Milton News From Julie Zahner Bailey

Dear Milton Friends, Neighbors and Citizens,

There is much activity underway within your community and surrounding jurisdictions. Everything from a proposed sewerage treatment plant just north of Milton and the now scheduled March 18th EPD hearing, to the recent Equestrian Fire Safety and Emergency Readiness Seminar for our awesome equestrian community members, to upcoming rezonings, recent resolutions to ask Fulton County to reconsider the 140 ft. water tower scheduled for Freemanville Rd. north of Birmingham Road, current State Legislator activities at the Capital, to the on-going Comprehensive Land Use Plan Update process and so much more. It is important that you are aware of all the issues we face collectively as well as the positive events that are taking place all around Milton. Some recent activities that deserve highlighting include the community's response to a call to action tied to the potential for a sewerage treatment facility just north of our Milton borders in Cherokee County.

According to the AJC on February 22, 2008 the EPD received over 250 letters and emails asking for a public hearing on this proposed sewer facility. The result is the EPD has now scheduled a public hearing on March 18, 2008 at 7pm to be held at Canton City Hall. Citizens of Cherokee County and Milton came together to voice concerns. The collective effort has resulted in a more public and open process.

It is now incumbent on everyone who has concerns with a new sewerage treatment plant being proposed to write additional letters to the EPD by March 10 and to attend this public hearing. Regardless of jurisdiction, the potential building of a net new sewerage treatment facility in Northeast Cherokee County, just north of Milton, would have a dramatic impact on rural Milton and the rural areas of Cherokee to our north.

Please take 2 minutes and send the letter included at the bottom of this release asking for denial of this permit and attend the EPD hearing. Please scroll down for more details.Beyond Cherokee County and this proposed sewer treatment plant, is the continued dialogue and evaluation by Milton staff and certain Council members as to what the "no sewer" policies of Milton mean to our community and how they should be languaged in our legally adopted policies. My position on the long standing no sewer policies for this unique area of the region have not changed. I believe these policies mean no sewer expansion regardless of the basin in which the parcels lie.

However, I am but one Council member and it is important that citizens of Milton make it clear as to your expectations for this area and what you believe these policies to be historically and going forward. The issue of sewer expansion is not dead. It remains the responsibility of all citizens to weigh in on this important issue. Whether it be this issue or others we face as a community, emails and letters to the Mayor, Council and staff as well as attendance at public hearings and work sessions are the best way to ensure your elected representatives and the staff of your community are clear as to what you want for your community. Your voice matters today as much as ever. The Comprehensive Land Use Planning update process continues and your involvement in this process is critical. A citizen survey will be coming in the mail this week and I urge you to fill this out and mail it in before the March 15th deadline. It will be used as a basis for determining what citizens want for the Milton community.

Please do not miss the chance to have your voice counted in this process. Additionally, the City of Milton website has the ability to accept comments and input. Use this link to submit comments. Arguably this could be one of the most important initiatives of the year and it will either define a future roadmap that is in line with your expectations or not, and you can make all the difference. We have a wonderful community as demonstrated by the increasing numbers of citizens that are making an effort to be more informed and involved in all the issues and opportunities we face. I hope you find this news release helpful and informative. Please feel free to pass it along to others that you know who have similar concerns regarding the future of this area. Also, please encourage your friends and neighbors to provide their email address or that of their HOA so more citizens receive these updates directly. An informed community is the best community. I consider it an honor to represent you and your interests.

Your direct involvement allows me to be even more effective on your behalf.
Julie Zahner BaileyMilton City Council
770-664-5529 (h)
404-310-6344 (c)
Julie4Milton@mindspring.com
Julie4Milton

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Cherokee Sewerage Treatment Facility - EPD Grants a Public Hearing thanks to Letters from Citizens

We face an issue that could forever change this area. A sewer plant is proposed in Cherokee County. According to the Metro North Georgia Water Planning District's long-term wastewater management plan, "Treatment for wastewater produced in the Etowah Basin portions of Forsyth and Fulton Counties may be provided within Cherokee County to effect regionalization."
The plan allocates a flow of 3 million gallons of wastewater per day from Fulton County to the Cherokee County NE Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant by the year 2030. This allocation could allow up to 15,000 new homes in Milton.
In addition to the risk of sewer is the risk of high density development that will bring more students to our schools, drive up traffic counts, increase storm water run-off and negatively impact our already impaired waterways within the COOSA basin. Do we have enough water for this explosive growth?

This is a perfect example of where we need to be aware and involved in what happens at our borders to ensure this unique region maintains its rural character. Many in Milton and Cherokee County believe that the introduction of sewer in rural areas may be detrimental to the infrastructure and to our way of life and do not want it brought to our rural areas. You have a chance to help stop this plant from further polluting our water and becoming a springboard to unbridled growth, but only if you act by March 10, 2008. Please join your Cherokee neighbors in asking the EPD to deny this permit!
What can you do to help?

1. Sign the letter below & print your name and address. Please have all members of your family, 18 years of age or older, sign this. All letters should be returned to Cherokee Coalition for Responsible Growth (CCRG) and they will deliver them to EPD at the public hearing. Please return signed letters by e-mail, fax or mail to: To Scan & E-Mail: lflory@tds.net, fax to:770-735-1774Mail to: CCRG at: 6175 Hickory Flat Hwy., Ste 110-324 Canton, GA 30115 2. Plan to Attend the Public Hearing, It will be held at Canton City Hall, located at 151 Elizabeth Street, Downtown Canton, 30114, on Tuesday, March 18th at 7:00 PM. Directions:372 North to Hwy 20. Turn left and stay on Hwy 20 straight into the city of Canton. This becomes N. Main St. Stay in the left lane. It's a one way street so you'll have to U-turn just past the firestation to head up the other side which is W. Main Street. Turn right onto S.Church Street (across from the gazebo) and then turn right onto Elizabeth Street. Parking in rear and all along side streets.

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Letter to EPD

Dr. Carol Couch, Director
Environmental Protection Division, Department of Natural Resources
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Suite 1152 S.E., Floyd Towers East
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Re: NPDES Permit No. GA0038989 - Public Hearing Comments

Dear Dr. Couch,

I am a resident of the city of Milton and I would like to express my concerns regarding NPDES Permit No. GA0038989. I respectfully request that EPD deny this permit.

This plant would discharge to the Etowah River which flows into Lake Allatoona. Sections of the Etowah River and Lake Allatoona are in violation of the Federal Clean Waters Act. The Georgia Water Quality Control Act declares that the water resources of the state shall be utilized prudently for the maximum benefit of the people. I do not feel that it is beneficial to the people of the Etowah River Watershed for EPD to seek back doors to open by looking at the entire basin to see if there is room for additional pollutants. We do not expect that EPD will cave to the special interest groups and allow further decline to our lake. All Citizens deserve clean water as well as safe and healthy water related recreational opportunities, - regardless of the level of pollution elsewhere in the basin. CCWSA currently holds permits with allocations totaling 11,096 pounds of phosphorus to be discharged each year from their existing wastewater treatment plants at Rose Creek and Fitzgerald. CCWSA should be held to higher standards of treatment which would allow portions of their existing allocation to be transferred for a new facility. Additional allocations should not be granted for discharge to the Etowah River or Lake Allatoona.

With Non-Point Source now reported to be 96.2% of the pollutants, How can EPD grant this permit which will allow an additional 81,750 lbs. of pollution to our watershed each year? The non-point pollutants cannot be ignored when considering this permit.

CCWSA reported 13 incidents of unpermitted discharge/spills to waters of the State in 2006, resulting in 186,000 gallons of raw sewerage dumped into our watershed with only 24,015 customers. This equates to 7.8 gallons of raw sewerage dumped into Lake Allatoona from each home connected to sewer. Until this record is improved, Cherokee Water & Sewer Authority should not be allowed any new treatment facilities.

A 2003 "State of the Lake" report warned that due to excessive pollution, Lake Allatoona could be on a path that is not conducive for economic stability for this region. Monitoring reports show that Chlorophyll A levels dramatically increased in 2007, far exceeding acceptable limits especially at the Etowah River, Little River, and Allatoona Creek. EPD should act to protect this vital natural resource. EPD should deny this permit and prevent further decline of Lake Allatoona. Until the Total Maximum Daily Load's (TMDL) are finalized in 2009, how can EPD guarantee this discharge and the subsequent non-point pollutants will not destroy Lake Allatoona?

No other aquatic region of North America has a higher percentage of endemic species than does the upper Coosa River basin. Fully 30 aquatic species of fishes, mussels, snails, and crayfishes call the streams within this system -and nowhere else-home. Encouraging high density development in an area that has been designated rural to the year 2030, will open the gates for more sediment to pour into our creeks, streams and the Etowah River. This permit will also enable heavily forested areas to be replaced with clear cut, heavily fertilized landscapes bringing more non-point source pollutants to our watershed. Can you assure the people of the Coosa Basin that the 15 species currently listed as Federally Endangered or Federally Threatened, will survive with this added pollution?

This permit should not be considered until such time as Lake Allatoona, the receiving body of water is no longer in violation of the Federal Clean Water Act. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

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