CORRECTION: Developer Ask to Withdraw Assisted Living Facility Zoning Application

Milton City Council will consider the request to withdraw an application for the 95-unit facility, plus 19 single-family detached homes, on the property on Bethany Bend and Cogburn Road.

CORRECTION: Milton City Council is being asked to allow an applicant to withdraw a pair of rezoning requests that would have allowed an assited living facility at the northeast corner of Bethany Bend and Cogburn Road. Although the applicant has made the request, it is up to the council to approve the withdrawal. The applicant had asked to develop a 95-unit assisted living facility with 19 single-family detached homes on a little bit more than 9 acres. Milton City Council will hear the withdrawl request on its zoning agenda tonight for a proposal by Arrowhead Real Estate Partners to rezone one property from agricultural to townhouse residential, with a use permit. The adjacent property would be rezoned from agricultural to office-…

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Milton to Begin Spending on Historic Hopewell House

The City Council is scheduled to consider a construction design bid for what is planned to be the Milton Senior Center on Monday night.

The historic Hopewell House is on its way to renovations for use as a senior center, and Milton City Council is scheduled to select a firm to design and manage the construction on Monday night at their 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall. The city has offered the historic Hopewell House for the Milton Senior Center. The house dates back to the 1800s, with documentation back to the 1830s, and some evidence for the 1820s. City staff recommends accepting Wiley & Wilson's bid of $115,500. For that bid, the firm would be expected to: The project consists of renovating a historic residential structure which is elgible for inclusion onto the National Register of Historic Places. The city intends to use the building occassionally as an event facility, so …

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Milton Leaders Oppose Cell Tower Bill

The Milton City Council approved a resolution opposing House Bill 176, which limits local governments' time to review cell tower applications.

A proposal to limit the time frame in which local governments can review and approve cell tower applications is not sitting well with Milton city leaders. The Milton City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution announcing its opposition to House Bill 176. If the legislation clears the Georgia General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Nathan Deal, it would give local governing bodies 150 days to review a cell tower application. If the application hasn't been decided on within the 150 days, the tower would automatically be approved.  Council members also approved 5-1, with council member Matt Kunz opposing, a rezoning request from Reunion Park, LLC.  The company requested the city to rezone .5 acres at 15260 Hopewell Road from AG-1 …

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Milton City Council Decides on Fate of Historic Country Store

The public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. today at City Hall.

Milton City Council will decide the fate of the former Hardeman country store that its new owners want to reopen at their 6 p.m. meeting today. The council is meeting on a Wednesday because Monday was Washington's Birthday, a holiday. Staff's recommendation is to allow the rezoning, but to require the applicant to go through normal procedures for sign approval. The applicant wants to paint a large sign on the side of the store. The applicants want the slightly more than half-acre site rezoned to historic district so that they can use the existing 1,179 square foot building as a country store.The applicant said in a revised letter of intent that,  “Beginning in the late 1940’s to the early 1950’s, the store building at thenortheast corner …

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Milton Council Voting to Buy North Fulton Radio System

The city's share of the $16 million project by four North Fulton cities is $2.4 million.

Milton City Council is scheduled to vote tonight on spending a little more than $2.43 million as its share of a public safety radio system for North Fulton cities. Four North Fulton cities – Milton, Alpharetta, Roswell and Sandy Springs – have agreed to fund and operate the radio system, rather than wait for Fulton County to upgrade its system. Johns Creek was invited to participate in the intergovernmental agreement, but turned down the opportunity. Johns Creek City Council members at the time felt the other cities had rushed to pick a radio system, though Milton's city manager and city attorney said proper steps and bidding processes were followed. Lagerbloom has told City Council that the Fulton County radio system is failing, and has …

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Letter to the Editor

Why Did Milton Give OK to Cram Homes on Sliver of Land?

Southfield residents believe zoning approval goes against everything they thought Milton stood for.

On January 23, the Milton City Council unanimously approved rezoning a small parcel of land on the east side of Hopewell Road, just north of Vaughn Road, from AG-1 (agricultural) to NUP (neighborhood unit plan). This development of 24 homes (original plan was for 29) will be squeezed on a sliver of land of less than 7 acres located between a 130-unit retirement community currently under construction at Hopewell and Vaughn, the established Southfield neighborhood and the busy Hopewell Road. This was approved despite the City of Milton’s Planning Commission unanimous recommendation, after a one-hour public discussion, to reject both the rezoning and petition for a variance on setbacks at its December 19 meeting. In fact, that Planning …

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Milton is Having a Holiday Party, and Everyone is Invited

The Mayor's Holiday Open House will be Saturday, Dec. 15.

Milton's Mayor and City Council are throwing a holiday bash, and the entire city is invited to attend. They want to create the most welcoming, inclusive community in the state, so they are holding the Mayor's Holiday Open House hosted by City Council Saturday, Dec. 15 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the home of Mayor Joe Lockwood on Dorris Road. All food and drinks will be donated by City Council and local businesses, according to a release from the city. Don't worry about where to park. The city has arranged for shuttles to take you from Milton High School to the Mayor's home – and back. Handicapped parking only will be available at the home, 375 Dorris Road in Milton (click here for directions). To RSVP, please e-mail rsvp@cityofmiltonga.us and …

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Milton Residents Favor Roundabout at Hopewell-Birmingham

A roundabout would cost more, but would keep traffic moving continuously at the intersection.

Close to 100 people had given Milton their opinions on concept plans to fix the Birmingham Road-Hopewell Road intersection, and most of them prefer a roundabout solution to a traditional traffic signal with left turn lanes solution. Public Works Director Carter Lucas presented data about the intersection, the two concept plans and comments from city residents (and even some non-residents) during Wednesday's Milton City Council work session at City Hall. Why change is needed: Lucas said anyone making a left hand turn at the intersection causes traffic backups even for those wanting to turn right. The council meeting followed an hour-long public information session about the intersection improvement ideas. Of the 93 people who took the …

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Milton Adding Land to Bell Memorial Park

The purchase of 10 acres of property will effectively double the usable park space at the city's only active park.

Milton City Council approved spending $960,000 for a little bit more than 10 acres of property that will effectively double the amount of usable parkland at Bell Memorial Park. Appraisals on the parcels owned by two different couples reduced the amount City Council had budgeted to spend on the properties by more than $42,000. As City Council approved the land purchases at a rare Wednesday night meeting, (Labor Day forced the move from Monday), Interim Parks and Recreation Director Jim Cregge sat silently cheering. Cregge is very familiar with the park, having been a board member for the Hopewell Youth Association, which runs its baseball. Bell Memorial Park is Milton's only active park, said City Manager Chris Lagerbloom. He advocated …

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