Tag Archives: Lowndes County

Foxborough vs. McDonalds

I spent a few hours walking around Foxborough Ave. and Amberley Trail this afternoon, just south of North Valdosta Road. Did you know there’s a McDonalds proposed for Foxborough Ave., with a second entrance off of Old US 41? I didn’t until this afternoon.

The only mention of this project I can find in the VDT is this cryptic note by Kay Harris in her June 27, 2010 Business This Week:

The McDonalds project on N. Valdosta Road next to the Foxborough entrance should be finalized soon….

Neighbors immediately to the south of the project say that:

This property has not yet closed. Projected closing is the first week of August. Corporate McDonalds says construction will begin in October.
They also tell me this will be a 24 hour a day 7 day a week fast food restaurant. Numerous residents mentioned safety concerns about the added traffic on the Foxborough Ave. entrance to the subdivision, and about pulling people off of I-75 into their neighborhood.

They’re holding a neighborhood meeting about it tomorrow (Thursday 8 July): Continue reading →

Town Hall Meeting about Biomass Plant

Some concerned citizens met with the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority on JulyJune 10, 2010 about the proposed biomass plant on Inner Perimeter Road. Not everyone was convinced that it was a good idea.

Pastor Angela Manning of New Life Ministries has organized a Town Hall meeting for tomorrow, Thursday 8 July 2010 at 7PM:

Date:Thursday, July 8th, 2010
Time:7 p.m.
Venue:New Life Ministries
Address: 5651 Inner Perimeter Rd., Valdosta, GA 31606
Here is a PDF of the flyer and related links. The flyer was prepared by Natasha Fast of SAVE.

-jsq

Solar Power and Georgia Power

As we’ve seen, the Center of Innovation – Energy defines solar as a southwestern energy source (see slide 9). That slide uses a version of this map:

I found that map on Georgia Power’s web pages. Meanwhile, here are Georgia Power Solar Projects. Hm, “a rooftop solar demonstration program”, “plans to install solar panels at schools in each of the company’s regions”, “showcase its technology”. Where’s the actual rapid deployment?

Meanwhile, Texas almost doubled its renewable energy generation between 2004 and 2006 and hasn’t stopped since. Continue reading →

Hahira Farmers Market, 3 July 2010

It’s bustling in the morning at the Hahira Farmers’ Market:

This time we picked the day before, and got to the market by 8AM. Gretchen moved quite a bit of sweet corn and okra, and some squash, pickles, and jam. Our most unusual items were the pumpkins. Continue reading →

Glen Laurel Against

Here Coy Brightwell asks for a show of hands for those against rezoning for the Glen Laurel subdivision on Old Pine Road. Many hands went up throughout the packed room. Even more to the point, not one neighbor spoke for the rezoning.

He ends with an additional disclaimer that he’s not against development; he’s against the density of this development in this place. VDT quoted him as saying:

“We are not against progress. We are not against the development of Lowndes County … The part that we do have a problem with is the density of this proposal. We’re just not in agreement with the drastic changes that will take place in our community (and) we are here for a compromise.”

Another view of the show of hands: Continue reading →

Greyfield Villas

Entrance sign Previously discussing the Glen Laurel subdivision on Old Pine Road near Bemiss, several of the people speaking against at the County Commission meeting mentioned the Greyfield subdivision. That’s Greyfield Villas; see the entrance sign in the picture on the right. It’s in Lowndes County but not in Valdosta; somebody correct me if I’m wrong abo ut that. In that picture it’s hard to read the sign in the background on the north side of North Oak Street Extension. Here’s a closeup:

FOR RENT by Blake Taylor

For Rent. Just inside we see a dumpster with For Rent signs on the houses on either side: Continue reading →

Whole trees as biomass?

Previously I promised to come back to the subject of whole trees. Allan Ricketts asserted in the VLCIA meeting with concerned citizens on 10 June 2010 that the biomass plant Wiregrass LLC proposed for Valdosta will never burn whole trees because it would be economically unfeasible for it to do so. While I have no doubt that Col. Ricketts is acting on the best information given to him, there are reasons to be sceptical about what will happen in the future. Continue reading →

Glen Laurel and Comparable Subdivisions

An interesting series of exchanges here. First Coy Brightwell compared the proposed Glen Laurel subdivision (on Old Pine Road) to the existing Greyfield subdivision (off Oak Street Extension) with a number of specific points: run down quickly, rental property, etc.:

Then a Mr. Mulligan gets into an interesting discussion about code enforcement: Continue reading →

Monday Commission Work Session Cancelled

I just got a call from the county saying Monday’s morning work session of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners is cancelled due to lack of items. This happened a month ago, as well.

The regular public meeting is still on for Tuesday 22 June at 5:30 PM at 325 W. Savannah Ave. (under the water tower). The agenda does seem a mite slim: no rezoning cases, no ULDC changes. Still, there’s Citizens Wishing to be Heard. I’ll be there.

-jsq