{"id":282,"date":"2012-12-07T16:31:16","date_gmt":"2012-12-07T21:31:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2012\/12\/text-amendment-gretchen-quarterman.html"},"modified":"2012-12-07T16:31:16","modified_gmt":"2012-12-07T21:31:16","slug":"text-amendment-gretchen-quarterman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2012\/12\/text-amendment-gretchen-quarterman.html","title":{"rendered":"Text Amendment —Gretchen Quarterman"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nReceived today, referring to TXT-2012-02, which is on the agenda for
\n
\nMonday morning’s Work Session and Tuesday evening’s Regular Session<\/a>
\nof the Lowndes County Commission. -jsq\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/a>
\nDate: Fri, 7 Dec 2012 13:42:37 -0500
\n
\nFrom: Gretchen Quarterman
\n
\nTo: Richard Raines
\n
\nSubject: Re: Text Amendment<\/p>\n

\n
\nOn Thu, Dec 06, 2012 at 12:25:31PM +0000, Richard Raines wrote:<\/a>
\n
\nGretchen,\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Richard,<\/p>\n

\nThanks for your thoughtful and indepth answer.\n<\/p>\n

\nBased on a conversation with the Chairman yesterday, it is my
\nunderstanding that this issue will be tabled until sometime next
\nyear (Chairman-elect Slaughter will decide when to put it back on
\nthe agenda) because we are working with MAFB on a compromise as
\nthey are well aware of our mandate to balance property rights with
\nprotecting against base encroachment.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\nInteresting, I thought that the commissioners made the decisions
\nabout hearing or tabling an issue, not the chairman. While the
\nchairman can set the agenda, it is my understanding that the
\nvoting members of the commission are the ones that actually get
\nto make the decisions.\n<\/p>\n

\nSince I’ve been on the County Commission we have made it a priority
\nto constantly evaluate the ULDC and all zoning districts. MAZ 1-3
\nis no exception and must be evaluated to make sure that it is
\nbalanced and consistent.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\nI appreciate that.\n<\/p>\n

\nWe have discovered a few inconsistencies with the MAZ which are
\nnot practical and making adjustments will in no way put Moody Air
\nForce Base in peril. I was recently informed that Lowndes County
\nis the only community in the country with a MAZ, which means we
\nhave gone to greater lengths than any other community to protect
\nagainst encroachment. Making minor adjustments is necessary with
\nall ordinances and, even if the proposed changes are made, we still
\nhave the only MAZ in the country. Making minor adjustments in an
\neffort to promote consistency and eliminate duplication is not equal
\nto an all out assault on Moody.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\nI have many concerns about the continued presence of Moody AFB in
\nour community. Moody is a $400M+ economic engine and its loss or
\nreduction\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

\nwould have dramatic consequences on our local community.
\nChairman Paulk encouraged a $150M gamble on the SPLOST vote and
\nlost. I would not want our community to take a $400M annual bet
\nand lose MAFB.\n<\/p>\n

\nI certainly understand the “property rights” arguments regarding
\nzoning and planning, however an “every property owner for himself”
\nmindset will not take us to a good end. As a community we need
\nto protect not only the base but also VSU and South Georgia Medical.
\nWe are, as you say, a national leader in zoning protection for
\nthe base. Isn’t it nice to be a leading community, rather than
\na following one?\n<\/p>\n

\nIt is my understanding that perhaps one of the concerns that the
\ncommissioners have is that the base has housing closer already
\nthan the proposed Joyner development. This certainly is true
\nbut the more houses that are built, the less places there are for
\nairplanes to crash (and they do crash). I am not against dense
\nhousing. In fact, I am an advocate for housing built close
\nto existing services.\n<\/p>\n

\nFinally, it’s not actually clear to me that our community
\nneeds more housing at this time. I understand that developers
\nare in business to make money and that government is not
\nin the business of telling someone when or where they can
\n
\n<\/a>
\nbuild, however given that the Valdosta area is one of four
\nin the state where housing prices continue to decline,\n<\/p>\n

\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/morganbrennan\/2012\/12\/06\/cities-where-home-prices-are-still-plunging\/<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\nit seems to me that we don’t actually need more housing just now.\n<\/p>\n

\nI am also concerned that the developer in question (Joyner Realty)
\nis the same one to whom the county donated $130,000 of labor to
\nimprove Davidson Road a few years ago. Is our local government
\nin the business of helping developers? If so, under what conditions
\nand why?\n<\/p>\n

\nThe County has spent enormous amounts of tax revenues in the last
\nfew years to give Moody Air Force Base an advantage over other bases
\nin terms of infrastructure and access. Our partnership with the
\nUnited States Air Force is strong and, even though we may disagree
\nover these proposed text amendments, it is no different than any
\nother disagreement between parties with mutual admiration and
\nrespect.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\nI always appreciate discussion, debate, and transparency and
\nyour willingness to participate.\n<\/p>\n

\nI also have something that I’d like to express on the phone
\nso when you have a moment, would you phone me please?
\n
\n229-834-1945\n<\/p>\n

\nThank you for taking the time to voice your concerns.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\nThank you for your service to our community,\n<\/p>\n

\nGretchen\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\nSee also
\n
\nValdosta housing prices still dropping \u2014Forbes<\/a>. -jsq<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Received today, referring to TXT-2012-02, which is on the agenda for Monday morning’s Work Session and Tuesday evening’s Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. -jsq Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2012 13:42:37 -0500 From: Gretchen Quarterman To: Richard Raines Subject: Re: Text Amendment On Thu, Dec 06, 2012 at 12:25:31PM +0000, Richard Raines wrote: Gretchen, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,48,40,552,14,49,16,70,2,19,20,88,570,571,21,22,73,3],"tags":[8736,1191,8720,8717,8777,8704,8721,8706,8728,1192,8701,8699,10,8709,1190,8702,8710,12,7,8734,8783,8784,8711,8712,653,8731,8700,6],"class_list":["post-282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-activism","category-code-enforcement","category-community","category-comprehensive-plan","category-economy","category-elections","category-environment","category-ethics","category-government","category-history","category-law","category-lowndes-county-commission","category-military","category-moody-afb","category-planning","category-politics","category-safety","category-transparency","tag-activism","tag-bubble","tag-code-enforcement","tag-community","tag-comprehensive-plan","tag-economy","tag-elections","tag-environment","tag-ethics","tag-foreclosures","tag-georgia","tag-government","tag-gretchen-quarterman","tag-history","tag-housing","tag-lake","tag-law","tag-lowndes-area-knowledge-exchange","tag-lowndes-county","tag-lowndes-county-commission","tag-military","tag-moody-afb","tag-planning","tag-politics","tag-richard-raines","tag-safety","tag-transparency","tag-valdosta"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282","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\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=282"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/282\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}