City Of Milton: Council Set To Vote On Extending Mayfield Rd. Sidewalk, Fire Station 42 Rebuild

The City has nearly completed its renovation of the clubhouse at the City-owned former Milton Country Club. One of the last steps is stocking the structure with furniture that will be functional, aesthetically pleasing, and further the building’s new purpose as an active community and recreation center. This agreement is for the purchase, laying out, and putting furniture in this space.

You can learn more about the clubhouse renovation project at https://cleargov.com/georgia/fulton/city/milton/projects/1254/former-milton-country-club-facility-improvements.

Fire Station 44 (which is at 13690 Highway 9 and part of the City’s Public Safety Complex) recently experienced a water leak related to the structure’s roofing and water system. While the causes of the leak have been addressed, the Fire-Rescue Department is looking – with this construction services agreement – to partner with Integrity Restoration and Remodeling Contractors to repair drywall as well as reinstall flooring and cabinetry damaged by this leak.

The City plans to make right-of-way shoulder and drainage improvements along part of Batesville Road. This temporary easement construction easement would give construction crews access – until the project is complete – to part of a property at 290 Batesville Road.

The City – through its contractor, Tri Scapes -- made emergency repairs last month to address a sinkhole in the Providence Oaks subdivision. This agreement compensates Tri Scapes for labor, materials, and equipment used as part of those efforts.

This agreement would give the City of Milton and its program partner, Hopewell Baseball, temporary exclusive access to the Portwine Baseball Field outside Birmingham United Methodist Church (at 15770 Birmingham Highway). With this agreement, the City will rent the field for ten weeks – during which time the two parties will continue to work to forging a long-term contract. 

During a December 6, 2021, City Council meeting, Parks and Recreation Director Tom McKlveen laid out plans for the Cox Road athletic complex – including how turfing over the two full-sized grass fields should lead to considerably more use and, with that, a greater need for parking space. (You can read more about that presentation here: https://www.cityofmiltonga.us/Home/Components/News/News/1085/1351.) McKlveen proposed – and got the City Council’s verbal sign-off on – the demolition of one of two adjacent buildings on the property to create more parking spaces. (Specifically, he called for demolishing the “North Building” closest to Cox Road that is currently unusable with failed plumbing, broken doors and windows, disconnected power, and many “unknowns” in its basement. The Professional Services Agreement on this Council agenda would allow for Contour Engineering to perform an asbestos survey on the North Building as a precursor to any demolition.

Last year, the City demolished Fire Station 42 at 15240 Thompson Road in order to build a more up-to-date and improved building in its place. With approval of this construction agreement, Cooper and Company will build a 6,600-square foot, one-story, two-bay drive-thru fire station with a parking lot, landscaping, retaining walls, and other needed site work. The original bid price was $4,655,000 but – through some value engineering – the final contract bid is $4,292,000 including an owner’s contingency of $175,000. You can learn more about the Station 42 project by clicking here: https://cleargov.com/georgia/fulton/city/milton/projects/1178/fire-station-42-replacement.

The applicant is requesting to divide a single 4.01-acre parcel along Thompson Road into two parcels of approximately the same size (2 acres). Per City zoning regulations, properties that are zoned AG-1 can be subdivided as long as each lot is at least 1 acre.

REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS

In the last few months, the City of Milton has received two grants totaling $20,000 from the Georgia Municipal Association – both aimed at bettering the wellness and safety of its employees, and in so doing the greater community. These grants reflect the City’s priorities to what it can to promote its staff’s health and safety, as well as to find alternatives (beyond direct use of taxpayer dollars) to fund such efforts.

This resolution would formally express the City of Milton’s opposition to twin pieces of legislature – House Bill 1093 and Senate Bill 494 – introduced in the State’s General Assembly. The bills would preempt a municipality’s ability to regulate land use for the development and construction of corporate subdivisions for rental-only purposes. The City’s primary concern with these bills isn’t whether rental-only subdivisions are appropriate for Milton but rather that it removes local control over zoning and land-use decisions. This would go against efforts like the 2040 Comprehensive Plan to develop and follow policies that reflect citizens’ desires and City leaders’ direction to have intentional, well-considered strategies that align with Milton’s aesthetic and ideals.

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) provides funding for Livable Centers Initiatives (LCI) in certain locales in the metropolitan area. In 2012, the cities of Milton and Alpharetta partnered to adopt an LCI plan for what was referred to as the Highway 9/Georgia 400 Area. You can review that LCI study via this link: https://www.cityofmiltonga.us/home/showpublisheddocument/1512/637290444147900000

The intent of Livable Centers Initiatives is to plot strategies to create more vibrant, walkable places with various mobility options. This resolution would support an application to update the aforementioned LCI Plan as well as possibly expand its footprint (to include some areas east of Georgia 400 and more of the Windward area). The study is proposed to cost $250,000 with grant funds covering $200,000 of that while the North Fulton Community Improvement District would contribute $20,000 and Alpharetta and Milton (at no more than $15,000) together paying the remainder.