Council weighs adopting Partial Plan

by Jason Wright / Appen Newspapers

November 16, 2009 Milton – At the Nov. 9 City Council work session, Milton's Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) head George Ragsdale asked city council for guidance in regards to a wrinkle the group has encountered.

As part of its work on the planning document, CPAC learned Milton needs to adopt either the Partial Plan Update council approved Dec. 15, 2008 or replace the Focus Fulton 2025 plan — the city's current planning document — with a much larger and more complex "agenda." The Focus Fulton plan must be replaced by Feb. 12, 2010.

CPAC recommended Milton adopt the Partial Plan Update, given it was already approved by the city and the state Department of Community Affairs and Atlanta Regional Commission in February, 2009. It can then be used as the base for the Comprehensive Plan, the first draft of which will come to council sometime in January.

Council agreed that was the best plan, and members pledged to review the document again before a possible adoption in late November or early December.

Ragsdale also discussed the time line for bringing a final plan to council. It is a massive undertaking to bring together a truly comprehensive plan that integrates the city's still-under-construction Transportation Master Plan and council's own work plans, he said. Further complicating matters are the coming holiday season and the fact that council will have a new member, Joe Longoria, who will replace Councilwoman Tina D'Aversa after being elected Nov. 3. Milton is also in the process of hiring city employees to replace CH2M HILL OMI staffers since that contract has been dissolved.

Ragsdale said the committee could have a first draft of the Comprehensive Plan to council eight weeks after it adopts the Partial Plan Update.