Tag Archives: Lake Alapaha Boulevard

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 →

Videos: R-21 to E-A rezoning, Jail door lock and skylight, Subdivision Infrastructure, LMIG Resurfacing Bids @ LCC Regular 2026-08-11

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The Lowndes County Commission passed everything unanimously. Plus they had a proclamation about 811, two citizens spoke about datacenters, one about an alleged sinkhole, one invitation to a fair, and one talked about Southern Georgia Black Chambers.

Vice-Chair Mark Wisenbaker again presided, this time over the Regular Session.

Here are the LAKE videos of this Regular Session, with a few notes by John S. Quarterman.

See also Continue reading →

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

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Vice-Chair Mark Wisenbaker presided over the Lowndes County Commission Work Session this morning. They vote Tuesday evening at 5:30 PM.

Commissioners spent almost six minutes on 6.a. REZ-2026-15 Mardun Ventures, 6434 Lake Alapaha Blvd ~10.7ac, R-21 To E-A. Lowndes County Commissioner Michael Smith wondered about possible blueberries instead of pine trees.
County Planner JD Dillard said it could happen.

https://youtu.be/AqAR2FViiMY?si=tvRo3DgMwlG2h9sF

[Videos: R-21 to E-A rezoning, Jail door lock & skylight @ LCC Work, Subdivision Infrastructure & LMIG, Partnership Health Center 2026-08-10]
Videos: R-21 to E-A rezoning, Jail door lock & skylight @ LCC Work, Subdivision Infrastructure & LMIG, Partnership Health Center 2026-08-10

David Crawford took about five minutes to talk about Partnership Health Center as part of 9. County Manager Report.

https://youtu.be/oFi7tV2aWV8?si=5g95qOAmPo6xhGns

He talked about the number of people that they have provided services to this year. He emphasized that people come from all county commission districts. The people that they help have no insurance and are not covered by Medicare or Medicaid or any other private insurance.

[Partnership Health Center, 2026-08-10]
Partnership Health Center, 2026-08-10

Since Lowndes County does not post video of its Work Sessions, if you weren’t there this morning at 8:30 AM, you can watch it in these LAKE videos, which are followed by a LAKE video playlist.

See also Continue reading →

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

In the County Manager Report there is this item: David Crawford – Partnership Health Center (Work Session).

Since Lowndes County does not post video of its Work Sessions, you’ll either need to be there Monday morning at 8:30 AM, or watch it later in the LAKE videos.

This contentious rezoning will be decided after a Public Hearing: REZ-2026-15 Mardun Ventures, LLC, 6434 Lake Alapaha Blvd, ~10.7ac, R-21 to E-A, County Water & Septic.

The big dollar item I believe comes from state money, i.e., your state taxes, or is it T-SPLOST, also your taxes?

Cost What
$1,808,850.752026 Local Maintenance and Improvements Grant (LMIG) Local Road Assistance (LRA) Resurfacing Bids
$64,302.26Jail Skylight Replacement
$62,440.00Jail Door Locking Control System Replacement
$1,935,593.01Total

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-08-10]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-08-10

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 rezoning, see also the the preceding Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) meeting.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2026, 8:30 A.M.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

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: 2 presentations, 4 CWTBH, Appointment Board of Health, correct Tax Assessor, Qualifying Fees, grants, road widening and paving, Lakes Blvd Water Meter Relocation @ LCC Regular 2026-01-12

They tabled (again) 9.l. Abandonment of Grice Road, this time to no definite date, at the Monday evening Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

Dr. Lucy Greene is handing over her work as Moody Support. At 23 minutes, that was by far the longest item.

Four citizens spoke at the end.

[Collage @ LCC Regular Session, 12 January 2026]
Collage @ LCC Regular Session, 12 January 2026

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: 3 presentations, Appointment Board of Health, correct Tax Assessor, Qualifying Fees, grants, road widening and paving, Lakes Blvd Water Meter Relocation @ LCC Work 2026-01-02

Update 2025-01-15: Videos: 2 presentations, 4 CWTBH, Appointment Board of Health, correct Tax Assessor, Qualifying Fees, grants, road widening and paving, Lakes Blvd Water Meter Relocation @ LCC Regular 2026-01-12.

A rare sight at the Monday morning Work Session: the Lowndes County Chairman and the Valdosta Mayor jointly reading a Proclamation of I love Public Schools Day.

They discussed tabling (again) 9.l. Abandonment of Grice Road trying to avoid making any landlocked lots and other concerns about neighboring lots.

[Collage @ LCC Work Session, 12 January 2026]
Collage @ LCC Work Session, 12 January 2026

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 board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request.

If they put it on their own website, lowndescounty.com, under Agenda Center, nobody would have to file an open records request and county staff wouldn’t have to spend time sending out packets.

Here is the LAKE video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLshUv86fYkiHack-3koY45nFAwmkCKyHM&si=aVZFV6sV0MjMHiOz

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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

Packet: 3 presentations, Appointment Board of Health, correct Tax Assessor, Qualifying Fees, grants, road widening and paving, Lakes Blvd Water Meter Relocation @ LCC 2026-01-12

Update 2025-01-14: Videos: 3 presentations, Appointment Board of Health, correct Tax Assessor, Qualifying Fees, grants, road widening and paving, Lakes Blvd Water Meter Relocation @ LCC Work 2026-01-12.

Both Work Session and Regular Session are today, Monday, January 12, 2026, for the Lowndes County Commission. I don’t know why.

They didn’t do the appointment right in December for Felicia Williams as a Tax Assessor, so do-over today.

Frances Brown wants to be reappointed to the Lowndes County Board of Health.

As required by state law, they’re setting the qualifying fee to run for County Commissioner: it’s $450.

Three grant application or acceptance items are on the agenda, for Juvenile Justice and Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).

Two Acceptance of Infrastructure, for Knights Landing Phase IV Section I, and for Colbie Place Subdivision on River Road.

Four road widening items, and one Abandonment of Grice Road.

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-01-12]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2026-01-12

Finally, $63,801.00 from SPLOST for 10. Lakes Blvd Water Meter Relocation “to meet commercial development needs in the area.” At least it’s in Lake Park, so it’s not sprawl.

It’s interesting that they count that SPLOST expenditure as “BUDGET IMPACT” but for 9.h. FY 2026 Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) Application
the agenda sheet says “BUDGET IMPACT: N/A; 10% match allocated in SPLOST VIII” for Lake Alapaha Boulevard and other roads.

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE website.

If they put it on their own website, lowndescounty.com, under Agenda Center, nobody would have to file an open records request and county staff wouldn’t have to spend time sending out packets.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2026, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

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 →