Tag Archives: REZ-2023-12

GT’s Wrecker Service rezoning denied @ LCC Regular 2023-10-10

Why do people apply for rezonings and then not show up to speak for them? But first, unscheduled items.

[Collage @ LCC 10 October 2023]
Collage @ LCC 10 October 2023

Chairman Bill Slaughter asked for an update on boat ramp improvements, and County Engineering Services Director Chad McLeod said he would provide that in a future meeting. That would be great, because there is much room for improvement at Clyattville-Nankin Boat Ramp on the Withlacoochee River and Folsom Bridge Landing on the Little River.

The other unscheduled item was the usual Chairman recognition of Leadership Lowndes and Youth Leadership. Why they don’t just put that on the agenda is mysterious.

Nobody spoke for, and one spoke against 6.b. REZ-2023-12 GT’S Wrecker Service Old Clyattville Rd,~3.2ac, C-H to M-2, with no rebuttal. Commisioners discussed it at some length (more than 11 minutes total). They seemed especially concerned that county staff would be stuck with inspecting to enforce the numerous conditions. Commissioners unanimously voted to deny.

This is similar to last month, when nobody spoke for the Quarterman Road rezoning, several spoke against people and a petition from many more people were against it, and it was unanimously denied, while someone spoke very briefly for the other rezoning in that meeting and it was unanimously approved. Maybe in both denied cases, last month and this month, the applicant saw the handwriting on the wall?

The applicant did speak for the other rezoning this time, 6.a. REZ-2023-11 2426 Joanna Drive, C-C(c) to R-1, 4.0ac, Well – Septic, nobody spoke against, nobody wanted to rebut, and Commissioners unanimously approved it.

They also unanimously approved everything else, including the numerous agreements with ABM, while never explaining who ABM is nor when they made the original agreement.

Second longest item was County Manager Paige Duke’s Report, in which she revealed that they only do their annual river cleanup because it is required by their NPDES Stormwater permit. She said since the county litter crew has been on the job for two years, there is not much to pick up at the boat ramps. She asked the state if they could “move to a different type of awareness event”. The state did not think that was a good idea, so they will continue with “our river cleanup”. “We will do that with our employees and any citizens that would like to participate.”

No mention of the City of Valdosta, which is supposedly co-sponsoring that event.

No mention of WWALS, which was not contacted in planning that event. WWALS already had scheduled since August a Langdale Park Withlacoochee River Cleanup 2023-10-20.

Unlike the previous morning’s Work Session, when three Commissioners were absent, they all showed up for this Regular Session. And it was Commissioner Mark Wisenbaker’s 72nd birthday.

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 Continue reading

Colquitt EMC, Conference Center, 2 rezonings, 2 water, HVAC, Solar, Controls @ LCC Packet 2023-10-09

Update 2023-10-15: GT’s Wrecker Service rezoning denied @ LCC Regular 2023-10-10.

The HVAC agreement includes 38 pages of covered buildings and rooms within them, ranging from several sites in Hahira to the wastewater treatment plant near the GA-FL line.

The materials received from Lowndes County in response to an open records request are on the LAKE website. Lowndes County says they sent the packet Saturday. It did not appear in LAKE’s email then, so apparently there was some sort of transmission error. In any case it is here now.

It will be easier for everyone when Lowndes County starts putting its board packets on its own websites, like many counties larger and smaller in Georgia and Florida have been doing for years.

See also:

[Collage @ LCC Packet 2023-10-09]
Collage @ LCC Packet 2023-10-09

-jsq

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

Videos: Colquitt EMC, Conference Center, 2 rezonings, 2 water, HVAC, Solar, Controls @ LCC Work 2023-10-09

Update 2023-10-10: Colquitt EMC, Conference Center, 2 rezonings, 2 water, HVAC, Solar, Controls @ LCC Packet 2023-10-09.

The two special presentations only took about six minutes total, and most other items took half a minute each, so the entire Lowndes County Commission Work Session only took fourteen minutes yesterday.

Lowndes County Fire Chief Billy Young opened the check from Colquitt EMC after the meeting: it was for $35,000.

Only Commissioners Joyce Evans and Mark Wisenbaker and Chairman Bill Slaughter attended. Commissioners Scottie Orenstein, Demarcus Marshall, and Clay Griner were absent.

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

[Collage @ LCC 9 October 2023]
Collage @ LCC 9 October 2023

Continue reading

Colquitt EMC, Conference Center, 2 rezonings, 2 water, HVAC, Solar, Controls @ LCC Agenda 2023-10-09

Update 2023-10-10: Videos: Colquitt EMC, Conference Center, 2 rezonings, 2 water, HVAC, Solar, Controls @ LCC Work 2023-10-09.

Despite four working days to do it, more than the three days allowed by the Georgia Open Records Act (GORA), Lowndes County has not returned the board packet for this week’s Lowndes County Commission meetings.

However, most of the materials for the two rezonings will probably be similar to what the county put in the preceding Planning Commission packet.

They also plan to spend a third of a million dollars, most of it on heating and air conditioning maintenance. The agenda sheet says, “Attached in your packet is an equipment list for each building to be maintained.”

But we the taxpayers don’t get to see that list, because the county does not publish its own board packets and, despite the state open records law, has not returned it so LAKE can publish it.

Cost What
$255,029.00HVAC Maintenance Agreement
$24,825.00Joint Funding Agreement with USGS for Stream Gauge Maintenance
$23,370.00Water Treatment Agreement
$0.00Solar Panel Maintenance Agreement
$0.00Quarterly Controls Inspection Agreement
$303,224.00Total

[Collage @ LCC Agenda 2023-10-09]
Collage @ LCC Agenda 2023-10-09

Here is the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2023, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading

Packet: the 2 Lowndes County Cases @ GLPC 2023-09-25

About the time I posted the agenda and the four Valdosta City cases and moved on to other tasks, the packet materials arrived for the two Lowndes County cases for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) meeting tonight, and the draft minutes for last month’s GLPC meeting.

[Collage of the two Lowndes County cases @ GLPC 2023-09-25]
Collage of the two Lowndes County cases @ GLPC 2023-09-25

While the delay was primarily due to me forgetting to send in an open records request until Sunday. Nonetheless, it is mysterious why Lowndes County does not put GLPC board packets on lowndescounty.com along with the agendas, and the same for Lowndes County Commission board packets. Many counties and cities smaller and larger in Georgia and Florida have been doing that for years.

These additional materials are on the LAKE website.

See also the agenda and the city cases.

-jsq

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