Here is What is Happening Tonight At City Hall.

Many thanks to Kim Horne of the BHAlliance for this information.

Milton City Council Meeting - Thursday, December 13th 7PM
Milton High Girl's Lacrosse Team Proclamation

Important Rezonings Requested
Request to Privatize a City Road without Public Review

Come to City Hall to help honor the Milton High School Girl's Lacrosse team and voice your opinions about these important community issues. Decisions on these issues will make a difference in our community. If you can not attend the meeting consider emailing your opinions to the Mayor and City Council, click here for the contact information.


Tonights City Council Meeting contains several important rezonings that might be of interest to you. The full agenda and Staff reports are available on the Milton website.

RZ07-011 - Request by John McMillan of Southeastern Partners Realty to develop a 140,000 square foot 4 story office building on Webb Road at the corner of Webb Road and Cogburn Road. This site is next to the property which Mr. Morton is also requesting a rezoning and variance for the approved height policy.

Staff recommendation - Approval with Conditions. Design Review Board - Applicant was scheduled to go before the DRB on 11/06/07 and failed to appear. DRB held a courtesy review on 12/03/07. Planning Commission 11/27/07 - Approval Conditional for 2 stories.

Issues-The proposed office zoning is suitable for the site if it is developed at a maximum height of 2 stories. This would ease the transition from the office to the residential to the north. In addition, the policy for the site is for a height of 2 stories, based on the 1997 Fulton County Board of Commissioners approval. Also, policy for the surrounding commercial and office zonings limits buildings to 2 stories in height.

RZ07-018/U07-009/VC07-010 - Request by Ken Morton of Webb Road Associates to develop a Restaurant & 3 story Self-Storage. This rezoning request is for a 5,700 square foot retail commercial building and a Use Permit for a 3 story, 110,000 square foot climate controlled self storage facility with a 2-part concurrent variance.
Staff recommendation - Approval Conditional for 2 stories for the self storage & 1 story for the restaurant. Denial of both parts of variances.Planning Commission 11/27/07 - Approval Conditional for 2 stories for the self storage and 1 story for the restaurant, denial of both parts of variances.
Issues-The proposed commercial development is suitable based on the existing C-1 (Community Business) approved on the subject site as well as non residential zonings and development surrounding the site. However, the requested height is not suitable in view of adjacent and nearby property based on current policy to allow up to 2 stories in height pursuant to Z05-029 (a portion of the subject site) approved at 12,844.32 square feet per acre and not to exceed 2 stories and 00Z-090 (subject site) approved at 8,653.9 square feet per acre and not to exceed 1 story. It is Staff's opinion that the proposed use may cause increased burden on the streets and transportation facilities and utilities.

RZ07-019/U07-010/VC07-011 - Request to develop a 23,000 square foot 3 story office building with parking under the building on Deerfield Parkway. The applicant is requesting a Use Permit to exceed the district height restriction, Article 19.4.21, to allow the building to be constructed at a maximum height of 70 feet that included an underground garage and 3 stories of office and a 3-part concurrent variance to reduce the required buffers and reduce the undisturbed stream buffers for extra parking.
Staff recommendation- Approval Conditional & Approval of all variances. Planning Commission 11/27/07- Approval Conditional & Approval of all variances.
Issues- The 3.04 acre site currently zoned C-1 (Community Business) and was approved for retail, service commercial, and or office, and accessory 15,800 square feet, whichever is less. The site is currently vacant. It is wooded and contains an unnamed creek which flows along the southern property line, eventually draining into Lake Deerfield. The property is part of the planned development of Lake Deerfield, and is subject to covenants of the development. The property is also subject to the State Route 9 Overlay District regulations.

U07-006/VC07-013 - Request by JVS Landscaping and Lawn Care Co. for a Use Permit for landscaping business and to add a 3,240 square foot training building & a 3- part concurrent variance to reduce the setbacks and buffers.
Staff recommendation- Approval Conditional of Use Permit and Part 1 of variance. Denial of Part 2 & 3 of variance. Planning Commission 11/27/07- Denial of Use Permit and All Variance request.
Issues- Article 12H.3.1 Section C.1 of the Northwest Overlay District requires a 50 foot-wide undisturbed buffer, with a 10 foot improvement setback, to be located adjacent to all AG-1 zoning districts and all residential properties. All required buffers should be maintained. It is Staff's opinion that the proposed buffer reductions would have a negative impact on adjacent property owners and would not provide adequate protection.

In Unfinished the Mayor and City Council will consider a Resolution to abandon or privatize a City of Milton road, Black Oak Road located off Hopewell Road. The developer of the Manor, Lee Duncan of Brooks Land Inc. presented the Resolution to the City Manager on November 27, 2007 just one week before the December 6th meeting. The proposed Resolution can be found on the City website.This Resolution when presented last week at the City Council meeting had not gone through the approved legal government procedures. Some of these procedures are:
To include the required city agencies (Public Safety) in the process and failure to advertise public hearing through the use of on-site informational signage as well as press releases prior to the hearings.
The City requires that there be unanimous support from the community for implementing a road privatization: For the implementation of a privatization, a formal petition must be submitted to the City of Milton showing 100% of the property owners along the affected roadway affirm their support for the privatization.Maintaining the rural aspects of the City is a stated goal of the City of Milton. To abandon any part of this public road and give it to Brooks Land, Inc. would set a precedence for possible future loss of other public properties that belong to tax payers.

What Can You Do?

Contact the Mayor, City Council Staff and Public Works via email, letters and phone calls with your opinions about any of the issues facing Milton.
Attend the public meetings
Tell a friend, a neighbor and your Homeowner's Association (HOA) and get them involved.
Join the Birmingham Hopewell Alliance (BHA) as an individual and as an HOA and renew your 2007 membership.

Your opinions matter. Please copy or blind copy to the Birmingham Hopewell Alliance, info@BHAlliance.org so we can track responses and community desires as well.