Tag Archives: Water

Videos: Annual Planning Meeting Day 2 @ LCC 2017-02-17

We learned why Lowndes County has gotten religion about Internet access and speed: Moody AFB wants it.

Commissioner Scottie Orenstein made the case for board packets and agendas in electronic form instead of the paper packets they currently use. Maybe they’ll even reveal them to the public before their meetings, like real MSAs do. Meanwhile, Community Engagement means marketing, as in telling people what the county did, not listening to the citizens.

They talked about interconnecting (almost) all of the county’s water systems, about routes to get trucks out of downtown Valdosta. The water-sewer ordinance is in ten or twelve pieces, and the county is all for expanding water and sewer throughout the county as long as it doesn’t cost developers money.

There’s a regional T-SPLOST meeting in Waycross by SGRC Feb 28 2017, but Lowndes commissioners and staff said nothing Continue reading →

U.S. electric power source projections: solar still most by 2023

According to FERC’s own figures from 2012 and 2016, my solar projections from 2013 (and former FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff’s) were pretty good, and more U.S. electricity will still come from solar power by 2023. LAKE Solar Table 2017 Since coal and nuclear are already crashing, and natural gas isn’t increasing even as fast as formerly projected, solar could win even faster.

I constructed table below from the 2012 and 2016 summaries of total U.S. electric power generation from all sources, by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Look at the 2012 column: only coal and natural gas generated more than 25% of total U.S. electricity.

But in 2016 it’s only natural gas, because coal’s growth rate actually turned negative: utilities are shutting down coal plants, not building them. Back in 2013 I did not predict that to happen so quickly.

Now look at the growth rates, both Continue reading →

Videos: 3 for 2 VLMPO appointments, 2 – 1 rezonings, 3 water + credit cards, alcohol @ LCC 2017-02-14

Tuesday Chairman Bill Slaughter did say there will be a retreat Thursday and Friday this week, but he didn’t say where or what time of day. Yesterday afternoon they finally put on their website that it starts 8AM this morning at Quail Branch Lodge. Here’s hoping Commissioner Joyce Evans is well enough to attend.

In a refreshing change of procedure, Continue reading →

Videos: 2 VLMPO appointments, 2 rezonings, 3 water + credit cards, alcohol @ LCC 2017-02-13

They vote 5:30 PM today. The longest item at yesterday morning’s Work Session was 6b. REZ-2017-02 Calles, Alexandria St, R-10 and CON to E-A, Well and Septic, 0213 acres, which also got the longest discussion of any county case at the recent Planning Commission meeting, where GLPC voted to recommend denial. All parties want the other rezoning, 6a. REZ-2017-01 Cone/Malone, tabled.

The second longest item yesterday morning was 7c. Request for Relief for Tuscany Palms Utility Tax District, which had a long list of staff involved in it.

They did name the three three candidates for two VLMPO vacancies, but none of them were present. At least one wasn’t even aware he was actually a candidate.

Below are links to each Continue reading →

Videos: 1 Hahira, 4 Valdosta, 2 County @ GLPC 2017-01-30

The controversial case was Georgia Park LLC with VA-2017-03 and VA-2017-04 at an hour and a half, plus a five minute break for the room to empty afterwards. GLPC recommended denial with one abstention. Second longest at 17 minutes was the county case 10. REZ-2017-02 Wilmer Calles on behalf of Rosa Calles 13.6 acres.

Here are links to each LAKE video, followed by a video playlist. See also the Planning Commission agenda. The two county rezonings are on the Lowndes County Commission agenda this morning and tomorrow evening. Continue reading →

2 VLMPO appointments, 2 rezonings, 3 water + credit cards, alcohol @ LCC 2017-02-13

On the agenda for 8:30 AM this morning, three candidates for two VLMPO vacancies, and none of the candidates are incumbents, according to Valdosta or Lowndes County. Rezonings on Madison Hwy and Alexandria St, both probably uncontroversial; see the LAKE videos of the preceding GLPC meeting for those two items. Yet again Approval of Elected Officials Using County Issued Purchasing Cards and Credit Cards and as usual a Beer License. Three water items: Bevel Creek Lift Station Automatic Transfer Switch, Professional Engineering Services and Environmental Permitting for Jumping Gully Road Bridge Replacement, Drainage Improvements – Valencia Street.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2017, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

1 Hahira, 4 Valdosta, 2 County one wants to go backwards @ GLPC 2017-01-30

Nine cases (Hahira, Valdosta, Lowndes County) and one of the county cases wants to go “backwards” to agricultural zoning, Parcel 0167 098A on tonight’s Planning Commission agenda.

Greater Lowndes Planning Commission
Lowndes County City of Valdosta City of Dasher City of Hahira City of Lake Park
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
AGENDA
Lowndes County South Health District Administrative Office
325 West Savannah Avenue
Monday, January 30, 2017 * 5:30 P.M. * Public Hearing

Continue reading →

Pipelines companies don’t detect corrosion or stop explosions

A reminder of why to stop pipeline companies from burying investors’ money in the ground and get on with solar power: the pipeline that exploded in Texas last week was half owned by Spectra Energy, the pipeline company behind Sabal Trail, AIM, Penneast, and numerous other fracked methane invasions and behind thirty years of undetected corrosion resulting in leaks, explosions, property damage, and deaths. The pipeline company didn’t detect it and couldn’t even turn it off quickly. Want to bet that it, like Spectra’s Pennsylvania explosion last spring, was corrosion?

A very Texas report said “no people or cattle were injured” and also notice: “The fire is under control and will burn itself out.” Continue reading →

Videos: Turnberry, Seago, and Branham back again, 3 alcohol, and budget @ LCC 2017-01-09

They vote tonight at 5:30 PM, and yesterday morning they reviewed the three rezonings back the agenda after being tabled last month. County Manager Joe Pritchard said staff would be sending Commissioners a list of upcoming board apointments so they could think of candidates. He didn’t say anything about showing that list to the public.

See also the LAKE videos of last November’s Planning Commission meeting for those three rezonings.

Below are links to LAKE videos from each item yesterday morning, with a few notes, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

Videos: Turnberry, Branham, Peterson Road Lift Station, and Commissioner Comments @ LCC 2016-12-13

24 minutes on REZ-2016-19 Turnberry at Thompson E-A to R-21 which changed to R-1 at the last minute, 14 minutes on Bill Branham’s REZ-2016-23 Copeland Road development, 4 on REZ-2016-24 Martin< 3 on REZ-2016-25 Cain’s Creekside RV Park, and 3 on the Peterson Road Lift Station Rehab, plus almost 5 minutes of Chairman and Commission Comments! Real discussion and revealing their opinions in public? What’s gotten into them? Did they see in advance the VDT’s Sunlight on the horizon?

Yet the Chairman said nobody could ask the audience to stand up on REZ-2016-19 Turnberry at Thompson and while they were waiting for the room to clear before the next item could start, Continue reading →