Milton’s City Council will vote on an ordinance amendment setting up a system for third-party plan reviewers and building inspectors, among other matters like paying tribute to Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee members, when it next convenes Monday night.

The October 7 meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in City Hall’s Council Chambers (2006 Heritage Walk). People can attend in-person meetings or watch online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiobHdXkylY.

As with any Regular Meeting, the agenda for this one is divided into sections that each have their ground rules. They are:

• The CONSENT AGENDA, for routine items that the Council votes on collectively (so a single yes-no that covers all items)
• REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS, which is where you’ll find proclamations, presentations, and reports during which the Council may offer direction but cannot take votes
• PUBLIC HEARING, which is reserved for certain types of items with a special public comment period
• ZONING AGENDA, the home for zoning-related items that appeared on a previous agenda (under “First Presentation”) that can be discussed and decisively voted upon
• UNFINISHED BUSINESS, the place for different types of them listed under First Presentation on a past agenda that likewise can be conclusively voted on
• NEW BUSINESS, which is for items appearing on a Council agenda for the first time that can be discussed and voted upon

 Below you’ll find summaries of every item on Monday’s agenda.

• Approval of the September 16, 2024, Regular City Council Meeting Minutes.

This item relates to the “minutes” – or official written record – from when the City Council last convened on September 16. At that meeting, the  Council accepted the donation of property containing the McConnell-Chadwick House, one of Milton’s most historic structures. The City budget for Fiscal Year 2025, which began October 1, was also approved. For a full recap of this meeting, click HERE: https://www.miltonga.gov/Home/Components/News/News/2593/1351/.

• Approval of the Financial Statements & Investment Report for the Period Ending August 31, 2024.

  The Council will vote on approving the City government’s financial statements and investment report from this past August.

   

• Approval of an Easement Agreement for Ingress and Egress between the City of Milton and Sally Rich-Kolb at 12615 Broadwell Road.

  Approval of this item will make official an easement agreement made years earlier between the City and the owner of a Broadwell Road property.

   

• Approval of a Construction Services Agreement with Georgia Gunite and Pool Company to Make Repairs and Reseal the Pool Deck at the Milton City Park and Preserve. 

  This item will allow Georgia Gunite and Pool Company the go-ahead to repair and reseal the pool, resurface the entry to the baby pool/mushroom, and apply plaster patches to the baby pool.

   

• Approval of a Services Agreement between the City of Milton and Capital City Electrical Services, LLC for On-Call Electrical Services.

  The City occasionally needs to call on expert electricians to address significant, time-sensitive issues affecting City facilities, parking areas, grounds, buildings, and other locales. This item is an agreement with Capital City Electrical to be among those companies that can provide such on-call services as needed.

   

• Approval of a Professional Services Agreement between the City of Milton and Moffatt & Nichol for the Conceptual Design Services for Access Management, Parking Lot Improvements, Drainage Enhancements and Outdoor Facilities Improvements at the Milton City Park and Preserve and Access Management, Drainage Enhancements and Parking Lot Improvements at Legacy Park.

  Last month, the Council officially accepted a $500,000 grant to significantly offset the expected $1.38 million cost of improvements in Milton City Park and Preserve’s  (MCPP) active area. This will feature six tennis courts (two more than currently), observational seating at the tennis center, a reconfigured parking lot with more spaces, LED lighting for the lot and courts, plus a playground south of the Community Center. This specific agenda item calls for Moffat & Nichol professionals to offer their conceptual design services expertise for the MCPP park as well as parking lot improvements at Legacy Park. The Legacy Park project involves expanding and paving the existing parking lot, enhanced drainage improvements, reconstructing the septic system, lighting, and evaluating ingress/egress access points.

   

• Approval of a Services Agreement with National Center for Safety Initiatives, LLC. to Provide Background Check Services for the City of Milton and the City’s Partnered Recreation Providers.

  With approval of this agreement, the National Center for Safety Initiatives will provide advanced background screening on those involved in City-affiliated programming. This applies to those involved in both directly City-run activities as well as those run by Milton’s program partners, the latter of whom will be responsible for all costs associated with screenings for coaches, instructors, and volunteers.

    

  REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS

• Presentation of the 'Champion of Georgia's Cities' Award.

  Representatives from the Georgia Municipal Association are set to recognize Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, whose  House District 47 includes Milton, as a “Champion of Georgia’s Cities” at Monday’s meeting. GMA is a membership organization of all 536 Georgia cities that supports those municipalities through advocacy, education, and services. At the conclusion of every two-year legislative term, GMA presents the “Champion of Georgia’s Cities” award to state legislators who actively support cities and advance GMA goals and initiatives. Jones is being recognized in particular for her leadership in advocating for state policies that allow city residents, through their own elected officials, to make decisions they believe are in their community’s best interests. 

   

• Recognition of Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee Members.

  In November 2016, Milton voters overwhelmingly approved $25 million in bonds to acquire land for greenspaces. These natural areas were to be for passive use only, including as conservation land, wildlife habitats, and outdoor recreation with possible trails and other features. City leaders then created the Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee and entrusted its members to lend their time, insights, and expertise to guide City leaders in purchasing the right mix of greenspaces in the best interests of Milton residents.

  On Monday, the City Council will recognize the important contributions of those members. While the committee, known as MGAC, is no longer needed, those who served on it permanently impacted Milton for the better through their service.  

   

• Proclamation Recognizing Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Efforts by a Local Student to Ensure People of All Ages Stay Safe Online.

  Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an annual opportunity to engage and educate the public about the many online threats to people and businesses, as well as how they can protect themselves. Ananya Tadepalli, who studied in Milton schools, has made a conscientious effort to share these important messages to children through her children’s book called “Cyberville Chronicles.” She will be on-hand Monday when City leaders proclaim October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

   

• Proclamation Recognizing October 6th through 12th as Fire Prevention Week in Milton.

  Milton firefighters train extensively so that they can effectively fight fires, which they do whenever called into action. Still, their preference is that fires never break out at all – which is why Milton Fire-Rescue’s Community Risk Reduction team puts so much time and energy into promoting fire prevention. This engagement happens year-round, though the second week of October is an annual opportunity to really highlight this topic. That’s what the Council will do Monday, recognizing October 6 through 12 as Fire Prevention Week in Milton.

   

• Proclamation Recognizing National Community Planning Month.

  Smart, thoughtful, citizen-driven community planning has helped make Milton the great place it is today. This proclamation will recognize Community Planning Month and, with it, members of the City’s Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Design Review Board, and citizen planners who play such an important role in this process.

   

  PUBLIC HEARING

• Consideration of the Issuance of an Alcohol Beverage License to 13020 Morris Food Inc dba Exxon Food Mart, 13020 Morris Road, Suite C, Milton, Georgia 30004.

  The Council will consider issuing an alcohol beverage license for the new owners of the Exxon Food Mart, the convenience store by that gas station at the intersection of Morris Road and Webb Road.

   

   

  ZONING AGENDA

• Consideration of U24-02/VC24-02 - 900 Pleasant Hollow Trail by Keith (Andy) Campbell and Courtney Bartik for a Use Permit to utilize the existing Accessory Structure as an "Artist Studio". (Milton Unified Development Code Sec. 8.5.14.C) with a Four-Part Concurrent Variance:

(1) To allow the existing accessory structure to remain in front of the primary residential structure (Milton Unified Development Code Sec. 3.1.4)

(2) To allow the existing accessory structure to remain as is, without being designed in accordance with the predominant commercial building types. (Milton Unified Development Code Sec. 6.3.4.H.a)

(3) To allow the existing accessory structure to remain as is, without having a ratio of opening to solids from 30% to 50%. (Milton Unified Development Code Sec. 6.3.4.H.4.a)

(4) To allow the existing accessory structure to remain as is, without the existing accessory structure having the same window arrangement as the side with the principal entrance. (Milton Unified Development Code Sec. 6.3.4.H.4.e)

The applicant is seeking a Use Permit and four-part concurrent variance pertaining to a 3.32-acre property at 900 Pleasant Hollow Trail, which is in Central Milton off Providence Road. The Use Permit would allow an existing barn-like accessory structure to be considered an “Artist Studio” (for use by the applicant’s bookbinding and leather goods businesses).

The variance requests are to allow this same existing accessory structure to:

• Remain in front of the property’s primary residence
• Not have to be redesigned in accordance with predominant commercial building types
• Not have to be redesigned to add more openings (to make the ratio of openings to solids 30% to 50%)
• Not have to be redesigned so its window arrangements mirror the side with the principal entrance

The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the requested Use Permit and all parts of the concurrent variance. This item appeared under First Presentation on the Council’s September 16 agenda, meaning it can be voted upon conclusively on Monday.

• Consideration of an Ordinance for an Amendment to City Code Chapter 10 to Authorize and Regulate Private Third-Party Plan Reviewers and Building Inspectors.

  This proposed ordinance amendment to City Code contains Milton-specific guidelines pertaining to a State law to allow developers to retain private building inspectors and plan reviewers. It would authorize and regulate third-party plan reviewers and building inspectors, including requiring them to be properly licensed and certified as well as annually apply with the City. Fees would be paid to the City even for private inspections, with the expectation that Milton would end up collecting about 100% of what is currently charged. Since it appeared on the last agenda under First Presentation, the City Council can decisively vote on it Monday.

   

   

  NEW BUSINESS

• Consideration of a Resolution Adopting the 2024 Capital Improvements Element (CIE) Annual Update.

  The State of Georgia requires City governments, like that of Milton, to adopt a Capital Improvement Element Annual Update in order to collect impact fees. (Impact fees are assessed to new development projects and can be used to provide certain public services.) The City of Milton’s 2024 update covers its Impact Fee Program for Fiscal Year 2023, which ran from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023.

  The City Council voted in August to approve a resolution to transmit Milton’s draft 2024 CIE Annual Update for review by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and Atlanta Regional Commission. With those two reviews now complete, the Council will vote Monday to adopt this latest CIE Annual Update.

  And to learn more about Milton’s impact fee program, go to www.miltonga.gov/impactfees.

   

• Consideration of Proposed Consent Final Order and Judgement to Settle Condemnation Action Re: Morris Road Widening Project, Parcels 1 and 20 (Owner: 13560 Morris Road Office Investors, LLC, Civil Action File No. 2023CV383905)

  The City is working to widen and make other improvements along Morris Road. (For more about this TSPLOST-funded project, click HERE: https://cleargov.com/georgia/fulton/city/milton/projects/1212/morris-road-improvements-_-tsplost.) It must acquire right-of-away and easement property for that to happen. This particular item relates to a mutually agreed upon settlement for two parcels in the project area.

   

• Approval of Final Plat.

  The Council will vote on approving a final plat for three Braeburn Townhome lots (in addition to six others) on 0.78 acres at 2031 Heritage Walk, which is near City Hall in downtown Crabapple.

   

• Consideration of a Settlement Agreement between the Lisa Fromen and the City of Milton, Georgia, et. al. The City of Milton Shall Receive a Storm Water Easement as Part of Settlement and Shall Have an Obligation to Maintain the Easement. Insurance for Vertical Earth will Tender $15,000 Towards Settlement.

This item relates to easements acquired by the City from a property owner related to the intersection improvement at Hopewell Road and Bethany Bend/Way. Under the terms of the settlement, the City will receive a permanent drainage easement for stormwater on this property and agree to maintain it. The insurance for the City’s contractor, Vertical Earth, will pay $15,000 after the property owner alleged water intrusion on her land.