{"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>\r\nIf not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, nor with the water and sewer growth plan,\r\nfire and rescue doesn&#8217;t want it, and the Planning Commission recommended rejecting it,\r\nwhat does it take for the Lowndes County Commission to reject a zoning,\r\nin this case for\r\n<a href=\"#REZ-2018-17\">REZ-2018-17<\/a> for\r\nThe Settlement North, 5999 Val Del Road?\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\r\n<a title=\"Five hands go up, REZ-2018-17\" href=\"http:\/\/www.okraparadisefarms.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=7558\">\r\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>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nOnly three people were allowed to speak against, of the five whose hands went up.\r\n<p>\r\nThe developer promised restrictive covenants enforced by nobody but the homeowners.\r\nCounty-imposed conditions on the Nelson Hill development, also on Val Del, were largely waived by county staff without public hearings.\r\nWhat promises should we believe?\r\n<p>\r\nWill the developer&#8217;s demand to ignore the Comprehensive Plan\r\nbecause of &#8220;market conditions, supply and demand&#8221; prevail?\r\nDo property values of neighbors not matter?\r\nHow about saddling the county school system with houses priced too low\r\nfor property taxes on them to cover expenses of sending school buses?\r\nOr is profit for a few all that matters?\r\n<p>\r\nSee the<!--more-->\r\n\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=37m\">previous post<\/a>\r\nfor background on the\r\n<a href=\"#Val-Tech-Road-16-quot-Force-Main-Emergency-Repair\">Val-Tech Road 16&quot; Force Main Emergency Repair<\/a>.\r\nAnother water item was the annual\r\n<a href=\"#USGS-Funding-Agreement-for-Hwy-122-Stream-Gauge\">USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge<\/a>.\r\nEMA Director Ashley Tye gave a\r\n<a href=\"#Reports\">thorough update on Hurricane Michael<\/a>,\r\nthen still before landfall.\r\n<p>\r\nBelow are links into\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8\">\t\r\nthe county&#8217;s own video<\/a> of their Regular Session,\r\nwith some notes.\r\nThe county also took a video of their Work Session of the previous morning,\r\nbut it seems those videos never get posted on YouTube.\r\nGretchen has requested that other video, as well.\r\n<blockquote style=\"font-size:100%\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center\">\r\nLOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS\r\n<br>\r\nPROPOSED AGENDA\r\n<br>\r\nWORK SESSION, MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018, 8:30 a.m.\r\n<br>\r\nREGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018, 5:30 p.m.\r\n<br>\r\n327 N. Ashley Street &#8211; 2nd Floor\r\n<\/p><!--more-->\r\n<ol>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Call-to-Order\" href=\"#Call-to-Order\">Call to Order<\/a>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Invocation\" href=\"#Invocation\">Invocation<\/a>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Pledge\" href=\"#Pledge\">Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag<\/a>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"GFOA-Financial-Reporting-Award\" href=\"#GFOA-Financial-Reporting-Award\">GFOA Financial Reporting Award<\/a>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nCounty Manager Joe Pritchard spoke at great length at\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=1m20s\">\r\n1 minute 20 seconds<\/a>\r\nabout\r\nFinance Director Stephanie Black and her department winning this award for the\r\neleventh year, and he also named\r\nHarrison Tillman without saying why.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Minutes-for-Approval\" href=\"#Minutes-for-Approval\">Minutes for Approval<\/a>\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Work-Session-September-24-2018\" href=\"#Work-Session-September-24-2018\">Work Session- September 24, 2018<\/a>\r\n<br>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Regular-Session-September-25-2018\" href=\"#Regular-Session-September-25-2018\">Regular Session- September 25, 2018<\/a>\r\n<br>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=4m42s\">\r\n4 minutes 42 seconds<\/a>\r\nthey approved the minutes.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Appointments\" href=\"#Appointments\">Appointments<\/a>\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Lowndes-County-Library-Board\" href=\"#Lowndes-County-Library-Board\">Lowndes County Library Board<\/a>\r\n<br>\r\n\t\t\tAppoint\/reappoint a member\t\t\r\n<p>\r\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1963?fileID=1865\">Lowndes County Library Board.pdf<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nReappointed Linda Most, with no other nominations, by &#8220;acclamation&#8221;, at\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=5m12s\">\r\n5 minutes 12 seconds<\/a>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Lowndes-County-Public-Facilities-Authority\" href=\"#Lowndes-County-Public-Facilities-Authority\">Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority<\/a>\r\n<br>\r\n\t\t\tAppoint\/reappoint a member\t\t\r\n<p>\r\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1967?fileID=1866\">Lowndes County Public Facilities Authority.pdf<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nReappointed Clay Griner (also a Lowndes County Commissioner),\r\nwith no other nominations, by &#8220;acclamation&#8221;, at\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=5m57s\">\r\n5 minutes 57 seconds<\/a>,\r\nseveral months late, &#8220;because of delays in getting this to you,&#8221; since his previous term expired in June.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\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>\r\n<br>\r\n\t\t\tAppoint\/reappoint a member.\t\t\r\n<p>\r\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>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nReappointed Jim &#8220;Jimbo&#8221; Scruggs,\r\nwith no other nominations, by &#8220;acclamation&#8221;, at\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=7m12s\">\r\n7 minutes 12 seconds<\/a>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Public-Hearing\" href=\"#Public-Hearing\">Public Hearing<\/a>\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\r\n<li>\r\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>\r\n<br>\r\n\t\t\tTRC Recommendations: Various<br>\r\nGLPC Recommendation: Denial\t\t\r\n<p>\r\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1949?fileID=1867\">Rezoning Case REZ-2018-17.pdf<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=8m2s\">\r\n8 minutes 2 seconds<\/a>,\r\nCommissioner Demarcus Marshall\r\nnoted that none of Engineering, Utilities, and Fire and Rescue\r\nrecommended rezoning,\r\nand got Planner Molly Stevenson to acknowledge that Planning and Zoning\r\nfound the request &#8220;inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan&#8221;.\r\nCommissioner Mark Wisenbaker got her to say\r\n&#8220;Utilities found the development in that area is not supported by the county water system growth plan.&#8221;\r\nThe agenda sheet also notes the Planning Commission recommended denial; see\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.valdostadailytimes.com\/news\/local_news\/planning-commission-denies-val-del-road-recommendation\/article_bf93ad6c-9e4d-5d76-a92a-34cdeac2483d.html\">\r\nPlanning commission denies Val-Del Road recommendation<\/a>,\r\nby Jason A. Smith, Valdosta Daily Times, 25 September 2018.\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\r\n<a title=\"Current Zoning Map, REZ-2018-17\" href=\"http:\/\/www.okraparadisefarms.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=7561\">\r\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>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nCounty Manager Joe Pritchard tried to rationalize all that, saying\r\nthe departments that meet in the Technical Review Committee\r\n&#8220;do not necessarily vote to approve or to support this,\r\nthey merely indicate whether there is a problem,\r\nas Molly was saying, with the particular project that was presented,\r\nbased on whatever their particular area is,\r\nfor instance the Comp. Plan, whether there was access to water,\r\nif there was some engineering issues, etc.\r\nSo their input into this is not to either support this,\r\nor to oppose it, merely to indicate a problem that they see based on their criteria.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=10m45s\">\r\n10 minutes 45 seconds<\/a>\r\nfive hands went up for speakers against the rezoning.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nChuck Dunham of\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/qpublic.schneidercorp.com\/Application.aspx?AppID=631&#038;LayerID=11201&#038;PageTypeID=1&#038;KeyValue=0068%20%20149\">\r\n5930 Val Del Road<\/a>\r\nnoted zoning considers eleven standards, and &#8220;not one of these is not negatively impacted\r\nby this zoning request.&#8221;\r\nHis three specific concerns were:\r\n<ol style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\n<li>This development would depress the property\r\nvalues of himself and his neighbors.\r\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.\r\nIn his 22 years next door, he has seen the only ditch from the subject property\r\nfull several times, going onto his property.\r\nHe said the hydrology study should be done first.\r\nFor example, the county hasn&#8217;t taken into account that a 42-inch\r\noverflow\r\npipe coming onto his property would feed into a 36-inch pipe going out.\r\nThe county frequently has to put up water over the road signs on the dirt road.\r\n<li>\r\nTraffic.\r\nHe referred to &#8220;the military housing&#8221; at least a mile from there on Val Del Road,\r\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.\r\nHe also called Val Del Road &#8220;the Val Del 500&#8221; because people gun it to try to pass\r\nbefore they get to the top of the hill.\r\nAlso not if but when they need to three-lane the two-lane road,\r\nhow will they do that?\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=15m48s\">\r\n15 minutes 48 seconds<\/a>,\r\nCounty Chairman Bill Slaughter gave more evidence that\r\ncounty time limits for citizens speaking are arbitrary when he said,\r\n<\/p>\r\n<blockquote style=\"font-size:100%\">\r\n<p>\r\nWe typically give each side five minutes, but I&#8217;ll allow two additional\r\nspeakers, this speaker and one more.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nPaul Lane of\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/qpublic.schneidercorp.com\/Application.aspx?AppID=631&#038;LayerID=11201&#038;PageTypeID=1&#038;KeyValue=0068%20%20149C\">\r\n5970 Val Del Road<\/a>,\r\nright across the road from the potential development, said it\r\nwould &#8220;pretty much defeat the reason I moved out there&#8221;\r\nand it was &#8220;completely out of character&#8221; for the area.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt \r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=17m25s\">\r\n17 minutes 25 seconds<\/a>,\r\nLinda Mehr of\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/qpublic.schneidercorp.com\/Application.aspx?AppID=631&#038;LayerID=11201&#038;PageTypeID=1&#038;KeyValue=0068%20%20022\">\r\n5909 Val Del Road<\/a>, &#8220;right next to this property,&#8221;\r\ngoes to get her dogs next to her pond next to the subject property,\r\nand her truck sunk, needing towing to get it out.\r\nAlso she said she loses 2 of her 10 acres in water so it can&#8217;t be used,\r\nand she has no idea &#8220;how you could ever accomplish something like this.&#8221;\r\nShe said she had &#8220;a visitor, Mr. Langdale, not a very kind visitor,\r\nbut if you want to go that way&#8230; maybe you should go back there and take a walk. Wear your boots.&#8221;\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=19m20s\">19 minutes 20 seconds<\/a>,\r\nTom Call of 1108 Gornto Road spoke for the development,\r\nmostly the\r\n&#8220;not in my back yard mentality&#8221; of the speakers against,\r\nclaiming their complaints were not quantifiable.\r\nHe ignored the basic points that paving would cause more runoff,\r\nand no matter the size of the retention pond, it would probably overflow\r\nin a big rain.\r\nHe claimed Val Del Road was built as a major collector because that&#8217;s\r\nwhat\r\nthe county thoroughfare plan says.\r\nHe claimed it would be low density development at 68 houses on 100 acres\r\nfor 1.47 acres per house.\r\nHe praised the Comprehensive Plan and then advocated abrogating it\r\nbecause of &#8220;market conditions, supply and demand&#8221;.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nThe county&#8217;s current road classifications are not evidence\r\nfor the original purpose of a road.\r\nMaybe Val Del Road was reclassified upwards\r\nduring\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2009\/11\/thoroughfare-plan-for-lowndes-county.html\">\r\nthe county&#8217;s blanket reclassification of roads in 2010<\/a>,\r\nor maybe during\r\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>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2018-04-10--loco-thoroughfare-plan\/Thoroughfare-Plan-2018-0029.html\">\r\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>\r\n<br>\r\nLowndes County Road Map in\r\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\">\r\nApril 2018 revision of Thoroughfare Plan<\/a>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nNevermind there is no similar development nearby,\r\neven if there may be undeveloped R-1 zoning next to it.\r\nAnd, yes, literally, this development would be in the opposition speakers&#8217; back yards, or across from their front yards.\r\nIf they&#8217;re not concerned about their back yards, who should be?\r\nMaybe the county should represent them?\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nI&#8217;m concerned, because that development would cause\r\nmore traffic on GA 122 cutting through Hambrick Road,\r\nmaking it even more dangerous to turn out of Quarterman Road from my house.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=24m20s\">\r\n24 minutes 20 seconds<\/a>\r\nCommissioner Scottie Orenstein asked about Mr. Dunham&#8217;s concern about\r\n&#8220;our values would obviously go down&#8221;\r\nand asked Tom Call what he expects the lot prices to be.\r\nBefore answering the question, Call offered for Dunham to buy the property since it was for sale.\r\nHis answer:\r\n$200 to $250,000 homes\r\nin a restrictive covenant community about house plans, colors, etc.\r\nHe said &#8220;it&#8217;s homeowner maintained&#8221;.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nHomeowner maintained means no enforcement.\r\nThe Nelson Hill development, also on Val Del,\r\nwhich the county approved outside where water and sewer then ran,\r\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.\r\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>.\r\nLAKE also obtained a copy of the county&#8217;s\r\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:\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%;font-style:italic\">\r\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\">\r\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>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\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\">\r\ncounty staff waived several conditions<\/a>\r\nwithout going back through a public hearing.\r\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.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\n$250,000 is not enough for a house price, according to\r\na report Lowndes County paid for,\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/loco.quarterman.org\/docs\/Lowndes-Report-Final.pdf\">\r\nThe Local Government Fiscal Impacts of Land Use in\r\nLowndes County:\r\nRevenue and Expenditure Streams by Land Use Category<\/a>,\r\nby\r\nJeffrey H. Dorfman, Ph.D.,\r\nDorfman Consulting,\r\nDecember 2007:\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nWhile the county government breaks-even on a $128,600 house, they\r\nare just one government entity in the county. From the county school\r\nsystem perspective, the results are quite different. If a home\r\ncontains just one child attending the public schools, the break-even\r\nhome value is $313,900 for the county schools and $419,000 for the\r\nValdosta schools from the point of view of the schools&#8217; budget (that\r\nis the home value that would pay enough in local school property\r\ntaxes to cover the local expenditures per pupil).. Thus, the county\r\ngovernment will be earning a fiscal surplus off a house with a\r\nsingle child long before the schools. With two children in school,\r\nthe break-even home price increases to $622,800 for the Lowndes\r\nCounty Schools and $833,100 for the Valdosta City Schools. Census\r\ndata provides an estimate of 0.6 public schoolchildren per home in\r\nLowndes County. The break-even value for homes for the school system\r\nusing an average of 0.6 pupils per household is $193,300 for the\r\nCounty Schools and $253,400 for the Valdosta Schools. This is near\r\nthe average value of new houses being constructed in Lowndes County\r\n(recently estimated to be in the range of $220,000). Thus, Lowndes\r\nCounty is in the enviable situation of its new growth being\r\napproximately fiscally neutral for the local school systems. The\r\ndanger would be if new residents had a higher number of public\r\nschool children per household than the current population. Given the\r\nreputation of the Lowndes County Schools in the region, this is a\r\nlegitimate concern.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nCommissioner Clay Griner asked if the owner would consider 1.75 acre lots.\r\nCall said he&#8217;d have to ask and get another plan drawn up.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nCommissioner Demarcus Marshall asked if Call had said it was for sale.\r\nCall said it&#8217;s been for sale for a year, with a big sign up.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nComissioner Marshall wanted to know the lot size on the nearby R-1 property.\r\nAnswer: minimum 1 acre lots on Dana Circle.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=27m30s\">\r\n27 minutes 30 seconds<\/a>,\r\nwhen the Chairman asked for any other speakers in support,\r\nLinda Mehr stood up again and said, &#8220;I think we are all in favor of 10 acre lots.&#8221;\r\nThe Chairman said that was not the request.\r\nShe said it was her request, and she thought all the neighbors would be in favor.\r\nThe Chairman said thank you and she sat down.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt \r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=27m53s\">\r\n27 minutes 53 seconds<\/a>,\r\nCommissioner Orenstein said he wanted to pursue what Commissioner Griner\r\nasked about lot size.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=30m\">\r\n30 minutes<\/a>,\r\nthey called Tom Call back up to see if he would consider that.\r\nHe said yes.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nThe Chairman did <em>not<\/em> call any of the opposition back up to see\r\nif they were OK, with that, despite a Commissioner\r\nhaving already noted that they didn&#8217;t know about that.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nInstead, before Call could even sit down, at\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=30m27s\">\r\n30 minutes 27 seconds<\/a>,\r\nsomebody made a motion and Commissioner Joyce Evans seconded.\r\nThey all raised their hands in favor of tabling for a month.\r\nSo we&#8217;ll see it again in the first meeting in November.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\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>\r\n<br>\r\n\t\t\tBoard&#8217;s Pleasure\t\t\r\n<p>\r\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1948?fileID=1864\">Abandonment of a Portion of Union Road.pdf<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=30m47s\">30 minutes 47 seconds<\/a>,\r\nafter a pause to let people leave from the previous item,\r\nled by the VDT reporter,\r\nCounty Engineer Mike Fletcher presented the proposed abandonment,\r\nnobody wanted to speak for or against,\r\nand they approved it.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"For-Consideration\" href=\"#For-Consideration\">For Consideration<\/a>\r\n<ol style=\"list-style-type: lower-alpha\">\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Union-Road-Quit-Claim-Deeds\" href=\"#Union-Road-Quit-Claim-Deeds\">Union Road Quit Claim Deeds<\/a>\r\n<br>\r\n\t\t\tApprove and authorize Chairman Slaughter to execute Quit Claim Deeds.\t\t\r\n<p>\r\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1966?fileID=1869\">Union Road Quit Claim Deeds.pdf<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=30m47s\">\r\n30 minutes 47 seconds<\/a> they approved it.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\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>\r\n<br>\r\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\r\n<p>\r\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>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=33m45s\">\r\n33 minutes 45 seconds<\/a>\r\nAshley Tye presented this annual reapproval, Commissioner Demarcus Marshall\r\nmade the motion, Commissioner Scottie Orenstien seconded, and they all voted aye.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\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>\r\n<br>\r\n\t\t\tTermination of agreement\t\t\r\n<p>\r\n<strong>Documents:<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/lowndescounty.com\/\/AgendaCenter\/ViewFile\/Item\/1965?fileID=1868\">Stone Creek Antenna Space License Agreement Termination.pdf<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=34m52s\">34 minutes 52 seconds<\/a>\r\nUtilities Director Steve Stalvey presented, Commissioner Marshall moved,\r\nsomebody seconded, and they all approved.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\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>\r\n<br>\r\n\t\t\tApproval of Emergency Repair\t\t\r\n<p>\r\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>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=35m45s\">\r\n35 minutes 45 seconds<\/a>\r\nUtilities Director Steve Stalvey presented this request to repair the repeatedly leaking and once-again-cracked sewer main for $99,935.\r\nThey all voted aye.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Reports\" href=\"#Reports\">Reports &#8211; County Manager<\/a>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nAt\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=37m6s\">\r\n36 minutes 6 seconds<\/a>\r\nCounty Manager Joe Pritchard said EMA Director Ashley Tye gave a Hurricane Matthew\r\nupdate the previous day,\r\nand asked him to provide an update.\r\nThe update was basically that the hurricane was still expected to make landfall\r\na bit west of Panama City,\r\nwith windspeeds of 120 miles per hour, as a category 3, with &#8220;devastating impacts, especially along the coastline.&#8221;\r\nLowndes County was still under a tropical storm warning,\r\nwith &#8220;significant impacts&#8221; from winds of at least 39 miles per hour,\r\nwith a 20% chance of hurricane winds of 74 mph.\r\nHe gave a very thorough summary, including that Moody AFB was\r\nalready closed down, indicating the potential severity of the storm.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"CWTBH\" href=\"#CWTBH\">Citizens Wishing to be Heard-Please State Your Name and Address<\/a>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nApparently there weren&#8217;t any, since the Chairman didn&#8217;t mention this item.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<li>\r\n<a name=\"Adjournment\" href=\"#Adjournment\">Adjournment<\/a>\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\nDespite a Commissioner already making a motion to adjourn\r\nat\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=53m27s\">\r\n53 minutes 27 seconds<\/a>,\r\nthe Chairman ignored Roberts Rules and took time to point at Leadership Lowndes.\r\nFinally they adjourned at \r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iXnb4xQSwL8&#038;feature=youtu.be&#038;t=53m45s\">53 minutes 45 seconds<\/a>,\r\nmaking this the longest Lowndes County Commission meeting in recent memory.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\n -jsq\r\n<\/p>\r\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>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"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;]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"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"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p585fK-5lp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_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}]}}