The City Council will vote on a short-term extension to a Deerfield-area moratorium as well as consider two possible bridge replacements over Little River at its meeting on Monday.

These are among the items on the agenda for the Council’s December 2 meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in City Hall’s Council Chambers (2006 Heritage Walk). People can attend in-person or vote online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrEV4E07DAY.

As with all Regular Meetings, the agenda for this one is split into distinct sections that have their own ground rules. They are:

• The CONSENT AGENDA, which is for routine items that the Council considers collectively (so a single vote that covers all items)
• REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS, a place for proclamations, reports, and presentations during which the Council might offer direction but cannot take binding votes
• PUBLIC HEARING, which allows a special public comment period for certain types of items
• UNFINISHED BUSINESS, the home for specific kinds of items that appeared under First Presentation at a previous Council agenda that can now be discussed and conclusively voted upon
• NEW BUSINESS, where you’ll find items appearing on a Council agenda for the first time that can be discussed and decisively voted on

Below are summaries of every item on Monday’s agenda.

• Approval of the November 18, 2024, Regular City Council Meeting Minutes.

  These are the “minutes” – or official written record – from when the City Council most recently convened on November 18. At that Regular Meeting, the Council signaled openness to advancing to the next phase toward creating a distinct, vibrant District of Mayfield – one that could eventually incorporate a new road, pond, plus a generally unique look and feel for this section of Crabapple. The meeting also included a presentation on the latest regarding the Deerfield Implementation Plan as well as the appointment of Neal Papevies to the Milton Trails Advisory Committee. You can read a recap of this meeting at https://www.miltonga.gov/Home/Components/News/News/2710/1351.

   

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

  The Council will vote on approving the financial statements and investment report for the City of Milton government for this past October.

   

• Approval of a Services Agreement between the City of Milton and Maxair Mechanical, LLC for HVAC Maintenance and On-Call Services.

  With approval of this agreement, professionals from Maxair Mechanical will maintain HVAC systems and provide related on-call services in City buildings.

    

• Approval of a Facility Rental and Court Use Agreement with Mill Springs Academy for the City’s Camp Joyful Soles and Youth Basketball Leagues.

  With approval of this item, the City-run Camp Joyful Soles and as well as the City-affiliated basketball program can use portions of Mill Springs Academy  -- including its basketball court.

   

• Approval of a Professional Services Agreement with Karen Fraser for Human Resources Consulting Services.

  This professional services agreement is for Karen Fraser to assist the City of Milton in various Human Resources-related tasks. Fraser has many years of experience working in HR in local governments, including in Rockdale and Walton counties.

   

   

• Approval of a Byrd House License and Use Agreement Between the City of Milton and Senior Services North Fulton, Inc. to Provide Senior Activities and Lunch to North Fulton Residents.

  For years, Senior Services North Fulton has operated the Milton Senior Center out of the City-owned and maintained Thomas S. Byrd Sr. House at the intersection of Hopewell Road and Birmingham Road. Older citizens participate in age-appropriate activities, eat lunch, and find fellowship at the Milton Senior Center, which you can learn more about here: https://www.miltonga.gov/residents/about-milton/milton-seniors. Approval of this item would continue this relationship.

   

• Approval of Subdivision Plats & Revisions.

   

  This subdivision would divide a 10.42-acre parcel off Freemanville Road into three separate lots that range in size from approximately 1.5 to 7 acres.

   

   

  REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS

• Discussion of Georgia Department of Transportation Local Bridge Replacement Candidates Clarity Road over Little River and Hickory Flat Road/Lower Birmingham Road over Little River.

  The Georgia Department of Transportation manages and executes projects to replace bridges all around the state using federal funding. The City has a role, too, including contributing funding toward the right-of-way and easements needed to complete them. Under this model, there are plans underway to replace three Milton bridges currently.  A fourth bridge replacement is proceeding using 100% City of Milton funds.

   

  This presentation will explain and seek the City Council’s feedback on whether two additional bridges (with the corresponding City investments) should be part of the federally-funded program. Both span the Little River bordering Cherokee County, with one over Clarity Road and the other at Hickory Flat Road (not far from Fire Station 43 and Birmingham Park).

   

  PUBLIC HEARING

• Consideration of the Issuance of an Alcohol Beverage License to Brooklyn Joe’s Pizza One, LLC dba Brooklyn Joe’s, 13065 Highway 9 North, Suite 110, Milton, Georgia 30004.

  After a public hearing, the Council is set to vote on an alcohol beverage license for the new owners of Brookyln Joe’s, an Italian restaurant and pizzeria in the Target plaza along Highway 9.  

   

• Consideration of a Resolution of the City of Milton, Georgia extending through February 3, 2025, an Existing Moratorium on Acceptance of Applications for Use Permits, Rezonings, Zoning Condition Amendments, or Any Sort of Approval Considered a Zoning Decision by the Zoning Procedures Law for Property Within the Deerfield/Highway 9 Area.

  Last spring, the Council approved an emergency moratorium that prohibits the City from accepting new applications for use permits, rezonings, and zoning condition amendments that impact properties covered by the Deerfield Form Based Code. (Other types of permit requests can still be accepted and reviewed.) This 6-month moratorium expires on December 2. For more information on what’s involved in the current Deerfield moratorium, click HERE: https://www.miltonga.gov/Home/Components/News/News/2393/1351.

  Since the moratorium’s enactment, the City has made significant progress in its multi-faceted, community-driven effort to create a Deerfield Implementation Plan and accompanying Design Guide Manual focused on the future look, feel, and vitality of this section of southeastern Milton. This item is a “Public Hearing,” or special opportunity for public comment, on a potential two-month extension to this moratorium.

   

  UNFINISHED BUSINESS

• Consideration of an Ordinance Dissolving the Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee (MGAC).

  The City created the Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee (MGAC) following voters’ overwhelming approval in fall 2016 of a $25 million in bonds to acquire land for passive greenspaces.  Since then, MGAC members have worked to ensure that these funds were used responsibly, efficiently, and to the community’s greatest benefit – making recommendations that led to the purchase of eight properties encompassing more than 400 acres.

  The fact that many of this committee’s objectives have been met led to this proposed ordinance that, if approved, would retire and disband the Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee. As this appeared under First Presentation on the Nov. 18 Council agenda, a final binding vote can be taken on this matter at Monday’s meeting.

   

  NEW BUSINESS

• Consideration of a Resolution of the City of Milton, Georgia extending through February 3, 2025, an Existing Moratorium on Acceptance of Applications for Use Permits, Rezonings, Zoning Condition Amendments, or Any Sort of Approval Considered a Zoning Decision by the Zoning Procedures Law for Property Within the Deerfield/Highway 9 Area.

  This item is directly related to a potential 2-month extension of a moratorium for the Deerfield-area that’s described above under Public Hearing. This moratorium, if approved, will maintain the status quo while work on this project -- including consideration of potential text amendments to City Code -- proceeds. For more about this project, check out www.miltonga.gov/Deerfield.

   

• Consideration of a Resolution of the City of Milton, Georgia to Add Membership in a Fund of Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency (GIRMA).

  This resolution, if approved, would allow for the City of Milton to obtain a special benefit to ensure that all first responders (including police officers and firefighters) diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) get access to needed medical care. The program is run through the Georgia Interlocal Risk Agency, with MetLife being the insurer. It ensures the City of Milton complies with a new state law mandating that first responders get such PTSD coverage; this takes effect on January 1, 2025.

   

• Consideration of Final Plat.

A plat for Lyndon Creek, a new private subdivision off Cogburn Road (south of Hopewell and Francis roads), was originally recorded in 2021. The City Council voted in September on a plat revision that incorporated several changes,  such as the installation of a drainage easement, reconfiguring the gated entrance area, and larger sizes for several lots (in part because the developer acquired just over 1 more acre).

This item, and corresponding vote, would be another revision with minor modifications to some lot lines.