Tag Archives: Union Road

Videos: 3 rezonings, 1 Utility Easement Termination, Orr Road Bids, Backup Generators for Pruitt Health Facilities @ LCC Regular 2026-02-10

Two weeks ago at their Regular Session, the Lowndes County Commissioners discussed for nine minutes 5.c. REZ-2026-03 Villanueva Property, 6201 Union Rd, 6ac, E-A to C-G., mostly about fence colors. They ended up approving the rezoning with the staff-recommended conditions, except not the one about fence color.

They also talked for six and a half minutes about the agenda item they added, 6.b. Temporary Burn Ordinance.

Gretchen Quarterman noted, “There have been over 100 grass fires so far this year. Lowndes County (and surrounding counties) is in extreme drought. This temporary ordinance is made in conjunction with Georgia Forestry to protect property, people, resources, etc. This burn ban includes “recreational” fired and fires inside of a burn barrel. It does not ban outdoor grilling of food. (or so I thought I heard).”

She added, “The text of the county FB post is as follows:”

“Due to prolonged dry weather and worsening drought conditions, outdoor burning of yard debris is now restricted in the unincorporated areas of Lowndes County. To reduce wildfire risks and protect public safety, property, and natural resources, all open burning of yard debris, including leaves, limbs, grass, and other vegetative matter, is prohibited within the unincorporated area of Lowndes County until drought conditions improve.”

They passed all the agenda items unanimously.

Collage @ LCC 10 February 2026

Three citizens wished to be heard: Gretchen Quarterman about solid waste and recycling, Mary Roe about Paving of Green Road, and Joel Deon about Data Center concerns.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

Videos: 3 rezonings, 1 Utility Easement Termination, Orr Road Bids, Backup Generators for Pruitt Health Facilities @ LCC Work 2026-02-09

Packet: 3 rezonings, 1 Utility Easement Termination, Orr Road Bids, Backup Generators for Pruitt Health Facilities @ LCC 2026-02-09

Update 2026-02-21: Videos: 3 rezonings, 1 Utility Easement Termination, Orr Road Bids, Backup Generators for Pruitt Health Facilities @ LCC Work 2026-02-09.

The big-budget item is $477,896.15 to Reames & Son Construction from TSPLOST for 7.a. PI #0016273, Transportation Investment Act (TIA) Orr Road Bids.

The $1,470,216.00 for 7.b. Emergency Backup Generators at Pruitt Health Facilities is to be completely reimbursed by $1,088,903.00 from HMGP Funding, $217,781.00 from GEMA Funding, and $233,126.00 from Pruitt Health.

In July 2019, the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners approved the submittal of a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) application on behalf of Pruitt Health Corporation to fund the installation of emergency backup generators at five skilled nursing facilities located within Lowndes County. These facilities provide critical care to vulnerable populations, making continuity of power during emergencies a key resiliency priority.

In January 2025, Lowndes County was notified that the HMGP application had been awarded. As part of the grant structure, Lowndes County will administer the project and pay the selected contractor, with eligible costs reimbursed through a combination of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) funding. Any costs not reimbursed through FEMA or GEMA will be the responsibility of Pruitt Health. As a result, Lowndes County will receive 100 percent reimbursement for the project through the combined participation of FEMA, GEMA, and Pruitt Health, with no net financial impact to the County.

Packet: 3 rezonings, Utility Easement Termination, Orr Road Bids, Pruitt Health Backup Generators, @ LCC 2026-02-09

Here is the agenda.

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

Videos: Valdosta downtown multi-family residential development and office and storage in Lowndes County @ GLPC 2026-01-26

Update 2026-02-08: Packet: 3 rezonings, 1 Utility Easement Termination, Orr Road Bids, Backup Generators for Pruitt Health Facilities @ LCC 2026-02-09.

They unanimously recommended approval of all items, at the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC), at its January 26, 2026, Regular Meeting.

Collage @ GLPC 26 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 couple of LAKE open records requests.

Why should a private media firm have to pry these materials out of the county?

I’m not blaming the county staff. They do what they are told to do by the County Commissioners.

I’m not blaming the Planning Commissioners. They are merely an advisory body.

So please ask your Lowndes County Commissioners why they do not publish important materials so the public can see what they the Commissioners are using to make decisions? Continue reading →

Packet: Valdosta downtown multi-family residential development and office and storage in Lowndes County @ 2026-01-26

Update 2026-02-08: Videos: Valdosta downtown multi-family residential development and office and storage in Lowndes County @ GLPC 2026-01-26.

Not even the agenda is on lowndescounty.com for Monday’s Planning Commission meeting, much less any of the board packet materials.

You can see all of those, plus the minutes from the previous meeting, here on the LAKE website.

But why doesn’t Lowndes County put these materials on its own website, so the taxpaying and voting public can see them?

Maybe you’d like to ask your Lowndes County Commissioners. They have a Work Session Monday morning and a voting Regular Session Tuesday evening with Citizens Wishing to Be Heard.

Why does it take multiple open LAKE open records requests and further email interactions to pry these materials out of Lowndes County?

It’s not just the materials for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) that are not on the county’s website. While the agenda and one-page agenda sheets for the Lowndes County Commission are on the county’s website, none of the rest of their board packet materials are.

Why should a private media firm have to pry these materials out of the county?

I’m not blaming the county staff. They do what they are told to do by the County Commissioners.

I’m not blaming the Planning Commissioners. They are merely an advisory body.

So please ask your Lowndes County Commissioners why they do not publish important materials so the public can see what they the Commissioners are using to make decisions?

Packet: Valdosta downtown multi-family residential @ GLPC 2026-01-26, Office & storage in Lowndes County; None of this on lowndescounty.com

The Valdosta item is for a dense residential development in an appropriate city character area, with appropriate conditions recommended by staff. It’s the opposite of sprawl. Seems like a good idea to me.

I’m less clear on the proposed office and storage facility in Lowndes County, REZ-2026-03. It is not in an appropriate Character Area. It has noise and lighting concerns. It crosses a county sewer force main and a natural gas pipeline. It crosses a creek that feeds into Franks Creek into the Little River. The staff-recommended conditions seem like weak tea.

We only have the board materials for this third county case because LAKE insisted on the county honoring the Georgia Open Records Act (GORA). The materials for this city case and this county case are on the LAKE website, along with the agenda and the minutes from the previous GLPC meeting.

For the materials for the other two county cases, see the previous post:

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25459

Here is the GLPC agenda, which is still not on the county’s own website:

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
~ Lowndes County ~ City of Valdosta ~ City of Dasher ~
~ City of Hahira ~ City of Lake Park ~ City of Remerton ~
Tuesday, January 20, 2026 5:30 P.M. Work Session
Monday, January 26, 2026 5:30 P.M. Regular Session
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office 325 West Savannah Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia
Continue reading →

Packet: 3 Lowndes County rezonings @ GLPC 2026-01-20

Update 2026-01-24: Packet: Valdosta downtown multi-family residential development and office and storage in Lowndes County @ GLPC 2026-01-26.

Lowndes County has three small rezoning cases on this week’s agenda for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC).

This post has what Lowndes County sent before the GLPC Work Session, coming up 5:30 PM, Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Obviously these materials are not yet complete, since the third one has nothing but one conceptual site plan. The agenda is also not yet ready.

And the county tells us that County Planner JD Dillard said, “The DRAFT minutes are still in draft status.”

Collage @ GLPC Packet 2026-01-20

The City Clerks of Remerton and Lake Park say they have no items for GLPC this month.

Valdosta, Hahira, and Dasher have not been heard from yet.

This may be the first time Lowndes County has responded first to a LAKE open records request for GLPC materials. Those materials are on the LAKE website.

Since I seem to have been hasty in sending this request before the Work Session, I guess I’ll send another request before the Regular Session, which the county says will be January 26.

As always, the appointed GLPC Commissioners make recommendations, and the county or city elected officials make the actual decisions later. Continue reading →

Videos: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC Regular 2025-01-15

Ms. Terri Lupo was reappointed to the 5.a. Valdosta Lowndes Development Authority.

The Lowndes County Commission at their Regular Session of January 14, 2025, also passed everything else unanimously, with little or no discussion.

Collage @ LCC 14 January 2025

Commissioner Demarcus Marshall did have a question about 7.k. GEFA Loan DWLSL2023097 for Lead Service Line Inventory. He also had a special thanks for Samaritan’s Purse in Commission Comments.

Former Valdosta City Council Alvin Payton, Jr., sat front and center the entire meeting.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few comments by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

Packet: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC 2025-01-13

Update 2025-01-16: Videos: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC Regular 2025-01-14

Yesterday morning Commissioner Mark Wisenbarker wanted to know whether the staff had a list of roads needing striping for 7.g. 2025 Georgia DoT Local Maintenance – Improvement Grant (LMIG) Application. Here’s the project list:

Road paving list and Broadband map @ LCC Packet 2025-01-13

The map appears to be where Windstream thinks Lowndes County already had broadband in 2021. Continue reading →

Videos: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC Work Session 2025-10-13

The Lowndes County Commission started the Work Session yesterday morning by welcoming new Commissioner Michael Smith. He will vote for the first time at the Regular Session this evening at 5:30 PM.

Collage @ LCC 13 January 2025

Chairman Bill Slaughter praised Terri Lupo, long-time baord member of the 5.a. Valdosta Lowndes Development Authority, although he noted there were two other applicants for her expired term.

There was some discussion on 7.f. Emergency Repair – Lowndes County Fire Station #5. Fire Station #5 is the one on Bemiss Road. Apparently after the November rain, there was a sewage back up in the fire station that was 3″ deep and everything from the floor to 2′ up the wall had to be replaced, including furniture. Insurance covered some of the cost.

Commissioner Mark Wisenbarker wanted to know whether the staff had a list of roads needing striping for 7.g. 2025 Georgia DoT Local Maintenance – Improvement Grant (LMIG) Application. Answer: yes.

They do not yet have a design for the 7.h. Local Bridge Replacement at Jumping Gully Road at Bevel Creek (0019937).

There was Commissioner discussion about the prices for the Continue reading →

Agenda: Development Authority appointment, VOCA grants, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC 2025-01-13

It’s a busy first agenda of the year for the Lowndes County Commission, Work Session Monday morning, voting Regular Session Tuesday evening.

Agenda: VLDA appointment, Coleman Road paving, LMIG, VOCA grants, Water projects, Windstream @ LCC 2025-01-13

Terri Lupo’s term has expired for the Development Authority. Robert Green and Brice Evans also want to be appointed. Usually the Commission reappoints the incumbent.

Cost	What
$1,300,000.00	Coleman Road NW Paving and Drainage Improvements, P.1.0016279 Supplemental Agreement No. 1
$635,000.00	GEFA Loan DWLSL2023097 for Lead Service Line Inventory
$160,122.00	Bid for Six Compact SUV Vehicles for Multiple Departments
$79,380.00	Emergency Repair – Lowndes County Fire Station #5
$50,000.00	Lowndes County Local Bridge Replacement at Jumping Gully Road at Bevel Creek (0019937)
$45,761.60	Union Road Lift Station Pump Replacement
$33,232.00	Approval of the Solicitor General’s FY25 VOCA Grant Award
$2,303,495.60	Total

The above table, generated by LAKE from the agenda items, is hard to add up because of items where the BUDGET IMPACT is actually incoming funds from a new source, such as this one: Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange