City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you. Good evening. I would like to welcome Executive Pastor Jim Bole with City Church who will lead us in tonight's invocation. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I invite everyone to bow your heads. Heavenly Father, we're grateful for the opportunity to gather together. I pray that you send a blessing upon um all gathered here. Instill them with wisdom. Uh keep them on your path. It's in your son's name that we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you.

I'd like to call the regular meeting of the Milton City Council for Monday, May 18th, 2026 to order. The city encourages you to review tonight's agenda carefully. Each citizen who chooses to participate in public comment must complete a comment card and submit it to the city clerk prior to the agenda item being called. While the Milton rules allow allow a speaker to turn in their comment card up until the clerk calls the agenda item. Once the agenda item is called, no more comment cards can be accepted. Will the city clerk please call the role and make general announcements?

Good evening, mayor and council be happy to call roll for the May 18th, 2026 regular meeting. I would like to remind those in attendance to please silence all cell phones at this time. As the mayor mentioned, if you would like to make a public comment, you are required to complete a public comment card prior to that agenda item being called. All speakers will identify themselves with name, address, and or organization before beginning their comment. If you are representing an organization, a notorized affidavit is required, stating you have the authority to speak on behalf of that organization. Please review the agenda. If you would like to make a comment, please bring your cards to me now. Demonstration of any sort within the chamber is prohibited. Please refrain from any applause, cheering, booing, or dialogue with someone speaking. Anyone in violation may be asked to leave. Mayor and council, as a cold role this evening, please confirm your attendance. Mayor Payton Jameson

here. Council member Brian Dolan, here. Council member Doug Haney here. Council member Carol Cookerly here. Council member Jan Jacobus. And council member Phil Kramer here. Mayor, for the record, Council Member Juliet Johnson is absent. You do have a quorum. Would everyone please rise for the pledge of allegiance? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Okay. Next is approval of the meeting agenda. Uh Steve, we don't have executive session, right? So there will be no amendments to the agenda. So with that, I will have a motion to approve the agenda. Mr. Mayor, I'll make a motion that we approve agenda item number 26-142. Second. Okay. I have a motion from Council Member Cookerly and a second from Council Member Jacobus to approve the meeting agenda. All in favor, please place your votes. Okay, that is unanimous. Okay, next is general public comment. Do we mean general public comment? We do, mayor. We have two for tonight.

Okay. General public comment is a time for citizens to share information with the mayor and the city council and to provide input and opinions on any matter that is not scheduled for its own public hearing during today's meeting. Please remember this is not a time to engage the mayor or members of the city council in conversation. When your name is called, please come forward and speak into the microphone stating your name, address, and organization for the record. If you will please call the first public comment speaker. May I invite Christy Hayes to the podium. Reminder, you'll have five minutes. So, I will give a one minute warning and we'll announce when time has expired.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. I'm Christy Hayes, 13585 Hopewell Road. I want to start by thanking Mayor Jameson for meeting with my husband and me last week and listening to ours and other concerned residents issues regarding the multi-use paths proposed for Freemanville, Hopewell, and Red Roads. Removing the trails and sidewalks from the safe streets plan is greatly appreciated, but we still have reservations. Mayor Jameson passed along an email from our city manager where he stated in response to the community outcry over the proposed multi-use paths that we are moving away from safe street concepts related to trails or sidewalks. While this is wonderful to hear how much money was wasted on consultants and engineers designing this project, the city manager also stated that the trails committee should be the one primary forum for tri trails discussions, which gives this unelected body enormous power to influence what he described as the balance Milton is trying to strike between connectivity, safety, recreation, and preservation of our rural character. He went on to say, "I think we need to step back and clearly define the city's mission regarding trails, sidewalks, and other pedestrian connections." On this, I wholeheartedly agree. The very first place the city needs to start clearly defining their mission is with the trails committee themselves. After watching and transcribing every MTAC meeting since its reintroduction and availability on YouTube, I have learned quite a bit about how this committee operates. And it's not even close to how a functioning powerful subcommittee should work. The deputy public works director who oversees these meetings never provides any boundaries to the committee. They sit in council chambers and look at a map of Milton and make decisions that change our landscape forever. Only after the joint council MTAC meeting in December of 2025 where MTAC members received push back from several council

members did the deputy director remind the committee that these trails they keep making throughout the city are attached to andor affect other people's property. This has to change. Clear direction and the scope of their charge is vital in keeping this committee on task. Many in the community and even some members on council and on MTAC until the December joint session were unclear about MTAC's scope. One MTAC member said, "We don't look at the trail systems within the parks because I didn't know that was that fell under our purview." Which means he was never given clear guidance on what exactly fell under MTAC's purview. The consensus from the December meeting was that trails and sidewalks belong in our highdensity areas and in our green spaces. If MTAC is given the power to determine where trails in Milton are located, they must make these decisions not by looking at a map, but by going to the roads and rideways they intend to pave over and see the viewshed they will destroy, understand the property rights of affected owners, and feel the whiz of cars and trucks zipping by at high speeds. Why does this matter? Because MTAC is way more important to Milton's future than their name suggests. The Milton UDC code incentivizes developers with impact fee credits to build sidewalks to nowhere when the location is outside of the halfmile radius of a school or park but located on the trails map. We are incentivizing the creation of sidewalks to nowhere that eventually become lowhanging fruit for the trails committee to connect. In my opinion, the way to structure the trails committee is to present to them the clearly defined eight character areas delineated in in the 2040 comprehensive plan. Each area has clear boundaries and attributes that must be defended. We don't have to reinvent the wheel. We just have to follow our own Bible, the 2040

comprehensive plan, and use that as a guideline. In closing, this council must make sure that any recommendations brought forward from the MTAC committee has been thoroughly vetted. That includes providing clear guidance, conducting site visits, and thorough community input that must include property owners and not just neighborhoods. As Councilwoman Cookerly said at the December meeting, we already know most people want trails on other people's properties. Thank you for your time and your service. Thank you, Mayor. I invite Ben Copaka to the podium, please.

Good evening, council, staff. Ben Copeka, 14115 Brill Road. Uh, this is public comment regarding the Red Road improvements project and multi-use trails on on that segment. Uh while good progress has been made on the Freemanville Road and Hopewell Road proposed multi-use trails as evidenced by the city communication that went out this week on Facebook stating that quote potential new trail and sidewalk recommendations are being removed from the current scope to allow the Milton Trails Advisory Committee MTAC and other ongoing planning efforts to further evaluate and prioritize future roadside trail needs independently from this roadway safety grant effort. I would also like to see further progress on Red Road proposed multi-use trail removal as presented to the public within the Red Road improvements project earlier this year. Uh on 22 Jan 2026 at the MTAC meeting comment was made by city staff while presenting to the MTAC in reference to proposed future trails and prioritization plan. The recommendation was made to remove a portion of segment A and all of segment B. These are proposed trails along Birmingham Road from the roundabout at Freemanville and Birmingham Road to the roundabout at Birmingham and Hopewell Road up to Thompson Road ending at Bell Memorial Park approximately 2.5 mile stretch of trails. MTAC members responded asking is that because of feedback, budget or concern? Uh city staff response being due to sensitivity that the road particularly being in the northern part of the city and just wanting to keep it more rural. I find it concerning that the city staff should have the sole power to recommend to a committee with such power as MTAC that one area is more rural than another being that these roads are located in the same character area of Central Milton. Coming directly from the 2040 comprehensive plan, Central Milton is the largest character area in Milton and is dominated by beautiful viewheds, historic gravel roads. The visual aesthetics of this character area should be maintained even as residential

development continues. All of this central Milton character area is rural and should be protected by the same standard uniformly across the character area with direct citizen and resident input, not just the input from city staff. I urge the council and city staff to please protect all of central Milton character area from multi-use trails and sidewalks. Uh continuing with that same 22 Jan meeting, city staff further stated those red road gaps on the south side and Freemanville north of a red road to Philip Circle. Those bottom two projects we have already absorbed those in capital projects and we don't have to discuss any further because they are spoken for. They are going to happen. This specific comment is a majority of the reason why there is so much push back on this project from local residents in the red road area and amongst the city. The residents were just showing the design plans for Red Road on 25 March 2026, which showed the multi-use trail connection on the south side of Red Road uh discussed during this 22 JAN meeting. The Milton Trails Blueprint Map labels this section as section I and section J under the 2026 proposed changes to the blueprint map. If the Milton Trails blueprint map is our current governing guide, which allows the city staff to pursue programming and funding for this trail construction effort, why is that section of trail not on the official map currently? I repeat, the city staff comment made in this reference to this section is we don't have to discuss this any further because they are spoken for. They are going to happen. In summary, and backed up by factual public comment and record, if the proposed addition of multi-use trails along a road in Milton is occurring, it should not be designed, funded, and presented to the public that it will happen when that same multi-use trail is not even on the approved Milton trails blueprint map. The blueprint map comes first, which is assembled under MTAX guidance using public input. The

planning for design of and execution should only occur once the public has provided input and the blue blueprint map is approved by staff one minute

and the council. Only then should a city resource whether that is staff resources or city finances funded by the taxpayers be expensed towards a project and its planning. In closing, until proper planning processes can take place, I ask this council and city staff to remove all planning of all multi-use trails across the central Milton character area, effectively a moratorum. This moratorum should remain in place until an effective plan can be assembled that takes into account the guidance within the 2040 comprehensive plan that we as citizens and residents have been presented. consideration of in-depth public comment and working groups and a plan is provided that protects the central Milton character area. Um, as a reminder, at the city council meeting on 4, May 2026, uh, comment made by the city attorney, the council always has the right to ask anybody a question irrespective of if they filled out a comment card or anything. Do you have any questions for me at this time?

No. Thank you. Okay. Any other public comment? That concludes general public comment, sir. Okay, I'll close public comment and we will now move on to the consent agenda. Will the city clerk please sound the items?

Mayor, that first item is approval of the May 4th, 2026 regular city council meeting minutes. Agenda item number 26143. Our next item is approval of the city of Milton to opt in to a national opioid settlement that has been reached with six regional distributors dispenser defendants and for the mayor to sign requisite documents. Agenda item number 26144. Our next item is approval of a consulting agreement between the city of Milton and Brenda Holly LLC for executive development services. Agenda item number 26145. Next, we have approval of change order number one to the enduser agreement and service agreement with addendum number one with National Center for Safety Initiatives LLC for Parks and Recreation Background Screening Services. Agenda item number 26146. Our next item is approval of a professional services agreement between the city of Milton and Practical Design Partners LLC for professional engineering design services for G dot PI000021207 state Route 372 Birmingham Highway at Batesville Road. Agenda item number 26147. Our next item, approval of a professional services agreement between the city of Milton and Practical Design Partners LLC for professional engineer design services for G.PI21208, State Route 372 at Birmingham Highway and at New Bullpin Road. Agenda item number 26148. Our next item is approval of a construction services agreement with Blank Construction Company, Inc. for the fiscal year 26 roadway reconstruction and resurfacing agenda item number 26149. Next, approval of a change order number one to task order number one with Colombia Engineering and Services, Inc.

for right-of-way services at the intersection of State Route 140 and Arnold Mill Road and Green Road. Agenda item number 26150. Our next item is approval of a change order number one. Bear with me. Of a task order number six with Columbia Engineering and Services, Inc. for land acquisition services for the Cox Road at Ebene or Road Roundabout. Agenda on number 26151. Our next item, approval of a construction services agreement between the city of Milton and Hasbun Construction LLC for State Route 9 temporary gravel stabilization installation. Agenda item number 26152. Next, approval of a construction services agreement between the city of Milton and RM Concrete Specialist LLC for Hopeo Road roundabout improvement project. Agenda item number 26153. Our next item, approval of transportation special purpose local option sales tech known as Teslas 3 project list. Agenda item number 26154. Next, approval, a professional services agreement between the city of Milton and National Data and Surveying Services for traffic data collection for both G.P.I.21207, State Route 372 Birmingham Highway at Batesville Road and G.PI21208, State Route 372, Birmingham Highway at New Bullpin Road. Agenda item number 26155. Our next item, approval of amendment for the safe streets and roads for all grant agreement with Federal Highway Administration. Agenda item number 26156. Our final consent agenda item, approval of first amendment to distri dispersement agreement with White Columns Gated Community Association for Glenn Drive Lake Dam Engineering Design and Permitting. Agenda item number 26157.

Mayor Jameson. Thank you. Uh do we have a motion on the consent agenda? All right. I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda as read. Second. Okay. I have a motion from Council Member Cranmer and a second from Council Member Dolan to approve the consent agenda as read. Please place your votes. That is unanimous. Okay. We will now move on to reports and presentation. Will city clerk please sound the first item?

Thank you, mayor. That first item is a proclamation recognizing May 25th, 2026 as Memorial Day in Milton. It's agenda item number 26158. Mayor,

thank you. Next Monday is a time for our community to come together to honor and remember the brave men and women who gave their lives and service to our country. A sacrifice that we are all deeply grateful for. It is my honor to read this proclamation in recognition of Memorial Day. Whereas, Memorial Day is an annual opportunity for all Americans to pay tribute to fallen members of the US military who over many generations have fought bravely for their nation. And whereas this federal holiday's roots were set in May 1868 when veteran organizations began advocating for putting flowers on the graves of parish Civil War troops. And whereas Congress declared the last Monday of May as Memorial Day about a century later, saluting veterans from all wars who passed away after serving selflessly for their countrymen. And whereas the city of Milton has understood, respected, and honored this noble service since its inception, grasping that our freedoms and quality of life are thanks to these military members. And whereas in addition to day-to-day gratitude, our community comes together annually to salute the fallen. And whereas this Memorial Day ceremony will take place the morning of Monday, May 25th on the green at Crab Apple Market. And whereas this is always a moving event will feature performances of patriotic music, poignant remarks, including from a combat nurse who served in Vietnam. And whereas we encourage our citizens to attend and offer thanks to heroic men and women who put their lives on the line for us. Now therefore, we the mayor and the city council of the city of Milton recognize May 25th, 2026 as Memorial Day in Milton and invite all citizens to our upcoming ceremony in downtown Crab Apple. This is given under my hand and seal the city of Milton,

Georgia on this 18th day, May of 2026. And we are very fortunate to have three members of the Milton Veterans Memorial Markers with us that will uh accept the proclamation. We have Nick Fiora, no sorry, Tom Fiorila, uh Nick Satrianiano, and Paul Clater joining us today. So, thank you all. Spent many hours hammering those crosses down. Come on down. Wait. Ready.

Perfect. Thank you. Thank you, Nick.

Won't get out until Yeah. Veterans Day posters. The ground was a little hard this year, folks. over a thousand. Please remain.

Hey Tammy, please read the next item. Mayor, that next item is a proclamation recognizing police week in Milton. It's agenda item number 26159. Mayor,

thank you. I know I can speak for all of us sitting up here and all the citizens of Milton that we are very fortunate to live in such a safe city. All because of the dedicated men and women of our police department. Police Week is an opportunity for all of us to recognize and thank these officers who work every day to keep Milton safe. Whereas police week traces back to 1962 when then President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day as a tribute to those killed in the line of duty. And whereas over more than six decades, Police Week has evolved as a once- ina-ear opportunity to honor these sacrifices strengthen law enforcement's connection with communities and salute those officers who make an invaluable impact every day. And whereas never fully knowing what dangers await, police officers willingly put their lives on the line in order to enforce the law, protect citizens, and do what's right for the city. And whereas Milton's officers do this while routinely going above and beyond to provide exceptional service. And whereas they marked this recent police week with a Red Cross blood drive and their annual award ceremony during which they celebrated outstanding accomplishments and people. And whereas Milton is blessed to have a police department full of men and women who are sincere, well-trained, proactive professionals who will do what is ever needed for our community. Now, therefore, we, the mayor and the city council of the city of Milton celebrate the dedicated service of police officers in Milton and nationwide while recognizing May 10th through the 16th as police week. And this is given under my hand and seal of the city of Milton, Georgia on this 18th day, May of 2026.

Take a little seat. Yeah, let's do that. How are you? I'm good. How are you? Huh? Not really. They stopped feeding you at home, chief. Yeah. Thank you.

Okay. And I'm done. Thank you.

Second. One of my more memorable times on council was the dinner at your house before we were sworn in. The dinner at your house. Wasn't that so great? Sorry. Take over. That was okay. If you now read the next presentation,

mayor, that next proclamation is a proclamation celebrating public works week and our team members behind pivotal programs, projects, and services. Agenda item number 26160. Mayor,

thank you. One of our many outstanding departments in city hall is our public works department. They work behind the scenes every day to provide the essential programs, projects, and services that keep our community running smoothly. It is my honor to read this proclamation celebrating public works week and these outstanding individuals. Whereas the Milton Public Works Department undertakes an array of services, programs, and projects that contribute significantly to our city's character, efficiency, and quality of life. And whereas these include building and maintaining roads, roundabouts and right ofway, managing facilities like city hall and hundreds of acres of green space, and spearheading the improvements of parks and other public spaces. And whereas this department makes it a priority to go above and beyond when it comes to engaging the public so that they are involved, listened to, and informed about key initiatives. And whereas it is very appropriate then that this year's public works week theme is rooted in service powered by community since serving and doing right by citizens drives all their actions. And whereas these impactful efforts span the gamut including planning, designing, acquiring, inspecting, constructing, operating, maintaining, and managing how about just everything uh infrastructure. And whereas Milton's public works department succeeds on all these fronts thanks to its hardworking, caring, talented, dedicated team that routinely goes the extra mile for the good of our city. Now therefore, we the mayor and the city council and the city of Milton celebrate the Milton public works department and officially recognize May 17th to the 23rd as public works week. And this is given under my hand and seal of the city of Milton, Georgia on this 18th day, May of 2026.

Is there a leadership? Wonder who's leadership is how are you

folks? Thank you so much. And there are no first presentation or public hearing items. We will now move on to zoning agenda. Will the city clerk read the zoning rules and sound the item?

Thank you, mayor. The items I'm sorry, um, let me back up. When the mayor and city council consider zoning agenda items, it includes zoning petitions, modifications, use permits, variances, ordinances, resolutions, and text amendments. The following procedure apply. The applicant and supporters will have a total of 10 minutes to present. The opposition will also have 10 minutes to present and may use the remaining time for rebuttal. The applicant may reserve time for rebuttal and as the party with the burden of proof may make closing remarks if time remains. All speakers will be called in the order in which they were received. The planning commission has reviewed the items and forwarded its recommendation to the council. No new materials may be submitted at the meeting unless requested by the council and will have already been included in the council packet. An opponent of a reszoning action within the two years prior to filing. The opposition has made campaign contributions totaling $250 or more to a local government official considering the application must file a disclosure with the governing authority at least 5 days before the planning commission meeting. Failure to comply with state law constitutes the misdemeanor. Therefore, if you have contributed $250 or more to a council member and have not filed the required disclosure, the city attorney strongly recommends that someone else presents your position. Our zoning evening for zoning agenda this evening is consideration of RZ 2604 for a text amendment to section 8.2 use tables section 8.5 section 6.3 table 6.3.1B rule Milton overlay use table and section 9.1.2B 2.B festival parking of the unified development code to prohibit the use festivals or events outdoor indoor. It's

agenda item number 26138. Our zoning manager, Robin McDonald.

Good evening, mayor and council. Tonight I'll be presenting a proposed UC text amendment related to the festivals or events outdoor indoor use permit category. What is the use? This use category is currently defined in section 8.5.5 of the UDC. It was originally intended for permanent special event facilities such as horse shows, carnivals, dog shows, arts and craft shows, music festivals, and similar uses. Importantly, this does not regulate temporary special events. Temporary events are handled separately through chapter 34 and the special in the city's special events permitting process. What is changing? The proposed amendment removes the festivals or events outdoor indoor use category from the UDC. No new applications will be allowed to move forward in this use permit category. However, existing operations with approved use permits could continue under lawful non-conforming status. here uh on this slide uh here's some pictures of different types of use permit types. Um one of the main reasons for this amendment is that this use category has very limited applicability and was originally intended for uses similar to the Renaissance Festival here on the left. And this was uh held in South Fulton and a holdover use permit uh prior to our uh from unincorporated Fulton County. At the same time, the city already ha has several other use permit categories that allow event related uses and more appropriate contexts. For example, the rural event facility use permit uh within the AG1 zoning district. Then we have assembly hall event facility use permits. The

third one that are um indoor permits allowed within the formbbased codes which are both crab apple and deerfield areas. And then um lastly we have something called outdoor auditorium um use and it is allowed um for permanent outdoor entertainment facilities within the formbbased code again crab apple and deerfield and and on civic spaces. So this amendment is really about aligning uses uh with the most appropriate permit category and not about eliminating event related activities. The purpose um the purpose of this amendment is fairly straightforward. It removes a use category with limited applicability, removes it from the applicable use tables, prohibits new applications under this uh category and clarifies that the use itself is prohibited moving forward. So this is one of the three use tables and you can see the highlighted use and then under AG1 it's being eliminated as well as the other applicable zoning districts in the non-formbased code area. It does not um it does not um also does not impact existing approved operations. It does not impact city sponsored events, temporary special events or other event facility permits already outlined in the city code. It also does not affect limited events that may otherwise be allowed by Wright. Uh within the public process, there was a community zoning information meeting held in March and there were no attendees to that meeting. Uh there was

the planning commission public hearing held on April 22nd, 20 of this year and it was recommended approval unanimously with minor modifications. One was keeping parking requirement section. Don't delete as staff proposed. Leave out ineligible applications. Don't add as proposed. And then recognizes any variances of existing uses. So all these proposed changes uh that were suggested by the planning commission and that we're incorporating tonight, it was supported by the city attorney as well. Um again as a review um what's presented tonight is to remove the use permit type from all the use tables section 6.3.1B and then section 8.2.1 8.22 and 8.23 23. And then to add to section 8.55, prohibition and applicability, lawful non-conforming use status, expiration of approvals not acted upon, and maintenance and modifications to lawfully operating facilities. So, I would uh categorize these as being guard rails um to what what are existing now on the grounds. And then lastly uh to retain uh the festival parking uh regulations. So here again we have um the screenshots of the various tables uh that we're proposing for the elimination um of the use.

Okay. So now under the use standards um already talked about that what basically I just said in a nutshell this is what all this additional red um the red is the addition to the use standards. Hey Robin, why would you retain the festival parking?

Um I think it's just for historical context. So, we do have um a operating uh facility under this use permit. So, it just allows staff to know, let's say if we go back and look at it or they ask for um hey, we want to modify our parking, let's make sure we have the right amount of parking based on the use. So, even though the use is being proposed to be eliminated, there is some real historical um usefulness of having that information. But someone could still apply for that.

No, no, it's not like it's it just allows us to make sure there could be a variance or to be asked toward, hey, we want to eliminate some parking or we want to in order to do that, we would need to know, well, what are you getting a variance to? It would be to that section specific to that use. Okay. Yeah.

Thank you. Okay. So again, um the this slide shows the parking requirement that the planning commission ret recommended retaining. And that concludes the presentation and I'm available for any questions on this issue. Any questions for Robin? I I have one. So, this is specific to new permit requests, not anything that's already existing or already in place. Correct. So, we're not taking anybody's existing rights.

Yeah. Existing property rights. Totally correct. Yes. So, that page that had all the red writing on it, that's what's protecting those existing um uses out there. Yeah. I just wanted to make sure that was clear. Right. We're not taking anybody's use away. Yeah. Great. Any other questions for Robin? Okay. With that, we'll open it up for a motion. Mayor, I'll make a motion to approve agenda item number 26-138. Second.

Okay. I have a motion from Council Member Haney and a second from Council Member Dolan to approve agenda item number 26-138. Please place your votes. Okay, that motion passes unanimously. Thank you. We will now uh move on to mayor and council reports. Does council have anything to report on? Nope. Okay. Hearing none, that will do it. Steve, anything before we close it out? No, mayor. Okay, I will open it for a motion to adjurnn. Mayor, make a motion to adjurnn. Second.

Okay. Okay. Have a motion from Council Member Cranmer and a second from councelor Haney to adjourn. Please place your votes. Okay, the meeting's adjourned. Thank you. Thank you.