Tag Archives: Withlacoochee River

Coleman Road potential datacenter site @ GLPC 2025-06-30

Somebody asked why three Planning Commissioners opposed the rezoning for the potential datacenter site south of North Valdosta Road and the Foxborough subdivision, on the west (right) bank of the Withlacoochee River.

According to the draft minutes of the ~~July~~ June 30, ~~2026~~ 2025, GLPC meeting, “Four (4) voted in favor, three (3) opposed (Graham, J. Miller & Foreman) (4-3). Motion carried.”

Also according to those draft minutes:

“Commissioner Graham asked if tractor trailers are a concern. Mr. Dillard explained that Condition #2 addresses that with regard to any change of use and requirements.”
“Vice-Chairman Miller asked if studies have been done to assess the impacts on groundwater with similar developments. Mr. Langdale explained that new models address that with cooling/recycling water systems.”
“Commissioner Foreman asked to verify that the development is currently speculative. Mr. Langdale confirmed.”

See below for LAKE videos of everything everyone said about that rezoning item in that meeting.

Coleman Road rezoning of potential datacenter site @ Greater Lowndes Planning Commission, June 30, 2025

If you want to know what they were thinking beyond that, you could go to tonight’s 5:30 PM GLPC meeting and ask them before or after the meeting.

For much more about datacenters, including the LAKE videos of the Lowndes County Commission meetings about this rezoning, see:

https://wwals.net/issues/datacenter

Commissioner Calvin Graham is a Lowndes County appointee. Commissioner George Foreman and Vice Chair James Miller are Valdosta appointees.

Please note that James Miller and Chairman Steve Miller are not the same person. Continue reading →

Videos: Datacenters, Sinkholes, Animals, Emergencies, Disasters, Judges, Drugs, and Wells @ LCC Regular 2026-04-28

There was some discussion among Lowndes County Commissioners, but their Regular Session on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, as they approved all the voting items unanimously.

In her Reports, County Manager Paige Dukes called on both Utilities Director Steve Stalvy and Fire Chief Billy Young about the current drought and fire situations.

Six Citizens Wished to Be Heard.

George Fisher spoke about his water research, which includes he’s discovered the line of sinkholes running across the county.

~~Pam~~ Kelly Jarvis and Amanda Hall spoke about animal issues.

Jimmy LeFiles, Michael Noll, and Susan Wehling spoke about datacenters.

Collage @ LCC 28 April 2026

After the meeting adjourned, County Chairman Bill Slaughter came down to talk to several people about datacenters. County Manager Paige Dukes joined in. The Chairman said it was their procedure not to answer Citizens Wishing to Be Heard during the meeting, but he made himself available afterwards.

I mentioned that the Continue reading →

Rezoning encroachment condition alleged on potential datacenter property @ LCC 2026-03-24

There was a somewhat startling citizen report about the possible future datacenter site at the Tuesday evening Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

Encroachment alleged on rezoning condition of potential datacenter property @ LCC 2026-03-24

In Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, Tetiana Babcock, who owns land southeast of the prospective datacenter land on Coleman Road, said the vegetative buffer approved last July had apparently been violated, and possible even logging trucks had encroached on her property between the railroad and the Withlacoochee River, on March 9, 2026. Continue reading →

Videos: Datacenter, paving, grants, breeding, health, 4 Board Appointments, 1 Alcohol, 1 Easement Exchange, 2 Solid Waste Franchises @ LCC Regular 2026-03-24

There was a somewhat startling citizen report about the possible future datacenter site at the Tuesday evening Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. See other post for Tetiana Babcock.

The Commissioners breezed through all the voting items with unanimous approval. Except Commissioner Joyce Evans did ask if any applicants for the board appointments were present. Travis Cox was present. He had just been appointed to ZBOA in place of John Hogan. Also, John McCall was reappointed to ZBOA.

Collage @ LCC 24 March 2026

County Manager Paige Dukes asked for Ashley Tye to talk about Water Stewardship in the current drought, and Fire Chief Billy Young to talk about not burning while it is so dry.

Six citizens spoke: Mary Roe about Paving of Green Road, Kelly Saxon about Baldwin Place grants and shelters, Amanda Hall about pet Breeding limits, Kristina Cheek McBride about Maternal Health Issues, Michael Noll about Data Center collaboration and transparency, and Tetiana Babcock about Data Center Encroachment. See other post for Tetiana Babcock.

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

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

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: Two rezonings and a beer and wine license @ LCC Regular 2025-07-08

The Lowndes County Commissioners approved everything unanimously at their Regular Session of July 8, 2025.

There was (for them) extensive discussion of the large rezoning off Coleman Road and North Valdosta Road that was controversial at their Work Session the previous morning, as it was at the preceding Planning Commission meeting. Each speaker pro and con and the Commissioners’ remarks are in these LAKE videos.

Collage @ LCC 8 July 2025

County Engineering Services Director Chad McLeod reported they are still on target to be finished by August 2nd with the Val Del Road intersection with North Valdosta Road.

Two citizens spoke. Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman thanked the Chairman for paddling in the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper. He provide dates for the 2026 paddle. He invited everyone to a chainsaw cleanup on the Withlacoochee River, and to the WWALS River Revue including the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.

Jamie Parks, 106 E Grace Street, Hahira, said on behalf of some people he had been trying to get a rezoning on on Horace Ave. off of Madison Highway next to Mud Creek, which he needed to get the Army Corps to delineate the floodplain. Chairman Bill Slaughter said they would look into it.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item or speaker, with some notes by John S. Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

Videos: Two rezonings and a beer and wine license @ LCC Work 2025-07-07

Update 2025-07-18: Videos: Two rezonings and a beer and wine license @ LCC Regular 2025-07-08.

The large rezoning off Coleman Road and North Valdosta Road was controversial at the Lowndes County Commission (LCC) this morning, as it was previously at the Planning Commission.

The County Planner presented some maps and information that were not seen in the Planning Commission meeting, and the County Commissioners had many questions.

The LCC votes to decide tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at 5:30 PM, after a final Public Hearing in which citizens can speak.

The other rezoning and the beer and wine license were not controversial, but they will also have their Public Hearings.

Collage @ LCC 7 July 2025

Here are LAKE videos of each agenda item, with a few comments by John S. Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

Two rezonings and a beer and wine license @ LCC Packet 2025-07-07

The split-vote rezoning for “a large warehouse-type campus” has arrived from the Planning Commission: REZ-2025-11 Langdale Capital Assets, Coleman Road, ~719 ac, C-C, R-1, & CON, to M-1 & CON, County Utilities.

The Lowndes County Commission will also consider a rezoning for an RV park north of Hahira, REZ-2025-10 Cain Property, 6261 US HWY 41 N, ~21ac, R-21 to PD-R, Well & Septic.

And Beer & Wine License – Mustapha Ndure of Wawa Southeast, LLC DBA WAWA Store #6308 located at 4598 North Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA.

Collage @ LCC Packet 2025-07-07

The seven conditions that the Planning Commission recommended by a 4:3 vote for the warehouse rezoning are: Continue reading →

Videos: Two Lowndes County rezonings @ GLPC 2025-06-30

The first rezoning sailed through the Planning Commission Monday evening. They unanimously recommended approval for 3. REZ-2025-10 Cain Property, 6261 U S Highway 41 R-21 to PD-R.

Collage @ GLPC 30 June 2025

Speaking for the second rezoning, 4. REZ-2025-11 Langdale Capital Assets, Coleman Rd C-C R-1 CON to M-1 CON, Pope Langdale said that because of the railroad, which also often has a train parked on it, something would have to change to enable developing the part east of the railroad.

Pope Langdale spoke for REZ-2025-11

What could change is they could get access from US 41 through Continue reading →

Packet: Two Lowndes County rezoning materials @ GLPC 2025-06-30

As promised, JD Dillard and BOC Records provided the packet materials for the two county rezonings on the agenda for the Monday evening Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) meeting. Staff wants conditions on one, but not the other.

An RV park and a large warehouse type campus @ GLPC 2025-06-30

Staff lists conditions, but does not propose including them as conditions in approval, for the RV park north of Hahira halfway to Cecil, in the watershed of Franks Creek, which goes to the Little River. Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange