Milton City Council Approves Townhouses on GA 9

Milton's City Council unanimously approved a request by Ashton Atlanta Residential Monday to rezone 8.3 acres on Hwy. 9 west of Sunfish Bend to allow for construction of 43 single-family detached homes.

The property was rezoned from community business to townhouse residential. Each unit will have a minimum of 2,600 square feet of heated floor space and will and a low-end selling price of $200,000.

Last night was the second public hearing on the development, the first being held on April 11. The city's Planning Commission recommended approval. But Community Development Director Lynn Tully said the project did not meet the city's land use plan and that, after a lengthy review, her staff recommended denial.

Ashton Atlanta's Mike Busher and Pete Hendricks, the company's legal counsel gave council a detailed description of the project. No one spoke in opposition to the project.

Councilman Bill Lusk expressed some concern regarding the development's impact on traffic in the area.

Fellow Councilman Alan Tart said, "This is contrary to the land use plan but this use is consistent with other uses in the area."

The project was approved with conditions, including a minimum of 2,600 square feet of heated floor space, a 15-foot landscape strip at the front of the development and planting of 39, 4-inch caliber trees.

Council also approved a road patching and repair contract with Blount Construction Company, the low bidder, that's not to exceed $510,170.

Roads scheduled for repair under the contract include Thorntree Run, Drummond Pond, Kennsington Farms Drive, Powers Court Avenue, Richmond Glen Drive, Richmond Glen Circle, Glencreek Way, Francis Road, Sandpoint Trace, Creek Club Drive, Autunn Close, Country Ridge Road, Avensong Village Circle and Aventide Lane.

Council also approved acceptance of a $100,000 grant from Atlanta Regional Commission with a 20 percent match from the city for a Livable Centers Initiative Study project. The grant will allow the city of Milton to hire an urban design firm to create a study for transportation and multi-modal improvements, land use optimization and context-sensitive design.

CPA Adam Fraley of the Roswell-based accounting firm of Mauldin and Jenkins presented the city's Fiscal Year 2010 Audit Report and noted the city has $52.2 million in net assets and $15.6 million in unrestricted assets. The city was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

Fraley complimented city's financial reporting, saying, "Most cities don't even attempt to report at such a high level ."