Seen the latest AJC article on Milton?  Milton is the fastest-growing city in Milton.  Of course, you knew that already based on all the traffic congestion around the city.  And the overcrowded schools.  And the crumbling infrastructure.  Click here to read the article.  “Growth Friendly” Milton

In this AJC article, Milton is described as a “growth-friendly” city.  Of course, “growth-friendly” is just a euphemism for “developer-friendly.”  So it begs the the following questions:

• Why are we considering rezonings that allow higher density and cluster homes in rural Milton?  Do we really need to cram more people into Milton?
• Why are we even considering rezoning for properties that are uneconomic to develop under current zoning laws?  Do we really need to put even more money into developers’ pockets?
• Why would we consider any scheme that would accelerate already out-of-control development?
• Why have we wasted so much time on “conservation” cluster home subdivisions?
• Why haven’t we toughened our existing zoning (e.g., AG-1) laws?  Or our tree ordinance?
• Why isn’t anyone looking to reform our current rezoning process to make it less developer-friendly?  Why do Council members continue to argue with citizens about this issue despite the obvious and mounting evidence of a broken rezoning process?

Milton needs to be erecting some sensible speed bumps to development.  The reality is that sensible solutions have been held hostage to a singular focus on one solution:  “conservation” cluster homes, which ironically accelerate development.  For more than 18 months, AG-1 zoning enhancements have languished while our City government obsessed over the CSO (“Conservation” Subdivision Ordinance) and now the 745 Ebenezer Road rezoning.  The CSO was voted down 7-0 by Council in December 2015, but immediately metastasized into rezonings that are an end-run around current zoning to accomplish the goals of the CSO.

Why has this occurred?  Well, blame 2 City Council members, special interests, and a few misguided “environmentalists.”  The City Council members are Mr. Lusk and Mr. Kunz.  You might recall that Mr. Lusk wanted to put the CSO back on Council’s agenda the very night it was voted down.  Mr. Lusk is notorious for the soft-ball questions he asks of developers before Council.  And Mr. Kunz is a full-throated advocate of cluster homes.  He has even argued for density bonuses for developers building cluster home subdivisions (see November 30, 2015 letter he wrote in the Milton Herald Kunz Promotes Density Bonus for Developers).  He has brazenly negotiated for developers in Council meetings.

The Special Interests are developers, some owners of large tracts of marginal land, and septic system vendors.  They show up at every meeting to support “conservation” cluster home ordinances and rezonings.  It is the same old story at every City Council meeting on this issue:  Special Interests on one side and citizens on the other side.

And then there is the small cadre of misguided “environmentalists,” who do not speak for the environmental community, much less the broader cross-section of Milton citizens.  Their motives for vigorously pushing developer-promoted conservation solutions to the exclusion of all other solutions are unclear.

Mister Lusk/Kunz, the Special Interests, and the misguided “environmentalists” have done little or nothing to promote AG-1 zoning enhancements that might have retarded/stopped the rampant development in Milton.  Why?  AG-1 is their whipping boy.  Improvements to AG-1 would dilute their number 1 argument for “conservation” cluster housing.

Fortunately, the Milton Coalition and others are putting forth sensible solutions that the community can unite behind.  For example, we recently suggested changes to toughen Milton’s tree ordinance, after comparing it to Alpharetta’s tree ordinance.  The reality is that the current penalties for tree cutting are so lame that developers can pay the fines just based on the profits from the trees harvested.

And finally, a robust set of AG-1 enhancements has been formulated and will soon be considered by Council.  CSO proponents will no longer have AG-1 to kick around any more.

Being the fastest growing city in Fulton County is clearly a dubious honor for our city. The AJC article is correct in its assessment that Milton citizens are engaged.  And you have been vigorously engaging on this issue of cluster housing in rural Milton.  Please continue to engage.  Citizens, with your help, we can put our fine city back on the right path of sensible conservation solutions that unite the community.  A first step is to sign our petition.  Click on the following link:  Milton Coalition Petition Against Cluster Housing  And see our Action Guide for more actions you can take.  Click here:  Citizen Action Guide  Many thanks!