bidding the location as one of two
being considered by the company.
See also the
agenda
the
previous update.
Planning Commissioners did have quite a few questions about expansion, appropriate zoning, any potential pollution or contamination, etc.
Naturally, the Planning Commission recommended approval,
so the actual decision will be before the County Commission
next Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, here are links to the LAKE videos of the Planning Commission, with a few notes, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading
We still don’t know what company
might locate on Rocky Ford Road,
but we’re told it’s clean,
needs water to cool its boiler which will be fired by natural gas,
that it rejected Bassford Business Park because of air quality
(too near Sterling Chemical?), and we have the location of the new site,
which turns out to be on
land owned by Langdale Capital Assets, Inc.
Speaking for the rezoning from the Development Authority were Executive Director Andrea Schruijer, Industry Coordinator Stan Crance, and Chairman Tom Call. Every Lowndes County Commissioner was present. When asked how an agenda the same day was enough notice, Lowndes County Planner Jason Davenport said the Special Called Meeting was actually announced in the Valdosta Daily Times last week. Also that the rezoning will only take effect if the Development Authority buys the land first. Gretchen asked a few questions about parking: if the business is going to expand, will there be enough? Someone told Gretchen that the company would have solar power.
We shall see. And you will be able to see this meeting by tomorrow in the LAKE videos Gretchen took. Continue reading
Update 7:30 PM 5 Jan 2016: The land is owned by Langdale, and why not Bassford Business Park.
Henry Manufacturing (the one in Oregon? Decatur, GA?) on the agenda for a Special Called Meeting of the Planning Commission, just announced today, for 5:30 PM today. Apparently the Development Authority thinks it’s landed a big fish and wants a rezoning for it. Which 134 acres on Rocky Ford Road is not clear: there’s no such size tract according to the Tax Assessors’ map.
All the large tracts are owned either by Langdale Company or a Langdale investment corporation. Or it could be out of the 219.99 acre tract owned by the Paine Clarence M. Family Trust or the 187.76 acre tract owned by Griffin LLC. As usual, we the taxpayers are left guessing. Tonight at 5:30 PM maybe we’ll find out. -jsq Continue reading