Milton’s City Council signaled support Monday for adding a 5-foot wide gravel path along Highway 9 north of Bethany Bend to make it safer and easier for residents to walk to-and-from the Publix plaza and other local businesses.

The Highway 9 widening and reconstruction project – with the City overseeing design and day-to-day management, in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Transportation – will incorporate many permanent pedestrian-focused improvements, including possibly in this same area. (For more on this project, visit www.miltonga.gov/Highway9.) Yet especially given the time needed to acquire right-of-way, construction remains several years away. And some smaller upgrades can be done to improve access, safety, and quality of life in the meantime.

The new gravel path north of Bethany Bend is a prime example. Residents of the Crooked Creek subdivision requested this temporary trail, which will replace a stretch already worn down in parts by people who have walked along the roadside. 

Deputy Public Works Director Rob Dell-Ross explained to Council that City staff have been creative in planning this path around impediments like drainage inlets, narrower areas, and sharper vertical drops. Parts of the 2,233 feet of gravel path will be farther from Highway 9 while others will be closer, with stabilized shoulders on both sides of the entire path. 

Dell-Ross estimated that a TSPLOST-funded construction contract will be awarded in late spring, with work starting soon thereafter. 

Mayor Peyton Jamison noted this idea has been pitched “for quite a long time,” expressing satisfaction in it moving forward. Councilmembers agreed, such as Phil Cranmer who said the proposed path “looks good.”

PROANO APPOINTED TO SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

This discussion occurred well into a meeting that began with a general public comment and the Council’s unanimous approval of the meeting’s Consent Agenda. The latter included agreements between the City and:

• The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police to provide services so the Milton Police Department can objectively assess members under consideration to be promoted to the rank of Sergeant
• Tri Scapes to add maintenance of the recently completed, expanded public portion of Milton City Park and Preserve to its scope of work in parks and greenspaces
• Dynamo Pool Management to manage day-to-day operations at the City Pool through the upcoming season, including cleaning in and around the pool, gauging water quality, and providing trained lifeguards
• Fulton County to release the City of Milton from a once restrictive covenant regarding the City’s Broadwell Pavilion property

This was followed by approval of Councilmember Brian Dolan’s recommended appointment of Holly Proano to the Milton Sustainability Advisory Committee. Dolan noted that Proano, who has lived in the Deerfield area for about 25 years, has a passion for sustainability and a particular interest in promoting education, awareness, and engagement on the matter.

After posing for a picture with Council, Proano spoke from the lectern about her desire for Milton to “think creatively and lead by example” on this topic, aiming to do what it can to help conserve resources and reduce waste.

Mayor Jamison next read a proclamation kicking off Government Finance Professionals Week by recognizing the exemplary efforts of Milton’s Finance Department. The City’s team has a proud track record of exceptional service, sound accounting, and commitment to clarity and transparency. The latter is evidenced by the fact that every edition of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Popular Annual Report, and Budget Book that Milton has  ever created has been awarded the highest possible honors from the Government Finance Officers Association.

PRESENTATION, QUESTIONS ON WALMART DRONE DELIVERY PROPOSAL

After a brief introduction by City staff, representatives from Walmart and Wing – a sister company of Google – presented to the Council on potentially having delivery drones fly in-and-out of the Walmart off Windward Parkway.

Wing already does such deliveries in several places, including 15 around the Dallas/Fort Worth and eight locations around Atlanta. The presenters said these allow people to get small items (weighing 2.5 pounds or under) in their hands within 15 minutes of ordering, without having to get in their car or wait for a truck. They claimed there’s been no collisions, property damage, or bodily harm in more than 750,000 and counting flights.

The drones fly up to 65 mph, with a normal cruising altitude of 165 to 200 feet. They don’t touch down at delivery sites, rather lowering to about 25 feet before lowering (with a tether) the item to the ground. The delivery radius is 6 miles, though the Wing representative said that has been limited to 4 miles for several locations.

The Mayor and Councilmembers followed this presentation with several questions and remarks. Councilmember Juliette Johnson, for example, expressed concerns about drones affecting horses and their riders. Councilmember Phil Cranmer asked about “air pollution” from a potential excess of drone-like apparatus clogging the sky. And several officials, such as Mayor Jamison and Councilmember Doug Hene, focused on noise emanating from such drones.

“My biggest concern is the sound,” said Hene. “Where we live, I don’t expect to hear anything … And I don’t want to hear anything.”

The Wing representative said the drones would make sounds comparable to a microwave when at cruising altitudes, then getting louder as they get closer to the ground. She invited the Mayor and Councilmembers to the closest Wing location outside of a Walmart in Woodstock so they can hear and see for themselves what the drones are like.

OPEN HOUSE, SURVEY FOR SAFETY IN ACTION PROJECT

Dell-Ross then returned to the lectern to share significant progress in the City’s Safety in Action initiative. This is a $1.25 million project, with all but $50,000 of that coming from federal grant funds. You can learn more about it at www.miltonga.gov/SafetyInAction.

Safety in Action focuses on three tasks, each of which the Deputy Public Works Director touched on Monday:

1. CREATING AN ADA TRANSITION PLAN: The federal government requires local governments with 50 or more employees to create such a plan focused on ensuring access for people with disabilities. Dell-Ross said that he expects the Council to consider adopting such a plan in the coming months.
2. ROUNDABOUT SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES: The City plans to implement measures such as raised pavement markers, additional striping, as well as truck apron and splitter island modifications at the Hopewell-Bethany and Hopewell-Thompson roundabouts. They’ll gauge the efficacy of these efforts before deciding what might be similarly implemented at other roundabouts citywide.
3. HOPEWELL AND FREEMANVILLE ROADS: These are the two main City-controlled, north-south corridors in Milton. After extensive data analysis and soliciting citizens’ feedback, the City has come up with a number of possible improvements up and down both roads. People are invited to City Hall anytime from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on March 23 to review these draft conceptual design ideas. You can also see them online at https://www.miltonga.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/9109/.

In addition to attending the March 23 Open House, residents are encouraged to take a few minutes to complete the latest related survey at https://engagekh.mysocialpinpoint.com/MiltonSafetyInAction/milton-sia-survey-2.

The Council wrapped up Monday’s meeting with a pair of approvals. The first was a conflict waiver to allow Jarrard & Davis to represent both Milton and Forsyth County pertaining to a maintenance agreement for McGinnis Ferry Road (once GDOT’s new SR 400 ramp project there is complete).

They then approved the final plat for the Milton portion of the Bridlefield subdivision. This new neighborhood is split between Milton, Forsyth County, and Cherokee County. The 22 parcels in Milton are the only ones in this development that are on septic.

Because of Spring Break, the Council will have a longer than usual gap until its next meeting. That is scheduled for April 13.