\r\nGLPC recommended approval of\r\nTWR-2026-02,\r\nbut only by a split vote: LAKE videos to come.\r\n
\r\nThe Lowndes County Commission will decide at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\nThe tower would be a stone’s throw from the main trail kiosk, at \r\n30.885908, -83.320453<\/a>,\r\nand right next to White Trail A, which many citizens helped clear of Hurricane Helene deadfalls.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nThanks to Jason Davenport, consultant for Lowndes County Planning,\r\nwho sent this additional information in the morning before the meeting.\r\nHe was responding to a followup I sent after the initial county response to\r\nthe LAKE open records request of the previous Tuesday.\r\nMy followup request was a brief version of the discrepencies I noted in\r\n\r\nthe LAKE post with the previously-received TWR-2026-02 board packet materials<\/a>.\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nPeggy,\r\n \r\nThanks for the files.\r\n \r\nHowever, significant information is missing.\r\n \r\n5.05.05.B. Inventory of Existing Sites\r\n \r\n5.05.05.E. Availability of Suitable Existing Structures for Collocation demonstration that no existing tower or existing alternative tower structure can accommodate the proposed antenna\r\n \r\n5.05.05.G.5. explanation of how a tower on this site would not negatively affect a historic district and a scenic view corridor in VLPRA’s largest park, which is mostly wooded and has a river running by it\r\n \r\n5.05.05.I.1. explanation for why the tower would not be too close to a property line of the lot or parcel containing the tower, and too close to the public right-of-way of a hiking trail\r\n \r\nFor the public to make informed comments at a Public Hearing on this item,\r\nthe public needs to see the information required by the ULDC,\r\nespecially given that staff wrote that\r\n \r\n “The decision to be made by the Board of Commissioners is\r\n not a zoning decision. It is a quasi-judicial decision\r\n whether the standards for a telecommunications tower in\r\n Section 5.05.05 of the ULDC are met.”\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n \r\nThe rest of my message was just the usual copies by email, willing to pay, etc.\r\n \r\nI actually did not notice Jason’s response until after the GLPC meeting.\r\nThen I replied to him in part:\r\n \r\nSome of those [ULDC] requirements appear still not to be met.\r\n \r\nIn 5.05.05.B.1. “To facilitate the co-location review of antennas,\r\neach applicant seeking to locate a new tower, alternative tower\r\nstructure or antenna, or modify any such existing structure, shall\r\nprovide an updated inventory of its existing towers or alternative\r\ntower structures. Applicants seeking to erect and amateur radio\r\ntower or antenna, or receive-only antenna as described in Section\r\n5.05.03(C), shall be exempt from this provision. This required\r\ninventory information shall be maintained by Lowndes County in the\r\nform of a digital database that is geographically referenced and\r\nencoded as part of the County’s Geographic Information System\r\n(VALOR). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that\r\nthis inventory data is accurate and kept up to date.<\/strong>”\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nI do not see any of that information in VALORGIS.\r\n \r\nPlease note also 5.05.05.B.2 “The inventory shall include all such\r\nstructures that are within the jurisdiction of the governing\r\nauthority; within a municipality located, in whole or in part,\r\nwithin Lowndes County; or within one-quarter (1\/4) mile outside the\r\nborder of Lowndes County. This inventory shall include specific\r\ninformation about the location (latitude and longitude coordinates),\r\nheight, design, tower type, and general suitability for antenna\r\nco-location of each tower. Such information is a public document.<\/strong>”\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nSince that information is a public document, I do not know why\r\ncounty staff should have to ask the applicant before returning it in\r\nresponse to an open records request.\r\n …\r\n \r\nNot including them [the propagation maps] in the packet deprived the Planning Commissioners of a chance for review before the meeting.<\/strong>\r\n \r\nAnd not including them in the packet deprived the public of a chance to review them before commenting in a Public Hearing.\r\n<\/strong>\r\n \r\nFor that matter, the county not publishing the board packet deprived the public of a chance to property review the case before commenting in the Public Hearing.<\/strong>\r\n \r\nIn 5.05.05.E. “Availability of Suitable Existing Structures for\r\nCollocation No new tower, except amateur radio towers, shall be\r\npermitted unless the applicant demonstrates that no existing tower\r\nor existing alternative tower structure can accommodate the proposed\r\nantenna. All evidence submitted shall be signed and sealed by\r\nappropriate licensed professionals or qualified industry\r\nexperts….”\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nI see at the beginning of the “RF Propagation Maps for BERMUDA RUN\r\nSite” that you sent, there is the name\r\n \r\nIn 5.05.05.G.5 “Towers shall not be located where they will\r\nnegatively affect historic structures or districts, or scenic view\r\ncorridors.” These terms are not defined in the ULDC, so far as I can\r\ntell: “historic districts” or “scenic view corridors.” In the\r\nPlanning Commission meeting JD dismissed all that by saying there\r\nwere no historic districts outside of Valdosta. So why does\r\n5.05.05.G.5 refer to those terms in the county ULDC (not the city\r\nLDR)?\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nI don’t think he addressed scenic view corridors. If Hyta Mederer\r\nDrive leading through Langdale Park to the Withlacoochee River is\r\nnot a scenic view corridor, I’m not sure what around Valdosta would\r\nbe.\r\n<\/p>\r\nRegarding 5.05.05.I.I. “Setbacks\r\n \r\nSee the definition on page 1-25:\r\n“Right-of-Way.<\/strong> A portion of land\r\nbeing used or to be used as a public street, road, thoroughfare,\r\ncrosswalk, pipeway, drainage canal, and\/ or other similar uses and\r\ndesignated by means of right-of-way lines.”\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nIf a crosswalk counts as a right-of-way, it would seem that a public\r\nhiking trail that was recently cleared of hurricane debris by many\r\nmembers of the public would count. I did not hear any argument to\r\nthe contrary.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nOnce again, I appreciate your honesty.\r\n \r\nI would appreciate even more seeing the remaining missing\r\ninformation: tower inventory in VALORGIS and expert signature and\r\nseal.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nAnd I would appreciate seeing substantive responses to ULDC\r\nparagraphs 5.05.05.G.5 and 5.05.05.I.I.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nI would be most appreciative on seeing complete board packets on\r\nlowndescounty.com before GLPC and Lowndes County Commission\r\nmeetings.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n \r\nThis new information is\r\n\r\non the LAKE website<\/a>.\r\nImages of each page are below.\r\n \r\nI would have thought most of these followups would not have been necessary,\r\nsince at least the first two items should have been covered by this paragraph\r\nin the original LAKE open records request of June 23, 2026:\r\n \r\nPlease be sure to include the correspondence to board and staff\r\nabout any rezoning items, including letters to the Planning\r\nCommission and to the County Commission, and to individual\r\nCommissioners, along with any replies.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n \r\nEvidently such LAKE open records requests to Lowndes County will have to be even more explicit.\r\n \r\n -jsq\r\n<\/p>\r\n 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 donate to LAKE today<\/a>!\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n![\"[Packet:](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/many.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Packet: Propagation maps for Verizon tower in Langdale Park @ GLPC 2026-06-29<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nPlease send these missing pieces, which are required by the ULDC:\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\nCould you please point me to it?\r\n
\r\nIt doesn’t matter if it says at\r\nthe bottom “Confidential and proprietary material….”\r\n
\r\nBy submitting it to the county to satisfy the ULDC, this clause applies: “Such\r\ninformation is a public document.”\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\n“Anm Badruddoza, Radio\r\nFrequency Engineer, Verizon Wireless”.\r\n
\r\nBut I do not see any signature or seal.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nThe following setback requirements shall apply to all towers: \r\n
\r\n1. Towers\/antennas shall be setback a minimum distance equal to one third (1\/3) of the height of the tower from its base to any public right-of-way or property line of the lot or parcel containing the tower.”\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/donate<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[RF](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0001.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
RF Propagation Maps for BERMUDA RUN Site, Anm Badruddoza, Radio Frequency Engineer, Verizon Wireless<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Location](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0002.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Location Coordinates 30° 53′ 9.27″ N \/83° 19′ 13.63″ W<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Sites](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0003.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Sites around the BERMUDA RUN search area<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Inventory](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0004.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Inventory list of existing Non Verizon Towers around the BERMUDA RUN search area<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Towers](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0005.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Towers around the BERMUDA RUN search area<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Capacity](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0006.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Capacity Issue : Valdosta NorthEast<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Coverage](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0007.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Coverage with Bermuda Run site<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Coverage](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0008.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Coverage without Bermuda Run site<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Verizon](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0009.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Verizon Legal Disclaimer<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Thank](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/glpc\/2026-06-29--glpc-tower-packet\/Propagation-Maps-and-Inventory-0010.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Thank you.<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Here is some information about the Verizon Wireless proposed communications tower in Langdale Park, that was missing from the board packet for the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) meeting on June 29, 2026. There are still more missing pieces that are required by the county’s own Unified Land Development Code (ULDC): An inventory in VALORGIS […]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_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},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[325,603,88,604,449,54,450,55],"tags":[12149,8701,8764,326,13577,11174,8702,8792,7809,12,7,8734,13579,2179,13578,8793,9224,8767,13584,1156,8169,6,8726,10992,8768,8727],"class_list":["post-25853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-glpc","category-lake-park","category-lowndes-county-commission","category-remerton","category-transportation","category-valdosta-city-council","category-vlpra","category-water","tag-bermuda-run","tag-georgia","tag-glpc","tag-greater-lowndes-planning-commission","tag-hyta-mederer-drive","tag-internet-connection-speed","tag-lake","tag-lake-park","tag-langdale-park","tag-lowndes-area-knowledge-exchange","tag-lowndes-county","tag-lowndes-county-commission","tag-lowndes-county-parks-and-recreation-authority","tag-north-valdosta-road","tag-quasi-judicial-decision","tag-remerton","tag-telecommunications-tower","tag-transportation","tag-twr-2026-02","tag-uldc","tag-unified-land-development-code","tag-valdosta","tag-valdosta-city-council","tag-verizon-wireless","tag-vlpra","tag-water"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p585fK-6IZ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25853","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=25853"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25853\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25856,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25853\/revisions\/25856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}