Previously I promised an update on the lack of trash cans in the parking lot on St. Augustine Road at Hightower Creek that resulted in litter.

Pictures and Actions

The short version is in https://seeclickfix.com/issues/13703334:

Closed 2022-11-21
CLOSED Carlton Richard (Verified Official)
The property owner has been notified of the issue. Thank you.

But notified of what issue?

The trash?

The health hazard of the trash getting into Hightower Creek and washing down Sugar Creek into the Withlacoochee River, attracting children to play in it all along the way, like Valdosta’s own 2010 Stormwater Master Plan points out?

Maybe notified of the actual complaint, which was the lack of trash cans per number of parking spaces as required by Valdosta City City Ordinance Chapter 82 – Solid Waste?

82-1.(b)(9) Commercial sites with on-site parking shall, at a minimum, have its parking area cleaned or swept as needed to prevent an accumulation of litter and to maintain a neat and orderly appearance. Furthermore, said sites shall provide and maintain litter receptacles that are strategically placed throughout the parking lot for individuals using same to properly deposit litter and other refuse. The number of receptacles shall be determined as follows:

One receptacle for establishments with one to 25 parking spaces;

Two receptacles for establishments with 26 to 50 parking spaces;

One additional receptacle for each additional 100 parking spaces at any location.

We don’t know.

After Bobby McKenzie opened this ticket on November 17, 2022, the only other actions by the city were Tyren Martin assigning the issue to Carlton Richard, who said, “Thank you for reporting, the City of Valdosta will look into this issue.”

Assigned 2022-11-18

Maybe the city advised Zacadoo’s to stop letting their drink cups litter all over town?

Zacadoos cup in brush near Hightower Creek

Maybe the city at least advised the parking lot owner to put a trash can down by the creek, where people park, eat, and toss their trash.

Trash and cars near Hightower Creek

We just don’t know.

The city expects reporting problems with Click ‘n’ Fix to provide exact street address, GPS coordinates, pictures, and a description of the problem.

But city officials can close out a ticket with none of that, just “The property owner has been notified of the issue. Thank you.”

Does that seem right to you?

For more on the trash situation, including the many times we have advised the City of Valdosta of their own trash ordinances, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/trash

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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https://wwals.net/donations/

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