News from Julie Zahner Bailey - Zoning Hearings, Monday, March 15th.

Dear Milton Citizens, Friends and Neighbors -

I hope this finds you all well. This release is intended to provide a brief recap of activities underway, a listing of upcoming meetings as well as a rezoning overview of two rezonings headed to Council today, Monday, March 15th including a gas station at Bethany Bend and Highway 9 as well as a zoning modification at Braeburn on Birmingham Highway in Crabapple. Please scroll down for details.

It has been busy in the City of Milton with the transition away from CH2MHill completed resulting in significant annual cost savings, the hiring of a new Community Development Director -- Lynn Tully, as well as a new Parks & Recreation Director, Cyndee Bonacci. We welcome these new team members. I encourage you to introduce yourself to them both and to let them know your expectations for your community. They are very interested in your input and are excited to be with Milton representing your interests.

Work also is underway in a number of areas including citizen committees that are helping to draft a proposed Tree Ordinance, an Historic Preservation Ordinance, updates to the the Highway 9 Design Guidelines and a soon to be mailed Parks & Recreation survey. These ordinances and surveys are critical to the future of Milton and require your involvement. The first round of drafts of the Tree Ordinance and Historic Preservation Ordinance have come to the Council during recent work sessions. Several areas of additional research and modifications have been recommended, but it is yet to be seen which of these suggestions will make it into the next round of drafts. I encourage you to review these important draft documents as they are made available.

The work of the Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPAC) continues as they currently are working on various scenarios utilizing a financial model to assess a variety of development build-out options. While financial modeling can provide important assessments, the modeling efforts also are only as good as the assumptions used. It is critical we view these various scenarios with that as a backdrop and don't rely on estimating models as the only consideration in determining where changes to the land use plan should be proposed and eventually adopted. Please stay engaged in this critical process as it will define the future of our community.

You will be receiving a Parks & Recreation survey in your mailboxes in the next week.
Please take the time to fill these out and mail them back as your input is critical to the direction we take as a City regarding the types of parks we have over time as well as the possible programs and financing options that could be pursued. Surveys have to be returned by the City by April 12th to be included in the results and analysis.

In the immediate, there are two rezonings before us this evening, Monday, March 15 at 6:00 p.m.
1. 3105 Bethany Bend (at the corner of Bethany Bend and Highway 9) to develop a gas station.
2. Braeburn Subdivision - Birmingham Highway - Mixed Use - Zoning Modification with 5 concurrent variances increasing the density of some lots and reducing side yard setbacks.

Braeburn applicant is requesting:

a) To modify Condition 1.d which currently allows up to 54 townhomes at a maximum density of 0.86 dwelling units per acre to allow up to 47 townhomes at a maximum density of 0.75 dwelling units per acre based on the total acreage zoned, whichever is less.

b) To modify Condition 1.e., which currently allows up to 45 single-family residential units at a maximum density of 0.72 dwelling units per acre, to allow up to 52 single-family residential units at a maximum density of 0.83 dwelling units per acre based on total acreage zoned, whichever is less.

c) To modify the required minimum lot size in Condition 1.f from 18,900 sq. ft. such that no more than three (3) lots shall have a minimum lot size of 10,890 sq. ft. (approximately 1/4) or above, at least three (3) lots shall have a minimum lot size of one acre or above, and the remaining lots shall have a minimum lot size of 14,500 sq. ft. (or approximately 1/3 of an acre) or above.

d) To modify Condition 2.a to replace the revised site plan received by Fulton County on June 7, 2006 with the revised site plan received by the Milton Community Development Department on February 4, 2010.

e) To modify Condition 3.e to reduce the 15-foot building separation to a 10-ft. building separation with a 5 ft. side yard setback for lots less than one acre.

Use this link

for more details. Please note, for some reason the City website does not show the Rezoning Modification at Braeburn, but it does come to Council tomorrow, Monday, March 15th.

Additionally, the three cell tower cases have not come before Council as there was more research to be conducted. Stay tuned for more information as those cases will return to the Planning Commission on Tuesday, March 23 and then the Mayor and Council.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Your input is critical to all decisions of the City. I have heard from many of you regarding the above items and encourage you provide your input to the Mayor, full Council as well as our staff.

I consider it an honor and privilege to serve you.
All my best -

Julie Zahner Bailey

Milton City Council

770-664-5529 (home)

404-310-6344 (cell)

Julie4Milton@mindspring.com

Julie4Milton.com