Tag Archives: Planning

Videos: one appointment, two subdivisions, huge and small @ LCC Work 2026-04-13

Eight minutes is all it took for the light agenda at the Work Session yesterday morning. The Lowndes County Commission votes today at 5:30 PM, on two appointments to one Authority and two apparently uncontroversial subdivision rezonings.

[Collage @ LCC 13 April 2026]
Collage @ LCC 13 April 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.

And the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission meeting. Continue reading

Videos: Lake Laurie Drive case withdrawn, another Valdosta case, 2 county cases @ GLPC 2026-03-30

There was nothing for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) to vote on regarding the controversial subdivision application on Lake Laurie Drive, because it was withdrawn by applicant.

Everything else got unanimous recommendations of approval: the other Valdosta rezoning and the two Lowndes County subdivisions.

That other Valdosta rezoning, 5. VA-2026-01 Alpha Britton, Johnson Lane, 0118C 017, did get quite a bit of opposition, mostly about drainage, but the Planning Commissioners and city staff assured people that staff would handle that as the permitting process continued.

[Collage @ GLPC 30 March 2026]
Collage @ GLPC 30 March 2026

Here are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

VA-2026-01 got three videos, because the first LAKE camera ran out of space, and I had to switch to the other one. I did lose a minute or so of what one opposition citizen was saying.

See also the Continue reading

Packet: one appointment, two subdivisions, huge and small @ LCC 2026-04-13

Update 2026-04-14: Videos: one appointment, two subdivisions, huge and small @ LCC Work 2026-04-13

It’s a pretty light agenda for the Lowndes County Commission Monday and Tuesday, with two appointments to one Authority and two apparently uncontroversial subdivision rezonings.

[Packet: one appointment, two subdivisions, huge and small, @ LCC 2026-04-13]
Packet: one appointment, two subdivisions, huge and small, @ LCC 2026-04-13

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.

See also the LAKE videos of the preceding Planning Commission meeting.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2026, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading

Packet: Lake Laurie Drive case withdrawn, another Valdosta case, 2 county cases @ GLPC 2026-03-30

The controversial subdivision application on Lake Laurie Drive was withdrawn by applicant. It will still appear on the agenda for tonight’s GLPC and the April 9th Valdosta City Council meetings, but there’s nothing to vote on.

Also on the agenda for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) is another Valdosta rezoning and two Lowndes County subdivisions. That’s 5:30 PM, Monday, March 30, 2026, at 325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia.

[LAKE Collage @ GLPC 2026-03-30]
LAKE Collage @ GLPC 2026-03-30

Matt Martin wrote on March 4, 3026,“Please note that for case # VA-2026-02, there is also a separate packet for ‘public response items” which is dated March 22nd. Public response emails and letters continue to flow in to my office and I will be updating (& redistributing) this packet periodically between now and the GLPC public hearing. I will try to remember to include you on the re-distribution list as each of these revised packets come out.”

Later this came in:

Fri, Mar 27, 4:59 PM

ALL:

FYI. Attached is a copy of the applicant’s email “withdrawing” this rezoning request. Because it was an advertised public hearing, we will keep it listed on the GLPC and April 9th City Council agendas, but there will be no presentation/hearing, no discussion, and no action will be taken.

If the applicant chooses to resubmit the same or a different request for this property in the future, they will have to start all over again from scratch; new Pre-Application meeting, new application submittal, new fees, new advertisement, etc… Such requests are processed in monthly cycles. The next possible (earliest) submittal deadline date is April 15th. This would equate to a GLPC hearing date of 5/26, and City Council hearing date of 6/11. “If” a new request does get submitted, it will be fully advertised in a similar manner as before. Continue reading

Data Center Prospects in Lowndes County –Lowndes County, GA 2026-03-09

So people can catch up on what is happening with datacenters, here is Lowndes County’s astonishingly informative post on the process going forward, illustrated and annotated with what has already happened.

This post does not mean that I or LAKE or any organization with which I am associated are in favor of or opposed to everything of anything in the county’s post. There are and will be plenty of other posts for such opinions.

[Data Center Prospects in Lowndes County, by Lowndes County, GA, 2026-03-09]
Data Center Prospects in Lowndes County, by Lowndes County, GA, 2026-03-09

Data Center Prospects in Lowndes County

Lowndes County, Georgia — On July 8, 2025, the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners approved the rezoning of REZ-2025-11, Coleman Road~719 acres from its current C-C (Crossroads Commercial) and CON (Conservation District) zoning classification to M-1 (Light Manufacturing) and CON (Conservation District) zoning classification with the following seven (7) conditions: Continue reading

Videos: Workshop 2, Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan Update 2025-11-17

Update 2026-01-17: the next such Workshop is being rescheduled; we don’t yet know until when.

Update 2026-01-16: Power, water, and datacenters –Suwannee Riverkeeper 2025-11-17.

Very interesting discussions at the second Workshop on the five-year Update to the Lowndes County Comprehensive Plan. Datacenters, water, sewer, power, trash, accessibility, affordable housing, guiding development, and more.

The third Workshop will be this Monday Tuesday, January 20, 2026, about 6 PM, after the Work Session of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC), at 325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, GA.

Update 2026-01-17: the next such Workshop is being rescheduled; we don’t yet know until when.

[Workshop 2, Lowndes County, Comprehensive Plan Update, Many interesting discussions, 2025-11-17]
Workshop 2, Lowndes County, Comprehensive Plan Update, Many interesting discussions, 2025-11-17

Suwannee Riverkeeper noted reliable power and water are needed for economic development, and AI datacenters could be a problem for that. Also, don’t assume just because the governor says we’re doing datacenters that they will expand everywhere. Remember the dotcom bust and how cheap PCs took over, then smartphones. Somebody will invent a much less expensive method of doing so-called artificial intelligence, a method that does not require huge datacenters. Meanwhile, there are natural limits on water, witness Barber Pool, fed by a spring that now hardly ever trickles. Continue reading

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

Update 2025-10-11: According to Lake Park City Clerk Lisa Johnson, at the September 2, 2025, Lake P ark City Council meeting, “The rezoning was denied.”

Here are the board packet materials for the August 25, 2025, meeting of the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) for
agenda item 5., LP-2025-01 Lake Park Church of Christ/Steve Magee, 610, 614, 618 Sheavette Rd., 0221A 063B, ~8007 sq ft
Current Zoning: R-15 (Single Family Residential)
Proposed Zoning: R-10 (Single Family Residential)

This arrived late, and we took even longer to post it, but here it is.

[Collage of LP-2025-01, Lake Park Church of Christ @ GLPC 2025-08-25]
Collage of LP-2025-01, Lake Park Church of Christ @ GLPC 2025-08-25

The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval; see the LAKE video. Continue reading

Videos: Two Lowndes County Cases, Commercial on Stewart Circle, Tower on Rocky Ford Road

The Stewart Circle commercial rezoning sailed through. The communications tower on Rocky Ford Road had three people speaking for it (mostly about need for cell coverage), and several against, for a variety of reasons, as well as a petition against delivered at the meeting. GLPC recommended approval of both.

The Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) recommends. The final decision will be by the Lowndes County Commission on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 5:30 PM.

In Other Business, it was revealed that there will be a presentation about the update to the Comprehensive Plan at the next GLPC WORK session. (Not the Regular Session; the Work Session the week before.)

[Collage @ GLPC 29 September 2025]
Collage @ GLPC 29 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

Packet: Two Lowndes County Cases, Commercial on Stewart Circle, Tower on Rocky Ford Road @ GLPC 2025-09-29

Update 2025-10-05: Videos: Two Lowndes County Cases, Commercial on Stewart Circle, Tower on Rocky Ford Road @ GLPC 2025-09-29.

It might be a brief meeting Monday, at the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

There are only two cases, both for Lowndes County: one for a commercial operation on Stewart Circle, and the other for a communications tower on Rocky Ford Road.

You may need a time machine to see the Lowndes County Commission decide, since the meeting date listed for that is in 2024.

[Collage, GLPC Packet, 2025-09-29]
Collage, GLPC Packet, 2025-09-29

Here is the agenda.

The board packet, received in response to a LAKE open records request, is on the LAKE 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, September 29, 2025 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia

Continue reading

Videos: Four small items, 2 Valdosta, 2 Lowndes County @ GLPC 2025-07-28

Update 2025-08-08: Packet: 2 small rezonings, Comprehensive Plan, USGS Gauges, GDOT for Shiloh Road, Civic Center Hurricane Repair @ LCC 2025-08-11.

The Greater Lowndes Planning Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of all the items before them, some with staff-recommended conditions.

Including the Valdosta Land Development Regulations (LDR), which Valdosta still has GLPC review, even though Lowndes County no longer has GLPC review for its Unified Land Development Code (ULDC).

But see Gretchen’s comments on 6. REZ-2025-13 ENCC.

[Collage @ LCC 28 July 2025]
Collage @ LCC 28 July 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