Videos: Public Hearing, Bradford Road subdivision 2025-10-16

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The Berrien Planning Commission unanimously recommended denial of the proposed subdividing on Bradford Road.

However, that only applies to part of what (almost) everybody thought was being considered. It turns out the three lots at the corner of Bradford Road and Old Valdosta Highway were already divided out in October 2024.

Yet there are still many issues of urban sprawl and its costs, stormwater runoff, etc.

The Chairman not only moved to recommend denial, he also said the county should stop approving subdivisions until a Comprehensive Land Use Plan can be drawn up and enforced.

[Videos: Public Hearing, Berrien Planning Commission, Bradford Road subdividing, Part already subdivided in 2024, Rest recommended denial 2025-10-16]
Videos: Public Hearing, Berrien Planning Commission, Bradford Road subdividing, Part already subdivided in 2024, Rest recommended denial 2025-10-16

Applicant Cole Livingston and his attorney Danny Studstill said that when the applicant bought the property in an online auction, he understood that all agency permits were already in order. Also, the corner tracts were subdivided before he bought them.

Zoning Administrator Teresa Willis said those corner tracts were heard in the “9-19-24” Planning Commission meeting, and that the subdividing was approved in the October 2024 County Commission meeting. For more about that, see below after the WWALS videos of this October 2025 meeting.

It all still adds up to plopping ten houses in the middle of an agriculture character area, with runoff and recharge issues that affect the neighbors, Gin Branch Creek, the Withlacoochee River, and groundwater down to the Floridan Aquifer.

Chair Parrish Akins clarified that all the previous testimony in the preceding two Public Hearings was still valid. Then he asked for further comment for or against.

Della Gladieux supplied a tome of objections. Vice-Chair Skeeter Parker asked how many complaints about Bradford Road had been filed. Zoning Administrator Teresa Willis said only two, and displayed and read them. Wayne Nash and at least two others said he and others used their own equipment to fix the road, and apparently Ben Warren (the Public Works Director) had not been recording complaints. Teresa Willis said call Constance. Wayne Nash said nobody answers there.

Larry Sanders, Civil Engineer for the applicant, said he could help get the road fixed up. Lisa Sumner warned of a possible lawsuit about stormwater runoff. Larry Sanders said that was a risk of any such job.

Below are links to each WWALS video of each agenda item or speaker, interspersed with a few still pictures. You may want to fast forward through the first two videos, since they are mostly waiting on copies first of the Agenda, then of the September Minutes. The third and fourth videos are about the other Public Hearing. The rest are about the Bradford Road Public Hearing.

For what happened at the previous two Public Hearings and why they were tabled, see the previous posts:

Here is the WWALS video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-Qy2uOB4_kIR_lpBDicpKrKm&si=87jHEW0-AQtTcLvS

The 2024 Subdividing

The County Notices does not even have a Public Notice of the October 16, 2025, Planning Commission Public Hearing.

It does have a Public Notice of the October 15, 2024, County Commission Regular Session Called Meeting as “Rescheduled October 1, 2024 Meeting that was cancelled due to Hurricane Helene.”

[Commissioner Mtg Notice 2025-10-15]
Commissioner Mtg Notice 2025-10-15
PDF

But it has no Public Notice for the September, 2024, Planning Commission meeting, nor for any other Planning Commission meeting.

Also, the website The Berrien Press links to for Public Notices, https://www.georgiapublicnotice.com/, finds nothing for Berrien County in searches for Public Hearing or Public Notice or Bradford Road, not for August through October 2025, and not for August through October 2024. Yet the same website shows many Public Notices from the Probate Court of Berrien County.

Minutes of the Berrien Planning Commission do not seem to be on the Berrien County website.

The October 2024 Berrien County Commission minutes say on page 1:

D. LAND SUBDIVISION — BEVILLE — Administration received a request from John & Tonia Beville to subdivide a parcel of land. All plots will be at least two or more acres which meets the county ordinances. The Planning Commission is recommending approval.

Commissioner Pixie Harrod made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Robert Griner. The motion carried unanimously.

[D. LAND SUBDIVISION --BEVILLE, 2025-10-15 --Berrien County Commission Minutes]
D. LAND SUBDIVISION –BEVILLE, 2025-10-15 –Berrien County Commission Minutes
PDF

The Berrien County Tax Assessors show Farmers and Merchants Banks foreclosed on both parcels on December 3, 2024, transferring ownership from “BEVILLE, JOHN R & TONIA S”.

I believe the Zoning Administrator said the bank got it subdivided in preparation for the May, 2025, land sale, in which Cole Livingston bought the property. So why is it shown in the October 2024 County Commission minutes as being subdivied by “John & Tonia Beville”?

There are two versions on the Berrien County website of the October 15, 2024, County Commission Regular Session Minutes. The first one has a motion, second, and result for Item F. ER Assist, Inc., etc., that the other version does not. Otherwise the two versions seem the same, so I’ve used this first one.

[F. ER ASSIST, Inc. CONTRACT --ADMINISTRATION, 2025-10-15 --Berrien County Commission Minutes]
F. ER ASSIST, Inc. CONTRACT –ADMINISTRATION, 2025-10-15 –Berrien County Commission Minutes
PDF

[Commissioner Pixie Harrod asked Ben Warren, Public Works Director, what the Warren & Warren invoice for \$65,600.00 was for., 2025-10-15 --Berrien County Commission Minutes]
Commissioner Pixie Harrod asked Ben Warren, Public Works Director, what the Warren & Warren invoice for \$65,600.00 was for., 2025-10-15 –Berrien County Commission Minutes
PDF

[EXECUTIVE SESSION: Commissioner Jimmy Parker made a motion to move into executive session for personnel at 7:31 p.m., seconded by Commissioner Robert Griner., 2025-10-15 --Berrien County Commission Minutes]
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Commissioner Jimmy Parker made a motion to move into executive session for personnel at 7:31 p.m., seconded by Commissioner Robert Griner., 2025-10-15 –Berrien County Commission Minutes
PDF

Also, why was Old Valdosta Hwy included in the Public Notice of this 2025 Public Hearing, and why was tract 061-14-000 included on the agenda, when that is the part that was subdivided in 2024?

[Sign for 2025-10-16 Public Hearing, 2025-10-07 --jsq for WWALS]
Sign for 2025-10-16 Public Hearing, 2025-10-07 –jsq for WWALS

Not only did many people show up for three Public Hearings three months in a row thinking that those lots at the corner of Bradford Road and Old Valdosta Highway were part of what was at stake. Also, apparently neither Zoning Administrator Teresa Willis nor Building Inspector Greg Shoupe understood that those three lots were not an issue when they ordered the applicant to stop work on them.

Shoupe, who is also a Planning Commissioner, in this October 2025 meeting apologized profusely to applicant Cole Livingston for the confusion.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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