The City has considered several new “large lot” incentives as part of this project. What exactly these might be has evolved over time following conversations with citizens, Milton Equestrian Committee members, and the City Council. For example, a consensus emerged NOT to allow short-term rentals or accessory structures in front yards on large lots, nor to create a special "hobby farm" use (to differentiate from AG-exempt properties).

The possibilities below remain in contention as new measures intended to help incentivize people to maintain or grow their large lots:

• Allow covered riding arenas for horses on 10-plus acre properties through an expedited administrative approval process

• Allow home-based businesses with similarly expedited administrative approval to operate out of an accessory structure on a given property 

• Offer stormwater-related credits as well as special design considerations

• Waive the fee for an occupational tax certificate (a.k.a. business license) for commercial horse farms

• Require vegetative buffer in certain cases when multiple parcels of a new multi-home development border a large lot in order to preserve the rural character of existing large lots

• Permit the rebuilding of existing equestrian structures (i.e. barns, run-in sheds, etc.) without approval from the Board of Zoning Appeals

• Establish a systematic Agricultural Exemption process for bona fide agricultural activities

• Allow more driveway access options for large lots 

• Provide standardized, pre-approved customer-friendly plans for run-in sheds

If you have thoughts or questions about any of the alternatives, or perhaps have other ideas, please contact Milton’s Principal Planner Shubha Jangam at Shubhangi.Jangam@miltonga.gov.

What is a “large lot”? The City considers any property that’s 3 acres or bigger to be a “large lot."

Where did the idea of “large lot” incentives originate? This was a short-term work program that is outlined in Milton’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. It is also supported by several public surveys as well as other outreach efforts, many of which indicate citizens’ interests in maintaining Milton’s unique look and feel with its rural heritage.

Is this project focused on property owners or developers? Property owners, both current and future. The idea is to give people reason to maintain or even grow their large lots. Developers will not be able to benefit from them unless they plan to own and live on that “large lot.”

Does Milton have incentives for developers to have “large lots”? Yes. Many of these incentives are procedural, saving developers time and potentially money. None are explicit tax breaks.

Will whatever incentive that Milton enacts involves tax breaks? Tax breaks are outside the parameters of this project. The idea is more to adjust certain zoning and other regulations to make it more economically feasible and sustainable for people to maintain (or grow) their large lots.

Are there incentives specifically for agricultural properties? Yes, there are some available tax advantages for agricultural properties. For those in Milton, Fulton County manages the State of Georgia’s  Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA). This may reduce the tax responsibility for qualifying lots; generally, the idea is that a property can be taxed based on its agricultural use less than it would for the more traditional development value. The City does not have a direct role in CUVA.

Other opportunities to reduce the tax burden include putting the property in a permanent conservation easement through the City’s Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program.  For more on this, contact the City’s Zoning Manager Robyn MacDonald at Robyn.Macdonald@miltonga.gov.