Tag Archives: Religion

Videos: Dollar General rezoning tabled, Troupville Nature Park land purchased @ LCC 2022-12-13

Update 2023-01-10: Public Notice: Rezoning REZ-2022-20, GA 122 @ Skipper Bridge Road for a Dollar General 2023-01-08.

Update 2022-12-22: Videos: Lowndes County buys land from Helen Tapp for Troupville Nature Park and River Camp 2022-12-13.

The Lowndes County Commission tabled the rezoning for a Dollar General on GA 122 at Skipper Bridge Road until January 24, 2023, because they were a day short on required notice.

A dozen or more people in opposition were visible.

Turns out the county did send the correspondence about that before I asked for it in this meeting, and within the statutory three days for answering a Georgia open records request. All the letters returned were in opposition.

Collage @ LCC 13 December 2022

They made the historic purchase for Troupville Nature Camp and River Park, of Land Between the Rivers at the Little River Confluence with the Withlacoochee River. And Chairman Bill Slaughter called seller Helen Tapp up to say a few words.

Apparently they are also modest, since some of them did not seem to like compliments about that purchase.

They reappointed Franklin Bailey to the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

Everything else passed unanimously.

In Citizens Wishing to be Heard, Kelly Saxon asked for assistance for the homeless, John S. Quarterman complimented the Commission on purchasing the Troupville land, and Blake Robinson said there may not be many young people who come to these meetings, but they do appreciate the local government work the Commissioners are doing.

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 →

Correspondence: Proposed Rezoning on GA 122 at Skipper Bridge Road 2022-12-12

Update 2022-12-20: Videos: Dollar General rezoning tabled, Troupville Nature Park land purchased @ LCC 2022-12-13.

All letters were opposed, of those sent to GLPC or LCC by December 12, 2022, about the rezoning for a Dollar General on GA 122 at Skipper Bridge Road.

Thanks to Lowndes County Planner JD Dillard for sending this correspondence on REZ-2022-20 last Monday in response to an open records request, before I mentioned it in the Lowndes County Commission meeting Tuesday.

Map, Letters, REZ-2022-20, GA 122 & Skipper Bridge Road

Letters

There are letters from Joyce Jones, Jamie Rowntree, and Gwen Rowntree. Gwen Rowntree sent a letter to the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) and followed up with a similar letter to the Lowndes County Commission (LCC).

It appears that while there may be people who have spoken to Commissioners in support of the rezoning, as of Monday a week ago nobody had written in support. All the letters are in opposition.

As you can see, Continue reading →

Food Pantries 2022-09-18

Jane Fleming Osborn advises:

Food pantries (outdoor boxes attached to buildings or freestanding in an agency/business yard) in this area are up to fourteen.

If you have been blessed, consider refilling the shelves with non perishable foods, personal hygiene items and toiletries to help people experiencing homelessness.

Pictures of food pantries

Continue reading →

County rehab center vote invalid –Valdosta Daily Times 2022-09-12

Update 2022-09-13: GA Forestry, $3 million, redoing 2 rezonings, 3 extraterritorial water and sewer @ LCC 2022-09-12.

The newspaper of record reported on the unusual redo of a zoning decision by the Lowndes County Commission, noting the Commissioners did not follow the law in at least two ways.

But it did not say who discovered those infractions: the County Attorney? The County Planner? The Chairman who cast the tie-breaking vote? Somebody who sued or threatened to sue?

Want to dig into that question, VDT?

Meanwhile, the Commission will proceed with correcting its infractions in three agenda items this evening.

7.b. REZ-2022-10 The Campus Transitional Care Facility, 2193 Howell Rd
LAKE Video of the erroneous hearing and vote on June 16, 2022.

Malia Thomas, Valdosta Daily Times, September 12, 2022, County rehab center vote invalid,

VALDOSTA — The Lowndes County Commission will have to revisit a controversial rezoning decision in light of a discovery that the original vote was invalid due to a “failure to follow zoning procedures.”

On June 16, Continue reading →

Videos: Two controversial rezonings, Medical Council, Courts, Prisoners, Utilties @ LCC Regular 2022-06-16

Update 2022-09-12: REZ-2022-10 The Campus redo because previous decision was illegal: Packet: redo 2 rezonings, 3 extraterritorial water & sewer, $438,537 RR crossing, $2,542,586 Griner Park @ LCC 2022-09-12.

One rezoning was tabled until August 9th, then another was contentiously approved, after which a deputy escorted one opponent out of the room, at the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, June 16, 2022.

Debra Tann Presentation, three rezonings

The third rezoning was approved with conditions, followed by another NIMBY walkout. That one had petitions both for and against, now on the LAKE website.

The fourth rezoning was Continue reading →

Videos: Request to table, another rezoning withdrawn @ LCC 2020-06-16

Update 2022-06-28: LAKE videos, Two controversial rezonings, Medical Council, Courts, Prisoners, Utilties @ LCC Regular 2022-06-16.

The applicant’s request to table 7.a. REZ-2022-09 Flannigan, James Rd. until August was met with scepticism by Commissioner Scottie Orenstein, who said it sounded like panic after the Planning Commission had unanimously recommended denial. But he said it would be OK since the stated purpose of tabling was for the applicant to talk to the opponents, who are numerous.

Rezonings, Courts, Paving, Water

There is also a petition and letters against 7.b. REZ-2022-10 The Campus Transitional Care Facility, 2193 Howell Rd., and the neighboring property owner opposes, as two Commissioners clarified.

County Planner JD Dillard said there were petitions pro and con the Dairy Queen rezoning, 7.c. REZ-2022-11 Makesh, LLC, 900 Lakes Blvd. We have not seen them, but we have sent in an open records request for them. Update 2022-06-28: for those two peitions, see, Two controversial rezonings, Medical Council, Courts, Prisoners, Utilties @ LCC Regular 2022-06-16.

The fourth rezoning, 7.d. REZ-2022-12 Pittman, Phelps, Leonard, Moss Oak Trail, was withdrawn by the applicant.

The Commissioners vote this evening at 5:30 PM in the Regular Session. Before that, Continue reading →

Packet: Petitions and letters against rezonings @ LCC 2022-06-16

Update 2022-06-16: Videos: Request to table, another rezoning withdrawn @ LCC 2022-06-16.

Many letters and petition signatures against two rezonings REZ-2022-09 Flannigan, James Rd. and REZ-2022-10 The Campus Transitional Care Facility, 2193 Howell Rd.

I hear there’s actually a petition for the Dairy Queen of REZ-2022-11 Makesh, LLC, 900 Lakes Blvd. However, that petition is not in the packet as sent by Lowndes County in response to a LAKE open records request.

The Commissioners vote this evening at 5:30 PM in the Regular Session. Before that, at 5:00 PM, is a Budget Public Hearing.

Rezonings, Courts, and Water

The packet is on the LAKE website. See also the agenda. And for the rezonings, the preceding Greater Lowndes Planning Commission meeting.

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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!

4 rezonings, 2 xourts, 1 appointment, and a big ARPA-funded water project @ LCC 2022-06-16

Update 2022-06-16: Packet: Petitions and letters against rezonings @ LCC 2022-06-16.

For some reason, the Lowndes County Commission is holding both its Work and Regular Sessions on this Thursday, June 16, 2022. I hear they are in DC lobbying the federal government on Monday and Tuesday.

They are also holding a 5 PM Budget Public Hearing before the 5:30 PM Regular Session.

Rezonings

Here is the agenda. For the rezonings, see also the preceding Greater Lowndes Planning Commission meeting.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2022, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2022, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Videos: 4 long Lowndes County cases + 2 long Valdosta cases @ GLPC 2022-05-23

Update 2022-06-14: Agenda, 4 rezonings, 2 xourts, 1 appointment, and a big ARPA-funded water project @ LCC 2022-06-16

An overflow crowd, some in the lobby, came for the four Lowndes County cases at the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, May 23, 2022. Two of the Valdosta cases were also contentious. The whole meeting took more than three hours, so long there was griping about people getting hungry. The door alarm went off at 8 o’clock, but they plowed ahead with three remaining cases. When they adjourned at 8:52 PM, nobody was left in the audience but Gretchen Quarterman with the LAKE video camera.

Flannigan, Campus, Makesh, Pittman

One county and one city case were on James Road. The county case got a unanimous recommendation to deny, moved by famously pro-development Franklin Bailey. The Commissioners really did not seem to like “speculative commercial use on the subject property.” Continue reading →

5 Valdosta rezonings, 1 Hahira ordinance amendment, 4 Lowndes County rezonings with without packets @ GLPC 2022-05-23

Update 2022-06-03: 4 long Lowndes County cases + 2 long Valdosta cases @ GLPC 2022-05-23, including the board packet materials for the county cases and the minutes for the previous meeting.

Everything from a pair of personal care homes to a fraternity to a church to the Salvation Army wants rezoning or variances at this evening’s Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) meeting.

The board packet materials for the Hahira and Valdosta items are on the LAKE website, thanks to City Planner Matt Martin.

Maps

LAKE has no materials for the Lowndes County items, and no copy of the draft minutes from the previous meeting, because Lowndes County has not yet sent them in response to a LAKE open records request.

Here is the agenda:

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~
~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~
Monday, May 16, 2022 5:30 P.M. Work Session
Monday, May 23, 2022 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia
Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange