City Council on Monday voted to amend City Code to expand the minimum lot width at the building line by 50 percent for future AG-1 lots, a move intended to reduce the appearance of density and, in so doing, protect Milton’s rural look and feel.

The unanimous vote changed the AG-1 lot width requirement to 150 feet at the building line (from the 100 feet it has been since the City’s 2006 incorporation) and nothing else. This decision has been months in the making, having been detailed as a short-term work program in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan as well as having been subject of discussions at City Council and Planning Commission meetings earlier this year.

It applies only to new lots created through the minor plat or final plat processes in areas zoned AG-1 – which covers the vast majority of land in Milton.  The total size of such new lots would stay the same, at 1 acre or more, though they’d appear less compact and narrow (than if the minimum were 100 feet). This allows for more rural, bucolic views that are a distinct part of Milton’s identity and a draw for many residents, according to Community Development Director Bob Buscemi.

Properties on cul-de-sacs can still be 100 feet wide at the building line, and thus don’t have to be at 150 feet, after Monday’s vote. (Zoning Manager Robyn MacDonald pointed out that a cul-de-sac lot could have 35 feet of road frontage though building could happen where the width is 100 feet or greater, an explanation that is embedded in the City Code definition.) The reasoning for not having the minimum be 150 feet at cul-de-sacs is to better preserve the tree canopy in the back of such parcels.

Prior to the vote, Planner II Michael Cardamon walked the Council through real-world examples showing the difference between a 100-foot minimum and 150-foot minimum. A local developer spoke in support of expanded minimum lot widths during the “public comment” period.

Council member Paul Moore noted that expanding the minimum would mean Milton’s Board of Zoning Appeals should get less variance requests, since narrower lots tend to have less buildable space for extras like pool, porches and the like. Council member Andrea Verhoff, meanwhile, relayed constituent concerns that expanding the lot width minimum could devalue land if they seek to (subdivide and) sell. Buscemi said the adjustment could impact some lot configurations while noting that the overall property size would not change and there’s been strong market desire for large lots regardless.

“It makes sense,” Mayor Peyton Jamison said expanding the minimum lot width. “I think the yield stays the same.”

PRESENTATION FROM NORTH FULTON CID

Earlier in the meeting, the Council approved a 6-item Consent Agenda that featured:

• The “minutes” – or official written records – from the three City Council meetings in October
• An agreement for J.G. Leone Enterprises to build a roundabout and make related improvements at the intersection of Freemanville and Birmingham roads
• A “task order” for KCI Technologies to add the scope and fee for construction documents as well as evaluating sidewalks, drainage, and pedestrian crossing for a TSPLOST-funded project at Freemanville and Redd roads
• The installation of a MagneGrip diesel exhaust extraction system at the being-built Fire Station 42 (like the system at other Milton stations) to eliminate hazardous diesel exhaust emissions

Two team members of the North Fulton Community Improvement District (CID) – a self-taxing business district and organization dedicated to promoting connectivity and accessibility while generally enhancing the region – then addressed the Council. The North Fulton CID’s territory extends from Mansell Road in Roswell to the south north to the Forsyth County line, and as far west as Highway 9 and east as North Point Parkway.

Eric Bosman, who has worked with the CID on several projects, stated the organization has invested $28 million in its roughly 20-year history while bringing in an additional $170 million from governments and other entities for a host of significant improvements.

“The CID doesn’t do anything on its own,” Bosman said. “It’s really a story of partnerships.”

He and Alex Battle, the CID’s Program Coordinator, walked through several projects while pointing to Milton’s coming collaboration with his organization and the City of Alpharetta to create a new Strategic Plan for the Windward Parkway/Highway 9 area. Such efforts have contributed to large increases (37.5% over a five-year period) in property values that are significantly more than even elsewhere on the Georgia 400 corridor, according to the North Fulton CID representatives.

“You are doing a fantastic job,” Mayor Jamison said. “Thank you (and) looking forward to all the future projects.”

MAYOR: AGREEMENT REACHED ON LOST DISTRIBUTION

In other business, the Council approved an intergovernmental agreement with Forsyth County so the latter could provide water services for Milton properties in a new Toll Brothers subdivision.

The proposed 113-unit development encompasses parts of Milton (where 30 parcels would be) as well as Forsyth and Cherokee counties. City Attorney Ken Jarrard noted that the agreement includes language clarifying that Milton properties would get water service only – so no sewer – from Forsyth and that these Milton residents could not pay have a water rate than those who live in Forsyth County.

This matter generally has come up at previous Council meetings, including a Toll Brothers representative explaining the project and approval for Jarrard’s firm to represent multiple governments in this matter.

The Council next approved a resolution formally adopting five ethics principles outlined by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). They are:

1. Serve others, not ourselves
2. Use resources with efficiency and economy
3. Treat all people fairly
4. Use the power of our position for the well-being of our constituents
5. Create an environment of honesty, openness, and integrity

GMA has designated Milton as a Certified City of Ethics since 2010. This resolution allows for its recertification for another four years.

After that, the Council approved the use of impact fee credits from three developers for several transportation improvement projects, two of them to improve traffic flow and safety in downtown Crabapple and the other related to the Milton component of the McGinnis Ferry/400 interchange project. The credits can be applied for up to 40% of the funding for the Public Works, or roads, portions of these initiatives.

Finally, at the end of meeting, Mayor Jamison encouraged citizens to come out at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9, for the “public kick-off” event to gather feedback and answer questions tied to the City’s potential adoption of a Unified Development Code. The aim is not to notably alter general development-related policies but rather consolidate existing ones in one more concise, easier-to-understand document. You can learn more about this event, this process, and the UDC generally at www.miltonga.gov/UDC.

Jamison also announced Fulton County and representatives of its 15 cities have reached an agreement on the distribution of Local Option Sales Tax, or LOST, funds, after “a long process.”

The Council is next scheduled to convene the evening of Monday, November 14, for a Work Session.