{"id":20547,"date":"2018-10-22T13:36:47","date_gmt":"2018-10-22T17:36:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=20547"},"modified":"2018-10-22T13:36:47","modified_gmt":"2018-10-22T17:36:47","slug":"neighbors-oppose-val-del-rezoning-lcc-2018-10-09","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2018\/10\/neighbors-oppose-val-del-rezoning-lcc-2018-10-09.html","title":{"rendered":"Neighbors oppose Val Del rezoning @ LCC 2018-10-09"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\nIf not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, nor with the water and sewer growth plan,<br \/>\nfire and rescue doesn&#8217;t want it, and the Planning Commission recommended rejecting it,<br \/>\nwhat does it take for the Lowndes County Commission to reject a zoning,<br \/>\nin this case for<br \/>\n<a href=\"#REZ-2018-17\">REZ-2018-17<\/a> for<br \/>\nThe Settlement North, 5999 Val Del Road?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\n<a title=\"Five hands go up, REZ-2018-17\" href=\"http:\/\/www.okraparadisefarms.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=7558\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none\" id=\"7560\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" alt=\"Five hands go up, REZ-2018-17\" src=\"http:\/\/www.okraparadisefarms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/21405132975cff93d25d9573af53cfaf.jpg\"><\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p>\nOnly three people were allowed to speak against, of the five whose hands went up.<\/p>\n<p>\nThe developer promised restrictive covenants enforced by nobody but the homeowners.<br \/>\nCounty-imposed conditions on the Nelson Hill development, also on Val Del, were largely waived by county staff without public hearings.<br \/>\nWhat promises should we believe?<\/p>\n<p>\nWill the developer&#8217;s demand to ignore the Comprehensive Plan<br \/>\nbecause of &#8220;market conditions, supply and demand&#8221; prevail?<br \/>\nDo property values of neighbors not matter?<br \/>\nHow about saddling the county school system with houses priced too low<br \/>\nfor property taxes on them to cover expenses of sending school buses?<br \/>\nOr is profit for a few all that matters?<\/p>\n<p>\nSee the<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=37m\">previous post<\/a><br \/>\nfor background on the<br \/>\n<a href=\"#Val-Tech-Road-16-quot-Force-Main-Emergency-Repair\">Val-Tech Road 16&quot; Force Main Emergency Repair<\/a>.<br \/>\nAnother water item was the annual<br \/>\n<a href=\"#USGS-Funding-Agreement-for-Hwy-122-Stream-Gauge\">USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge<\/a>.<br \/>\nEMA Director Ashley Tye gave a<br \/>\n<a href=\"#Reports\">thorough update on Hurricane Michael<\/a>,<br \/>\nthen still before landfall.<\/p>\n<p>\nBelow are links into<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8\"><br \/>\nthe county&#8217;s own video<\/a> of their Regular Session,<br \/>\nwith some notes.<br \/>\nThe county also took a video of their Work Session of the previous morning,<br \/>\nbut it seems those videos never get posted on YouTube.<br \/>\nGretchen has requested that other video, as well.<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"font-size:100%\">\n<p style=\"text-align:center\">\nLOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPROPOSED AGENDA<br \/>\n<br \/>\nWORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018, 8:30 a.m.<br \/>\n<br \/>\nREGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018, 5:30 p.m.<br \/>\n<br \/>\n327 N. Ashley Street &#8211; 2nd Floor\n<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Call-to-Order\" href=\"#Call-to-Order\">Call to Order<\/a><\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Invocation\" href=\"#Invocation\">Invocation<\/a><\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Pledge\" href=\"#Pledge\">Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag<\/a><\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"GFOA-Financial-Reporting-Award\" href=\"#GFOA-Financial-Reporting-Award\">GFOA Financial Reporting Award<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nCounty Manager Joe Pritchard spoke at great length at<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=1m20s\"><br \/>\n1 minute 20 seconds<\/a><br \/>\nabout<br \/>\nFinance Director Stephanie Black and her department winning this award for the<br \/>\neleventh year, and he also named<br \/>\nHarrison Tillman without saying why.\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Minutes-for-Approval\" href=\"#Minutes-for-Approval\">Minutes for Approval<\/a><\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\n<li>\n<a name=\"Work-Session-September-24-2018\" href=\"#Work-Session-September-24-2018\">Work Session- September 24, 2018<\/a><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Regular-Session-September-25-2018\" href=\"#Regular-Session-September-25-2018\">Regular Session- September 25, 2018<\/a><br \/>\n\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=4m42s\"><br \/>\n4 minutes 42 seconds<\/a><br \/>\nthey approved the minutes.\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Appointments\" href=\"#Appointments\">Appointments<\/a><\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\n<li>\n<a name=\"Lowndes-County-Library-Board\" href=\"#Lowndes-County-Library-Board\">Lowndes County Library Board<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\n\t\t\tAppoint\/reappoint a member\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1963?fileID=1865\">Lowndes County Library Board.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nReappointed Linda Most, with no other nominations, by &#8220;acclamation&#8221;, at<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=5m12s\"><br \/>\n5 minutes 12 seconds<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Lowndes-County-Public-Facilities-Authority\" href=\"#Lowndes-County-Public-Facilities-Authority\">Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\n\t\t\tAppoint\/reappoint a member\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1967?fileID=1866\">Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nReappointed Clay Griner (also a Lowndes County Commissioner),<br \/>\nwith no other nominations, by &#8220;acclamation&#8221;, at<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=5m57s\"><br \/>\n5 minutes 57 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nseveral months late, &#8220;because of delays in getting this to you,&#8221; since his previous term expired in June.\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Valdosta-Lowndes-County-Construction-Board-of-Adjustments-and-Appeals\" href=\"#Valdosta-Lowndes-County-Construction-Board-of-Adjustments-and-Appeals\">Valdosta-Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\n\t\t\tAppoint\/reappoint a member.\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1962?fileID=1871\">Valdosta-Lowndes County Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nReappointed Jim &#8220;Jimbo&#8221; Scruggs,<br \/>\nwith no other nominations, by &#8220;acclamation&#8221;, at<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=7m12s\"><br \/>\n7 minutes 12 seconds<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<\/ol>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Public-Hearing\" href=\"#Public-Hearing\">Public Hearing<\/a><\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\n<li>\n<a name=\"REZ-2018-17\" href=\"#REZ-2018-17\">REZ-2018-17 The Settlement North, 5999 Val Del Road, E-A to R-1, Well &amp; Septic, ~98.95 acres<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\n\t\t\tTRC Recommendations: Various<br \/>\nGLPC Recommendation: Denial\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1949?fileID=1867\">Rezoning Case REZ-2018-17.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=8m2s\"><br \/>\n8 minutes 2 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nCommissioner Demarcus Marshall<br \/>\nnoted that none of Engineering, Utilities, and Fire and Rescue<br \/>\nrecommended rezoning,<br \/>\nand got Planner Molly Stevenson to acknowledge that Planning and Zoning<br \/>\nfound the request &#8220;inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan&#8221;.<br \/>\nCommissioner Mark Wisenbaker got her to say<br \/>\n&#8220;Utilities found the development in that area is not supported by the county water system growth plan.&#8221;<br \/>\nThe agenda sheet also notes the Planning Commission recommended denial; see<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.valdostadailytimes.com\/news\/local_news\/planning-commission-denies-val-del-road-recommendation\/article_bf93ad6c-9e4d-5d76-a92a-34cdeac2483d.html\"><br \/>\nPlanning commission denies Val-Del Road recommendation<\/a>,<br \/>\nby Jason A. Smith, Valdosta Daily Times, 25 September 2018.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\n<a title=\"Current Zoning Map, REZ-2018-17\" href=\"http:\/\/www.okraparadisefarms.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=7561\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none\" id=\"7563\" width=\"600\" height=\"335\" alt=\"Current Zoning Map, REZ-2018-17\" src=\"http:\/\/www.okraparadisefarms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/4a1f7e6436dd8ad8cd54184285534b8d.jpg\"><\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nCounty Manager Joe Pritchard tried to rationalize all that, saying<br \/>\nthe departments that meet in the Technical Review Committee<br \/>\n&#8220;do not necessarily vote to approve or to support this,<br \/>\nthey merely indicate whether there is a problem,<br \/>\nas Molly was saying, with the particular project that was presented,<br \/>\nbased on whatever their particular area is,<br \/>\nfor instance the Comp. Plan, whether there was access to water,<br \/>\nif there was some engineering issues, etc.<br \/>\nSo their input into this is not to either support this,<br \/>\nor to oppose it, merely to indicate a problem that they see based on their criteria.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=10m45s\"><br \/>\n10 minutes 45 seconds<\/a><br \/>\nfive hands went up for speakers against the rezoning.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nChuck Dunham of<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/qpublic.schneidercorp.com\/Application.aspx?AppID=631&#038;LayerID=11201&#038;PageTypeID=1&#038;KeyValue=0068%20%20149\"><br \/>\n5930 Val Del Road<\/a><br \/>\nnoted zoning considers eleven standards, and &#8220;not one of these is not negatively impacted<br \/>\nby this zoning request.&#8221;<br \/>\nHis three specific concerns were:<\/p>\n<ol style=\"font-style:normal\">\n<li>This development would depress the property<br \/>\nvalues of himself and his neighbors.<\/p>\n<li>Storm water, even with a retention pond, could overflow in a storm bigger than the state requirement of dealing with a 25-year storm.<br \/>\nIn his 22 years next door, he has seen the only ditch from the subject property<br \/>\nfull several times, going onto his property.<br \/>\nHe said the hydrology study should be done first.<br \/>\nFor example, the county hasn&#8217;t taken into account that a 42-inch<br \/>\noverflow<br \/>\npipe coming onto his property would feed into a 36-inch pipe going out.<br \/>\nThe county frequently has to put up water over the road signs on the dirt road.<\/p>\n<li>\nTraffic.<br \/>\nHe referred to &#8220;the military housing&#8221; at least a mile from there on Val Del Road,<br \/>\npresumably referring to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/09\/moody-family-housing-is-in-aquifer-recharge-zone-lcc-2013-08-27.html\">Moody Family Housing with sinkholes and in an aquifer recharge zone<\/a> that the county approved in 2013.<br \/>\nHe also called Val Del Road &#8220;the Val Del 500&#8221; because people gun it to try to pass<br \/>\nbefore they get to the top of the hill.<br \/>\nAlso not if but when they need to three-lane the two-lane road,<br \/>\nhow will they do that?\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=15m48s\"><br \/>\n15 minutes 48 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nCounty Chairman Bill Slaughter gave more evidence that<br \/>\ncounty time limits for citizens speaking are arbitrary when he said,\n<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"font-size:100%\">\n<p>\nWe typically give each side five minutes, but I&#8217;ll allow two additional<br \/>\nspeakers, this speaker and one more.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nPaul Lane of<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/qpublic.schneidercorp.com\/Application.aspx?AppID=631&#038;LayerID=11201&#038;PageTypeID=1&#038;KeyValue=0068%20%20149C\"><br \/>\n5970 Val Del Road<\/a>,<br \/>\nright across the road from the potential development, said it<br \/>\nwould &#8220;pretty much defeat the reason I moved out there&#8221;<br \/>\nand it was &#8220;completely out of character&#8221; for the area.\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=17m25s\"><br \/>\n17 minutes 25 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nLinda Mehr of<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/qpublic.schneidercorp.com\/Application.aspx?AppID=631&#038;LayerID=11201&#038;PageTypeID=1&#038;KeyValue=0068%20%20022\"><br \/>\n5909 Val Del Road<\/a>, &#8220;right next to this property,&#8221;<br \/>\ngoes to get her dogs next to her pond next to the subject property,<br \/>\nand her truck sunk, needing towing to get it out.<br \/>\nAlso she said she loses 2 of her 10 acres in water so it can&#8217;t be used,<br \/>\nand she has no idea &#8220;how you could ever accomplish something like this.&#8221;<br \/>\nShe said she had &#8220;a visitor, Mr. Langdale, not a very kind visitor,<br \/>\nbut if you want to go that way&#8230; maybe you should go back there and take a walk. Wear your boots.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=19m20s\">19 minutes 20 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nTom Call of 1108 Gornto Road spoke for the development,<br \/>\nmostly the<br \/>\n&#8220;not in my back yard mentality&#8221; of the speakers against,<br \/>\nclaiming their complaints were not quantifiable.<br \/>\nHe ignored the basic points that paving would cause more runoff,<br \/>\nand no matter the size of the retention pond, it would probably overflow<br \/>\nin a big rain.<br \/>\nHe claimed Val Del Road was built as a major collector because that&#8217;s<br \/>\nwhat<br \/>\nthe county thoroughfare plan says.<br \/>\nHe claimed it would be low density development at 68 houses on 100 acres<br \/>\nfor 1.47 acres per house.<br \/>\nHe praised the Comprehensive Plan and then advocated abrogating it<br \/>\nbecause of &#8220;market conditions, supply and demand&#8221;.\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nThe county&#8217;s current road classifications are not evidence<br \/>\nfor the original purpose of a road.<br \/>\nMaybe Val Del Road was reclassified upwards<br \/>\nduring<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2009\/11\/thoroughfare-plan-for-lowndes-county.html\"><br \/>\nthe county&#8217;s blanket reclassification of roads in 2010<\/a>,<br \/>\nor maybe during<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2018\/04\/still-inconsistent-but-has-speed-humps-lowndes-county-thoroughfare-plan-2018.html\">their update of the Thoroughfare Plan this April<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2018-04-10--loco-thoroughfare-plan\/Thoroughfare-Plan-2018-0029.html\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lowndes County Road Map\" style=\"border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2018-04-10--loco-thoroughfare-plan\/Thoroughfare-Plan-2018-0029.jpg\"><\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\nLowndes County Road Map in<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2018\/04\/still-inconsistent-but-has-speed-humps-lowndes-county-thoroughfare-plan-2018.html\"><br \/>\nApril 2018 revision of Thoroughfare Plan<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nNevermind there is no similar development nearby,<br \/>\neven if there may be undeveloped R-1 zoning next to it.<br \/>\nAnd, yes, literally, this development would be in the opposition speakers&#8217; back yards, or across from their front yards.<br \/>\nIf they&#8217;re not concerned about their back yards, who should be?<br \/>\nMaybe the county should represent them?\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nI&#8217;m concerned, because that development would cause<br \/>\nmore traffic on GA 122 cutting through Hambrick Road,<br \/>\nmaking it even more dangerous to turn out of Quarterman Road from my house.\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=24m20s\"><br \/>\n24 minutes 20 seconds<\/a><br \/>\nCommissioner Scottie Orenstein asked about Mr. Dunham&#8217;s concern about<br \/>\n&#8220;our values would obviously go down&#8221;<br \/>\nand asked Tom Call what he expects the lot prices to be.<br \/>\nBefore answering the question, Call offered for Dunham to buy the property since it was for sale.<br \/>\nHis answer:<br \/>\n$200 to $250,000 homes<br \/>\nin a restrictive covenant community about house plans, colors, etc.<br \/>\nHe said &#8220;it&#8217;s homeowner maintained&#8221;.\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nHomeowner maintained means no enforcement.<br \/>\nThe Nelson Hill development, also on Val Del,<br \/>\nwhich the county approved outside where water and sewer then ran,<br \/>\nhad numerous requirements in its plan as approved by the County Commission, and detailed in its minutes for its 12 February 2007 Work Session and 13 February 2007 Regular Session.<br \/>\nThe county no longer has either of those minutes on its website, but fortunately <a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/08\/what-happened-at-nelson-hill-on-val-del-road-lcc-2013-08-12.html\">LAKE quoted the relevant parts in a blog post<\/a>.<br \/>\nLAKE also obtained a copy of the county&#8217;s<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/rezoning\/Nelson_Hill\/REZ-2006-80\/REZ-2006-80-Notice-of-Decision-0.html\">Notice of Decision<\/a> through <a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/rezoning\/Nelson_Hill\/REZ-2006-80\/\">open records request<\/a> and saved that, too:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/rezoning\/Nelson_Hill\/REZ-2006-80\/REZ-2006-80-Notice-of-Decision-0.html\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/rezoning\/Nelson_Hill\/REZ-2006-80\/REZ-2006-80-Notice-of-Decision-0.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/rezoning\/Nelson_Hill\/REZ-2006-80\/REZ-2006-80-Notice-of-Decision-1.jpg\"><\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nA few years later, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/08\/nelson-hill-waivers-by-staff-2-lcc-2013-08-13.html\"><br \/>\ncounty staff waived several conditions<\/a><br \/>\nwithout going back through a public hearing.<br \/>\nThere were <a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/08\/what-happened-at-nelson-hill-on-val-del-road-lcc-2013-08-12.html\">supposed to be condominiums and a gated community at Nelson Hill<\/a>, but if you go look now you will find none of that, nor any houses of the originally-required sizes, nor several other of the original conditions.\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\n$250,000 is not enough for a house price, according to<br \/>\na report Lowndes County paid for,<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/loco.quarterman.org\/docs\/Lowndes-Report-Final.pdf\"><br \/>\nThe Local Government Fiscal Impacts of Land Use in<br \/>\nLowndes County:<br \/>\nRevenue and Expenditure Streams by Land Use Category<\/a>,<br \/>\nby<br \/>\nJeffrey H. Dorfman, Ph.D.,<br \/>\nDorfman Consulting,<br \/>\nDecember 2007:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\nWhile the county government breaks-even on a $128,600 house, they<br \/>\nare just one government entity in the county. From the county school<br \/>\nsystem perspective, the results are quite different. If a home<br \/>\ncontains just one child attending the public schools, the break-even<br \/>\nhome value is $313,900 for the county schools and $419,000 for the<br \/>\nValdosta schools from the point of view of the schools&#8217; budget (that<br \/>\nis the home value that would pay enough in local school property<br \/>\ntaxes to cover the local expenditures per pupil).. Thus, the county<br \/>\ngovernment will be earning a fiscal surplus off a house with a<br \/>\nsingle child long before the schools. With two children in school,<br \/>\nthe break-even home price increases to $622,800 for the Lowndes<br \/>\nCounty Schools and $833,100 for the Valdosta City Schools. Census<br \/>\ndata provides an estimate of 0.6 public schoolchildren per home in<br \/>\nLowndes County. The break-even value for homes for the school system<br \/>\nusing an average of 0.6 pupils per household is $193,300 for the<br \/>\nCounty Schools and $253,400 for the Valdosta Schools. This is near<br \/>\nthe average value of new houses being constructed in Lowndes County<br \/>\n(recently estimated to be in the range of $220,000). Thus, Lowndes<br \/>\nCounty is in the enviable situation of its new growth being<br \/>\napproximately fiscally neutral for the local school systems. The<br \/>\ndanger would be if new residents had a higher number of public<br \/>\nschool children per household than the current population. Given the<br \/>\nreputation of the Lowndes County Schools in the region, this is a<br \/>\nlegitimate concern.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nCommissioner Clay Griner asked if the owner would consider 1.75 acre lots.<br \/>\nCall said he&#8217;d have to ask and get another plan drawn up.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nCommissioner Demarcus Marshall asked if Call had said it was for sale.<br \/>\nCall said it&#8217;s been for sale for a year, with a big sign up.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nComissioner Marshall wanted to know the lot size on the nearby R-1 property.<br \/>\nAnswer: minimum 1 acre lots on Dana Circle.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=27m30s\"><br \/>\n27 minutes 30 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nwhen the Chairman asked for any other speakers in support,<br \/>\nLinda Mehr stood up again and said, &#8220;I think we are all in favor of 10 acre lots.&#8221;<br \/>\nThe Chairman said that was not the request.<br \/>\nShe said it was her request, and she thought all the neighbors would be in favor.<br \/>\nThe Chairman said thank you and she sat down.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=27m53s\"><br \/>\n27 minutes 53 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nCommissioner Orenstein said he wanted to pursue what Commissioner Griner<br \/>\nasked about lot size.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=30m\"><br \/>\n30 minutes<\/a>,<br \/>\nthey called Tom Call back up to see if he would consider that.<br \/>\nHe said yes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nThe Chairman did <em>not<\/em> call any of the opposition back up to see<br \/>\nif they were OK, with that, despite a Commissioner<br \/>\nhaving already noted that they didn&#8217;t know about that.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nInstead, before Call could even sit down, at<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=30m27s\"><br \/>\n30 minutes 27 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nsomebody made a motion and Commissioner Joyce Evans seconded.<br \/>\nThey all raised their hands in favor of tabling for a month.<br \/>\nSo we&#8217;ll see it again in the first meeting in November.\n<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Abandonment-of-a-Portion-of-Union-Road\" href=\"#Abandonment-of-a-Portion-of-Union-Road\">Abandonment of a Portion of Union Road<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\n\t\t\tBoard&#8217;s Pleasure\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1948?fileID=1864\">Abandonment of a Portion of Union Road.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=30m47s\">30 minutes 47 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nafter a pause to let people leave from the previous item,<br \/>\nled by the VDT reporter,<br \/>\nCounty Engineer Mike Fletcher presented the proposed abandonment,<br \/>\nnobody wanted to speak for or against,<br \/>\nand they approved it.\n<\/p>\n<\/ol>\n<li>\n<a name=\"For-Consideration\" href=\"#For-Consideration\">For Consideration<\/a><\/p>\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\n<li>\n<a name=\"Union-Road-Quit-Claim-Deeds\" href=\"#Union-Road-Quit-Claim-Deeds\">Union Road Quit Claim Deeds<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\n\t\t\tApprove and authorize Chairman Slaughter to execute Quit Claim Deeds.\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1966?fileID=1869\">Union Road Quit Claim Deeds.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=30m47s\"><br \/>\n30 minutes 47 seconds<\/a> they approved it.\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"USGS-Funding-Agreement-for-Hwy-122-Stream-Gauge\" href=\"#USGS-Funding-Agreement-for-Hwy-122-Stream-Gauge\">USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\n\t\t\tRequest authorization for the Chairman to execute the funding agreement to allow for continued maintenance of the current stream gauge on the Little River.\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1960?fileID=1870\">USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=33m45s\"><br \/>\n33 minutes 45 seconds<\/a><br \/>\nAshley Tye presented this annual reapproval, Commissioner Demarcus Marshall<br \/>\nmade the motion, Commissioner Scottie Orenstien seconded, and they all voted aye.\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Stone-Creek-Antenna-Space-License-Agreement-Termination\" href=\"#Stone-Creek-Antenna-Space-License-Agreement-Termination\">Stone Creek Antenna Space License Agreement Termination<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\n\t\t\tTermination of agreement\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1965?fileID=1868\">Stone Creek Antenna Space License Agreement Termination.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=34m52s\">34 minutes 52 seconds<\/a><br \/>\nUtilities Director Steve Stalvey presented, Commissioner Marshall moved,<br \/>\nsomebody seconded, and they all approved.\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Val-Tech-Road-16-quot-Force-Main-Emergency-Repair\" href=\"#Val-Tech-Road-16-quot-Force-Main-Emergency-Repair\">Val-Tech Road 16&quot; Force Main Emergency Repair<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>\n\t\t\tApproval of Emergency Repair\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1970?fileID=1874\">Val-Tech Road 16 Force Main Emergency Repair.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=35m45s\"><br \/>\n35 minutes 45 seconds<\/a><br \/>\nUtilities Director Steve Stalvey presented this request to repair the repeatedly leaking and once-again-cracked sewer main for $99,935.<br \/>\nThey all voted aye.\n<\/p>\n<\/ol>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Reports\" href=\"#Reports\">Reports &#8211; County Manager<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nAt<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=37m6s\"><br \/>\n36 minutes 6 seconds<\/a><br \/>\nCounty Manager Joe Pritchard said EMA Director Ashley Tye gave a Hurricane Matthew<br \/>\nupdate the previous day,<br \/>\nand asked him to provide an update.<br \/>\nThe update was basically that the hurricane was still expected to make landfall<br \/>\na bit west of Panama City,<br \/>\nwith windspeeds of 120 miles per hour, as a category 3, with &#8220;devastating impacts, especially along the coastline.&#8221;<br \/>\nLowndes County was still under a tropical storm warning,<br \/>\nwith &#8220;significant impacts&#8221; from winds of at least 39 miles per hour,<br \/>\nwith a 20% chance of hurricane winds of 74 mph.<br \/>\nHe gave a very thorough summary, including that Moody AFB was<br \/>\nalready closed down, indicating the potential severity of the storm.\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"CWTBH\" href=\"#CWTBH\">Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nApparently there weren&#8217;t any, since the Chairman didn&#8217;t mention this item.\n<\/p>\n<li>\n<a name=\"Adjournment\" href=\"#Adjournment\">Adjournment<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\nDespite a Commissioner already making a motion to adjourn<br \/>\nat<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=53m27s\"><br \/>\n53 minutes 27 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nthe Chairman ignored Roberts Rules and took time to point at Leadership Lowndes.<br \/>\nFinally they adjourned at<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=53m45s\">53 minutes 45 seconds<\/a>,<br \/>\nmaking this the longest Lowndes County Commission meeting in recent memory.\n<\/p>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\n -jsq\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-style:italic\">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 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/donate\">donate to LAKE today<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, nor with the water and sewer growth plan, fire and rescue doesn&#8217;t want it, and the Planning Commission recommended rejecting it, what does it take for the Lowndes County Commission to reject a zoning, in this case for REZ-2018-17 for The Settlement North, 5999 Val Del Road? Only [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[552,15,2,88,3,449,55],"tags":[10098,10515,3169,10516,10517,8777,10508,8705,59,4417,1685,8701,8699,10,8791,4895,8702,91,9304,10509,127,12,7,8734,2084,8479,10004,10506,10507,10520,4,5782,10519,10504,3410,2504,6075,9246,383,10518,10505,182,8700,8767,4341,10503,62,9903,6,2276,9348,8727],"class_list":["post-20547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-comprehensive-plan","category-education","category-government","category-lowndes-county-commission","category-transparency","category-transportation","category-water","tag-10098","tag-2018-10-09","tag-abandonment","tag-bog","tag-busses","tag-comprehensive-plan","tag-county-water-system-growth-plan","tag-education","tag-flood","tag-ga-122","tag-gauge","tag-georgia","tag-government","tag-gretchen-quarterman","tag-hahira","tag-jeffrey-h-dorfman","tag-lake","tag-lcc","tag-lclb","tag-lcpfa","tag-little-river","tag-lowndes-area-knowledge-exchange","tag-lowndes-county","tag-lowndes-county-commission","tag-lowndes-county-library-board","tag-lowndes-county-public-facilities-authority","tag-october-9","tag-pipe-failure","tag-quit-claim","tag-r-1","tag-regular-session","tag-retention-pond","tag-revenue-and-expenditure-streams-by-land-use-category","tag-rez-2018-17","tag-schools","tag-sewer","tag-spill","tag-steve-stalvey","tag-taxes","tag-the-local-government-fiscal-impacts-of-land-use-in-lowndes-county","tag-the-settlement-north","tag-tom-call","tag-transparency","tag-transportation","tag-union-road","tag-usgs-02318380","tag-utilities","tag-val-tech-road","tag-valdosta","tag-valdosta-lowndes-county-construction-board-of-adjustments-and-appeals","tag-vlccbaa","tag-water"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20547","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20547"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20547\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20563,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20547\/revisions\/20563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}