{"id":760,"date":"2012-06-13T18:42:05","date_gmt":"2012-06-13T22:42:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2012\/06\/buffer-variance-var-2012-07-copeland-zboa-2011-06-05.html"},"modified":"2012-06-13T18:42:05","modified_gmt":"2012-06-13T22:42:05","slug":"buffer-variance-var-2012-07-copeland-zboa-2011-06-05","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2012\/06\/buffer-variance-var-2012-07-copeland-zboa-2011-06-05.html","title":{"rendered":"Buffer variance? VAR-2012-07 Copeland @ ZBOA 2011-06-05"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;\"   src=\"http:\/\/i1.ytimg.com\/vi\/PTQ8Ntb2zdc\/default.jpg\"><\/a><br \/>\nA controversial case made its way from the Planning Commission for a<br \/>\nrezoning recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a buffer variance<br \/>\ndecision,<br \/>\nall before it reached the Lowndes County Commission for a decision<br \/>\non the rezoning.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nValdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA)<br \/>\nhad one Lowndes County case at its<br \/>\n<a href=\"\/blog\/2012\/06\/video-playlist-zboa-2011-06-05.html\"><br \/>\n5 June 2012 meeting,<\/a><br \/>\na buffer variance request,<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTQ8Ntb2zdc&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=6&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nVAR-2012-07.<\/a><br \/>\nRelated aspects of this same property had already been heard by<br \/>\nthe Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC) on 21 May 2012<br \/>\n<a href=\"\/blog\/2012\/06\/copeland-rezoning-rez-2012-09-glpc-2012-05-21.html\"><br \/>\nas the controversial rezoning case REZ-2012-09 Copeland.<\/a><br \/>\nZBOA member Nancy Hobby recused herself from VAR-2012-07.<br \/>\nZBOA discussed it at great length and eventually<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=WTWRm8gv4I8&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=16&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\ndecided to table it.<\/a><br \/>\nZBOA, unlike GLPC, does actually make binding decisions,<br \/>\nbut chose not to do so at this meeting for this case.\n<\/p>\n<p><H3>Presenting the Case<\/H3><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a name=\"Carmella_Braswell\"><\/a><br \/>\nCarmella Braswell, Lowndes County Zoning Administrator,<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTQ8Ntb2zdc&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=5&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\npresented the case,<\/a><br \/>\nsaying the property owner, John A. Copeland,<br \/>\nwanted a buffer variance for his property at 3258 Loch Laurel Road.<br \/>\nThe applicant and four neighbors spoke for the buffer variance,<br \/>\nbut one neighbor spoke against, and others had hired locally famous<br \/>\nlawyer Bill Nijem to speak against.\n<\/li>\n<li><a name=\"GLPC\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ndzn0Ps_Yzo&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=6&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nCarmella Braswell noted<\/a><br \/>\nthat GLPC had moved<br \/>\n<a href=\"\/blog\/2012\/06\/copeland-rezoning-rez-2012-09-glpc-2012-05-21.html\"><br \/>\nits meeting ahead a week<\/a>,<br \/>\nbut staff had managed to meet statutory requirements.<br \/>\nZBOA wanted to know what they were buffering against.<br \/>\nAnswer seemed to be one single-family residence and a pasture.<br \/>\nMs. Braswell said staff had considered buffering according to<br \/>\nthe zoning statutes, and there were for example churches nearby,<br \/>\nplus the existing buffering was mostly on other landowners&#8217;<br \/>\nproperty, and the applicant would be required to plant his own<br \/>\nvegetative buffer, plus staff recommended a six foot privacy fence.<br \/>\nDave Kirk noted the abuse of the property had been occuring since 1967.<br \/>\nMs. Braswell said that was unbenownst to county zoning.<br \/>\nAlso there was no current business license on the property,<br \/>\nnot since 2007.<br \/>\nGretchen Quarterman asked how long the residents to the north had been there:<br \/>\nbefore or after 2007.<br \/>\nMs. Braswell said well before 2007, and they were present at the meeting.<br \/>\n(See <a href=\"#Hiers\">Gail Hiers<\/a> below.)\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><H3>Speaking For<\/H3><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a name=\"John_A_Copeland\"><\/a><br \/>\nThe applicant,<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ChrliTnQxF0&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=7&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nJohn A. Copeland of 3264 Loch Laurel Road, spoke for.<\/a><br \/>\nHe said he started his business in 1967, built a bigger building<br \/>\nand moved into it in 1981.<br \/>\nHe said he was no relation to the other Mr. Copeland.<br \/>\nA long history of the use of the land ensued,<br \/>\nand the applicant said there were no complaints during any of those uses.<br \/>\nHe said he&#8217;s out of money and he needs to do something,<br \/>\nso he was asking for rezoning.<br \/>\nLaverne Gaskins asked about the business license.<br \/>\nHe said he made a mistake.\n<\/li>\n<li><a name=\"Alan_Davis\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0j356bP9bNs&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=8&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nAlan Davis of 3284 Loch Laurel Road spoke for.<\/a><br \/>\nHe said his property adjoins, and the guys in the applicant&#8217;s<br \/>\nshop helped him repair things.<br \/>\nDavis said he had no problem with a fence on the north side,<br \/>\nwhich was what ZBOA was considering.<br \/>\nHe said the current uses of the subject property<br \/>\nwere less noisy than Valdosta Airport, which is a training location<br \/>\nfor Moody Air Force Base.\n<\/li>\n<li><a name=\"Charles_Miles\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PfJ-bUt04BQ&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=9&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nCharles Miles of 3274 Loch Laurel spoke for.<\/a><br \/>\nHe said the subject shop was totally visible from his back yard,<br \/>\nand he supported his neighbor in every respect.<br \/>\nHowever, he didn&#8217;t want a privacy fence on his side,<br \/>\nand he also didn&#8217;t understand why one would be required only on the north side.<br \/>\nPlus like Alan Davis said, Valdosta Airport is noisier.\n<\/li>\n<li><a name=\"Norman_Bush\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AkDlQUZ-s0w&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=10&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nNorman Bush 3140 Loch Laurel Road spoke for.<\/a><br \/>\nHe bought the north end of the old Copeland farm,<br \/>\nand John A. Copeland bought the south end.<br \/>\nHe didn&#8217;t see why anyone would complain of diesels around there,<br \/>\nsince there were many.\n<\/li>\n<li><a name=\"Kevin_Copeland\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZUzEX-hxHtw&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=11&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nKevin Copeland of 3208 Loch Laurel Road spoke for.<\/a><br \/>\nHe said John Copeland is his father, and he worked for him for years.<br \/>\nRegarding noise, 10-20 years ago they did a lot more work and made<br \/>\na lot more noise, starting before daylight and until after dark.<br \/>\nWhatever noise is going on there is a lot less than was before, he said.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><H3>Speaking Against<\/H3><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a name=\"Nijem\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=56mW4lYbLDA&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=12&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nWilliam Nijem, &#8220;Mr. Robert&#8217;s son-in-law,&#8221; spoke against.<\/a><br \/>\nWilliam doesn&#8217;t live there, nor does Mr. Robert Copeland,<br \/>\nwho recently acquired the property just north of the applicant&#8217;s property,<br \/>\nbut actually lives across the road from the applicant.<br \/>\nHe also left ZBOA a packet about other property owners who oppose<br \/>\nboth the rezoning and the buffer variance.<br \/>\nAmong other things, they have horses, and they want them protected.<br \/>\nAlso there are questions about hazardous waste disposal.<br \/>\nThey don&#8217;t want to force anybody out of business,<br \/>\nbut this is residential agricultural property, not commercial.<br \/>\nZBOA vice-chair Orrenstein pointed out those issues were with zoning,<br \/>\nnot with the buffer.<br \/>\nNijem said that was true, and raised the question of why the variance<br \/>\nwas being requested before the rezoning.<br \/>\nAnd if the property was rezoned, he would definitely be in favor of a buffer.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=E30s-7tzvl0&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=13&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nContinuing<\/a>,<br \/>\nNijem said the nuisance next door had been ongoing since his client had<br \/>\nowned the property, although there had been no business on the subject<br \/>\nproperty at the time (2009).\n<\/li>\n<li><a name=\"Gail_Hiers\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a name=\"Hiers\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=J2mptx-tP7o&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=14&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nGail Hiers,<\/a> whose family owns the property<br \/>\nat 3466 Brown Road that adjoins the subject property,<br \/>\nsaid she can see that property,<br \/>\nand it has been used for truck repair, now semi-truck repair.<br \/>\nShe said it was no longer a continued family business;<br \/>\nit&#8217;s turning into a commercial business;<br \/>\nsemi lights are higher than the barrier ZBOA was considering;<br \/>\nand the trucks roar while they idle; plus<br \/>\nthey come in down both Brown Road and Loch Laurel Road,<br \/>\nwith more noise.<br \/>\nShe said she would prefer ZBOA grant no variance,<br \/>\nasked for the maximum possible barrier.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><H3>Discussion and Vote<\/H3><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a name=\"Petition\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Vz8I-TBhlOI&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=15&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nZBOA had in hand a petition for,<\/a> with 29 signatures.<br \/>\nHowever, it was in favor of the rezoning, and ZBOA<br \/>\nwas considering a buffer variance.<br \/>\nCarmella Braswell, Lowndes County Zoning Administrator,<br \/>\nclarified that staff recommends the variance with four conditions,<br \/>\ncontingent upon success of the rezoning (at the Lowndes County Commission).\n<\/li>\n<li><a name=\"Vote\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=WTWRm8gv4I8&#038;list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D&#038;index=16&#038;feature=plpp_video\"><br \/>\nDave Kirk noted<\/a> that the abuse of the current zoning<br \/>\nof the property had been going on for years,<br \/>\nbut the neighborhood had changed, and that should also be<br \/>\ntaken into account.<br \/>\nLaverne Gaskins said she thought any ZBOA decision<br \/>\nwould be premature, because the objections she was hearing<br \/>\nwere to the zoning, not so much to the buffer.<br \/>\nCarmella Braswell said her understanding was that<br \/>\nthe applicant was actively looking to lease the property<br \/>\nuntil after the impending rezoning vote at the County Commission.<br \/>\nLaverne Gaskins made a motion to table to the next regularly scheduled<br \/>\nZBOA meeting; it passed unanimously.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\nHere&#8217;s<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D\"><br \/>\na video playlist:<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/videoseries?list=PLD0FE7E07032DF19D\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">\n<small><br \/>\nVAR-2012-07 Copeland<br \/>\n<br \/>\nRegular Session, Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA),<br \/>\n<br \/>\nValdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 5 June 2011.<br \/>\n<br \/>\nVideo by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).<br \/>\n<\/small>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n-jsq<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A controversial case made its way from the Planning Commission for a rezoning recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a buffer variance decision, all before it reached the Lowndes County Commission for a decision on the rezoning. Valdosta-Lowndes County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBOA) had one Lowndes County case at its 5 June [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,571,21,1341],"tags":[2322,2323,2324,2326,8701,10,8702,12,7,4,255,2325,6,2320,8826],"class_list":["post-760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-activism","category-moody-afb","category-planning","category-zboa","tag-5-june-2011","tag-buffer","tag-commercial","tag-fence","tag-georgia","tag-gretchen-quarterman","tag-lake","tag-lowndes-area-knowledge-exchange","tag-lowndes-county","tag-regular-session","tag-rezoning","tag-sound","tag-valdosta","tag-valdosta-lowndes-county-zoning-board-of-appeals","tag-zboa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/760","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=760"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/760\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}