City Council on Monday approved modifications to the City’s alcohol code, including allowing microbreweries and microdistilleries to stay open until midnight.

Before this unanimous vote, such establishments had to close no later than 10 p.m. on any given night. Other restaurants in places like downtown Milton can serve customers alcohol as late as 2 a.m.

AmyNoelle Haygood, general manager of Six Bridges Brewing at the intersection of Heritage Walk and Crabapple Road, said the expanded hours could allow for opportunities such as post-football game afterparties and private events.

“[Being] proactive in respecting [residents’] home lives [is] really important to us, and that is not going to change,” said Haygood, whose microbrewery serves food as well. “… We’ve worked really hard over the last three years … to earn the respect and support of all our neighbors.”

Thirteen others, including two from other businesses that serve alcohol, joined Haygood to support the extended-hour option at Monday’s meeting. No one spoke in opposition.

In addition to the expanded microbrewery hours, the changes approved Monday to Chapter 4 (the part of City Code pertaining to alcohol sales) pushed up by two weeks the deadline when businesses must annually renew their alcohol beverage licenses with the City. These will now be due on October 31, with the latest possible date being November 30. (The corresponding dates had been November 15 and December 15, meaning there’s still the same four-week window; the only alteration is the shift in deadlines.)

The third change eliminated the Limited Food Service Restaurant category from City Code. No such existing establishment falls under this category, nor has it been open to new applicants.

Following the Chapter 4 vote, Mayor Peyton Jamison praised Six Bridges Brewing as “a welcome addition” to Milton and its downtown since opening three years ago.

“You all have shown you’re great neighbors, and we appreciate everything that you all do,” said Jamison. “And hopefully this little bit of time will allow you to expand your operations.”

BACK-TO-BACK CAMBRIDGE HIGH LAX CHAMPS HONORED

This discussion and vote came at the end of a meeting that began with the Council’s approval of a Consent Agenda that included agreements with:

• Moffat & Nichol to complete the design of site improvements at Legacy Park (where the parking lot will be expanded in addition to drainage, ingress/egress, and septic upgrades) and Milton City Park and Preserve (where the “active” portion will be transformed with a redone tennis facility, ADA-compliant playground, and enhanced parking area)
• Karen B. Cakes, a new recreation program provider through which Karen Bates will teach sourdough baking classes and parent-and-child cupcake decorating workshops
• Rukhsana Alam to continue leading Zumba fitness classes with Bollywood flair for women and tween/teen girls out of City facilities
• Little River Ballet, under dancer and teacher Kelsey Shackleford’s direction, to offer youth dance classes as a Milton recreation program provider
• Reliable Onsite Service to setup and staff temporary restrooms in downtown Milton during Crabapple Fest, which will occur from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 4
• Garver to provide professional design services for a TSPLOST-funded project intended to improve safety and efficiency along Redd Road (including where it intersects with Hagood, Thompson, and Hopewell roads)

The Council then honored members of Cambridge High School’s back-to-back State Champion girls lacrosse team with a proclamation. 

The Bears finished 2025 with an impressive 20-2 record, scoring 14.91 goals and surrendering a mere 6.14 goals per game on average. Cambridge capped its campaign with a decisive 17-5 victory over Blessed Trinity to capture Georgia’s Division 1 championship, as well as a No. 17 nationwide ranking by USA Lacrosse. 

After the lacrosse athletes posed for a picture with the Mayor and Council, Councilmember Doug Hene lightheartedly said, “See you all next year.”

VOTE TO TRANSMIT ANNUAL IMPACT FEE DOCUMENT FOR REVIEW

In other developments Monday, the City Council approved the transmittal of the Draft 2025 Capital Improvement Element (CIE) on Milton’s impact fee program so that it can be reviewed by State authorities.

Local governments like Milton’s collect impact fees from those creating new developments. These fees can go toward specific types of projects such as helping pay for upgrades to bridges, roads, parks, and government buildings. The State of Georgia requires governments that collect impact fees to annually document related financial information and the status of their Community Work Program. 

After an introduction by the City’s Principal Planner Shubha Jangam, Milton’s expert consultant Paige Hatley provided details on Milton’s impact fees as documented in the latest draft CIE (which covers the most recently concluded Fiscal Year 2024). She noted that just over $662,000 had been collected in impact fees, as well as that $500,000 went toward the purchase of land to construct a new active park off Deerfield Parkway.

With Monday’s vote, Milton’s CIE now moves forward for review by the State’s Department of Community Affairs. The final version (after that review) must be approved by Milton’s City Council by the end of October.

The other items on the meeting’s agenda were approvals of three alcohol beverage licenses, in each case not for new establishments but rather for new proprietors of existing establishments.

Two of those alcohol beverage licenses went to Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited, the management company that will serve patrons at Manor Country Club and White Columns Country Club.

The other ABL was for a more traditional restaurant – specifically Ichiban Steak & Sushi along Windward Parkway, between Deerfield Parkway and the Home Depot entrance.

The City Council’s next Regular Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 3, two days after Labor Day.