Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton Real Estate Blog

European Market on Milton Avenue is a 2-day European-style shopping experience unlike any other!
The market is held underneath 2 enormous tents that will cover the street. Local Artisans and Gatherers will create a European marketplace to sell their treasures in Downtown Alpharetta.
From the moment you step inside you can feel the thrill in the air. You'll find your senses bombarded with colors, sounds, smells and activity, suggestive of a marketplace in a distant land.
An eclectic gathering of merchandise – art, hand-crafted jewelry, vintage furnishing & décor, women & children’s fashion, garden what-nots, and gourmet edibles and much more!
The market is open Saturday from 10am to 6pm & Sunday from 11am to 5pm.
For more information website www.europeanmarketonmilton.com or email tsc678@yahoo.com or 404-226-0351.

Directions
GA 400 North or South, exit 9, left on Haynes Bridge Rd. Left on Old Milton Parkway. Right at light onto Main Street (SR9). Go through light at Milton Avenue; you will be passing the festival by the city park on your left.

Parking
Alpharetta City Hall (South Main Street)
Milton Center (Milton Avenue)
PAL Parking Lot (Haynes Bridge Road)
Downtown Parking (on Roswell and Old Roswell Streets)

Road Closure
Friday, September 21 at 5 pm until approx. 12 am Sunday, September 23 on Milton Avenue from Main Street west to the intersection of Roswell St.-Canton St. will be completely closed.

Labels: city milton, city of milton, City of MIlton Property Taxes, milton, Milton City, Milton Georgia

MILTON, GA., Oct. 25, 2010 - The City of Milton Public Works Department and Milton Grows Green are offering residents a bulky trash amnesty and computer/electronics recycling collection day Saturday, Oct. 30.

From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., residents of Milton can bring items to the City of Roswell Public Works Division at 1810 Hembree Road. Proof of residency will be required, and utility bills are preferred.

Some of the items that will be accepted are:
· tires - must be off the rim, automobile tires only; limit 4 per car
· sofas
· tables
· refrigerators
· chairs
· washers
· dryers
· televisions
· deactivated cell phones
· computer equipment and electronics

The following items will not be accepted:
· paint
· household hazardous waste
· any fluids including motor oil and anti-freeze
· household batteries
· construction and demolition materials
· yard waste

Materials will only be accepted at the site on the day of the event and only during the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Please note that the gate will close at 2 p.m.

This event is held in conjunction with the cities of Alpharetta and Roswell, along with Keep Roswell Beautiful.

For more information, please contact The City of Milton Public Works Department at 678-242-2500 or Milton Grows Green at mgg@cityofmiltonga.us.

For proper disposal of the items not accepted please contact one of the following:
· Roswell Recycling Center: 770-442-8822 (motor oil, anti-freeze)
· Chadwick Landfill: 770-475-9868 (construction and demolition materials)

Incorporated on December 1, 2006, the City of Milton is a distinctive community that embraces small-town life and heritage while preserving and enhancing the city's rural character. The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its constituents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment. For more information, visit www.cityofmiltonga.us, or call 678-242-2500.

Labels: Bulky, bulky trash amnesty day, city milton, city of milton, milton, Milton City, Milton Georgia, Trash

MILTON, GA., Oct. 5, 2010 - Milton's "Rivers Alive" waterways cleanup, education and protection program will take place Saturday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Milton Grows Green Committee (MGG) is co-sponsoring the event with Bailey Farm & Gardens, Inc., which has been involved with the project for 13 years. Rivers Alive 2010 will kick off from its traditional location at Bailey Farm & Gardens, 255 Hickory Flat Road, one mile west of the Birmingham Crossroads.

Click here for directions.

Click here to see a flyer for the event.

Everyone, regardless of age, is welcome. Depending on age and capabilities, volunteers will be assigned to predetermined local waterways to remove debris deposited from upstream and left by passers-by. Waders and boots will be a plus for those who want to get in the river.

For younger participants there will be an opportunity to apply storm drain markers in a local neighborhood. The "Drains to Streams" marking program is part of the Georgia Clean Water Campaign and is also designed to remind everyone of the connection between what goes down storm drains and the quality of drinking water.

Jack Lindon, MGG's coordinator for this event, urges volunteers to wear appropriate shoes with good traction, as the banks are slippery.

"We're always pleased by the growing number of hard-working volunteers, both children and adults, who show up to help," said Bill Bailey of Bailey Farm and Gardens.

The Rivers Alive Cleanup is a unique, hands-on opportunity to learn more about our Coosa River watershed and help improve the quality of our drinking water. The mission of Rivers Alive is to create awareness and involvement in the preservation of Georgia's water resources through local waterway cleanup events that include streams, rivers, lakes, beaches and wetlands. It is an outreach program of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

More information is available at www.riversalive.org.

ABOUT THE MILTON GROWS GREEN COMMITTEE
MGG coordinates the efforts of individual volunteers and community-based organizations through the efforts of its own members, including Milton residents, business partners and those with an interest in the environment in Milton. For more information, e-mail mgg@cityofmiltonga.us or baileyfarmandgardens@mindspring.com. If you have a suggestion for a waterway that needs our attention, please let us know.

ABOUT THE CITY OF MILTON
Incorporated on December 1, 2006, the City of Milton is a distinctive community that embraces small-town life and heritage while preserving and enhancing the city's rural character. The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its constituents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment. For more information, visit www.cityofmiltonga.us, or call 678-242-2500.

Labels: city milton, city of milton, rivers alive clean-up festival, Rivers Alive in Milton

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Jason Wright
jason.wright@cityofmiltonga.us
678-242-2523 (office)
770-825-3096 (cell)
Note: In an effort to provide the most up-to-date information for Milton citizens, the Communications Department will now send pre- and post-City Council meeting updates informing the public about events at City Hall and their outcomes. Following is the agenda for the September 28 Special Called City Council meeting.

The sole purpose of this meeting is an executive session to discuss potential land acquisition.

City Council meetings normally take place at City Hall, 13000 Deerfield Parkway Suite 107 Milton, GA 30004 the first and third Mondays of the month, barring a holiday or special-called meeting. Work sessions are held the second Monday of the month.

For a full list of all city sponsored meetings, click here to see the calendar.

Persons needing special accommodations in order to participate in any city meeting should call 678-242-2500.

CITY OF MILTON, GEORGIA
Joe Lockwood, Mayor

CITY COUNCIL
Karen Thurman
Julie Zahner Bailey
Bill Lusk
Burt Hewitt
Joe Longoria
Alan Tart

Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Special Called Meeting Agenda 5:00 PM

1) CALL TO ORDER

2) ROLL CALL

3) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE (Led by the Mayor)

4) APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA (Add or remove items from the agenda)
(Agenda Item No. 10-1257)

5) PUBLIC COMMENT

6) EXECUTIVE SESSION
(Agenda Item No. 10-1258)
The purpose of the Executive Session is to discuss potential land acquisition
7) ADJOURNMENT
(Agenda Item No. 10-1259)

Labels: City Council, City Council Meeting, city milton, city of milton, milton, milton center, Milton City, milton city council, milton city hall, Milton Georgia

City of Milton offers fitness camps
Three sessions available three times a week starting Oct. 18

MILTON, GA., Sept. 22, 2010 - The City of Milton Parks and Recreation Department has teamed with Milton-based CorePhysique to offer affordable fitness camps to residents looking for a healthier lifestyle.

The camps, offered in three separate sessions three times a week, will take place at Milton's Bell Memorial Park, 15245 Bell Park Road, starting Oct. 18. They will be taught by Milton resident and mother of three Kolleen Riddick, a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist.

"These camps are safe, effective and they will kick your booty," said Riddick. "The first thing I do is physical assessments. I then tailor the camp to each person's specific needs, so you are not going to get hurt."

For Milton residents, the four week camps (12 full sessions) will be offered at a special rate of $90. For non-residents the cost rises to $120. The price includes an informational booklet and personal fitness journal, nutrition coaching and enrollment in one of three camps:

Early Riser: 5:45 a.m.
Just Right: 7 a.m.
Late Riser: 9:15 a.m.

Please note that camps are limited to just 30 participants per session. However, the City of Milton and CorePhysique are seeking to establish additional camps as demand requires.

A great value - just $7.50 per 45-minute session - each camp includes a warm-up and workout that combines strength, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility exercises. In addition, Riddick educates participants with articles and information on fitness, health issues and more.

"In just a few short weeks I have noticed a huge difference," said Tracey Hosmer, a previous fitness camper. "I have gotten much stronger, I am smarter about the types of food I eat, I have so much more energy and my clothes fit better."

To sign up for a fitness camp session, visit www.corephysique.net and click on the "Boot Camp" link or call 770-752-3159. You may also click here.

For more information, call Cyndee Bonacci, Milton's Director of Parks and Recreation at 678-242-2489 or e-mail cyndee.bonacci@cityofmiltonga.us.

Incorporated on December 1, 2006, the City of Milton is a distinctive community that embraces small-town life and heritage while preserving and enhancing the city's rural character. The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its constituents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment. For more information, visit www.cityofmiltonga.us, or call 678-242-2500.

Labels: city milton, city of milton, fitness camp, milton, Milton City

MILTON, GA., Aug. 30, 2010 - The City of Milton today unveiled a new Web site at www.cityofmiltonga.us.

The new site, which boasts a bevy of features and options for residents looking to connect with their community and city government, is the culmination of months of work and planning involving every city department.

"This has been a very big job. I think the citizens of Milton will like what they see," said Communications Manager Jason Wright. "We tried to open the doors of every department via the Web site, and hopefully our residents and business owners will appreciate the difference."

Users will notice big changes right off the bat, with a new layout and fresh photos - many of which were donated by residents - gracing the front page. To see a slide show of donated photos used in the Web site, click here.

Wright said the Web site is built with ease of use in mind. On the front page, there is now a search function, an "I want to" drop down menu taking users to the most popular site features and an interactive calendar. These three options are also available on every interior page.

"We didn't want users to have to 'drill down' very far to get needed information for our most common questions," Wright said. "If, for instance, you want a special event permit, are interested in a zoning case or want to pay your taxes, it's all right there on every page."

Inside, users will find expanded pages with full department head biographies, complete listings of staff with contact information and comprehensive information about everything the City of Milton's government oversees, including the trail plan, comprehensive plan and transportation projects.

But that's not all. There are also new maps, updated permit applications, membership rosters for volunteer boards and much, much more. And that's not to mention the full menu of social media options now available for residents - Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and an RSS feed. All will be updated regularly with vital city information, so sign up and plug in.

To visit the City of Milton's new Web site, simply type in the same address you have always used - www.cityofmiltonga.us. If you have any questions about the new site, contact Wright at 678-242-2523 or by e-mail at jason.wright@cityofmiltonga.us.

Incorporated on December 1, 2006, the City of Milton is a distinctive community that embraces small-town life and heritage while preserving and enhancing the city's rural character. The City of Milton is committed to maintaining the unique quality of life for its constituents while efficiently delivering essential services to residents and businesses in an interactive community environment. For more information, visit www.cityofmiltonga.us, or call 678-242-2500.

Labels: city milton, city of milton, milton, Milton City, Milton Georgia

The Fulton County Board of Education is reviewing its planned construction projects in light of updated enrollment figures and declining SPLOST revenues. One of the projects that directly impacts neighborhoods zoned for Milton High School is the construction of the new high school at the corner of Bethany and Cogburn Roads, originally scheduled to open in 2013/2014. A vote by the BOE to delay construction of the new high school could result in overcrowding at Milton. According to statistics provided it would place it among the ranks of "mega-schools" with approximately 2,823 students (873 over capacity of 1,950) by the year 2013 / 2014.

Many Milton residents are asking that the current construction schedule remain intact because of the overcrowding issues that would result at Milton High School if the schedule were delayed. Community input on this issue is important. Emails noting your opinions will provide valuable input to this process.

The Board of Education meets Thursday, March 19, 2009, to prioritize projects.

Contact information for the BOE members:

Julia C. Bernath bernath@fultonschools.org
Linda P. Bryant bryantlp@fultonschools.org
Gail J. Dean deang@fultonschools.org
Catherine E. Maddox maddoxc@fultonschools.org
Katie C. Reeves reevesk@fultonschools.org
Linda G. Schultz schultzl@fultonschools.org
Ashley Widener widenera@fultonschools.org

Fulton County Superintendent, Dr. Cindy Loe at loec@fultonschools.org

Labels: building schedule, city milton, fulton county board of education, milton, New High School

Riley says new county is financially viable

The Carl Vinson Institute of Government has released its study of Milton County. The new county would consist of the cities of Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek, Milton, Sandy Springs and Mountain Park and would have an estimated population of about 311,121.

The estimated revenue for Milton County is about $209.6 million with expenditures estimated between $133.1 million and $147.9 million.

The Road to Milton County

According to District 3 Fulton County Commissioner Lynne Riley, the process of recreating Milton County would be similar to the recent city incorporations and involve just as much resident input.

A Johns Creek resident herself, Ms. Riley said a “cafeteria plan” would allow residents to pick and choose what they wanted in the county charter. But first, if it passes the legislature, the measure would be voted on in a statewide referendum on the 2010 ballot. Then, just as with the city incorporations, the legislature would have to pass the charter legislation. This would most likely happen during the 2011 or 2012 session, said Ms. Riley. Then a transition period to taking over county services from Fulton County would take about four years and the county would “open” in 2014 or 2015.



The case for making Milton County, said Ms. Riley, would be to create a county with a great deal of flexibility, easily affordable services and the opportunity for cost savings. Although she would no longer be able to serve as a county commissioner if Milton County were recreated, she would be involved in the new county government either as a resident volunteer or elected official.

Government Services

The Carl Vinson study assumes the new county would provide the following services:
Superior Court
State Court
Magistrate Court
Probate Court
Juvenile Court
Public Health
Emergency Shelter
Senior Services
Libraries
Emergency Management Services
Animal Control
Elections and Voter Registration
Government Administration
Tax Administration
School System

Based on the study, Ms. Riley said recreating Milton County is viable. She said a separate Milton County Board of Education would be created and the study shows that schools would remain at their current level of service delivery in north Fulton.

Because Milton County would have no unincorporated areas, the county would not need to provide police, fire, public works, transportation or water services, as those would be handled by each city.

Impact on Fulton County

The creation of Milton County would reshape Fulton County, changing its population from 900,200 to about 589,079. The median income, now estimated at $47,092 would drop to an estimated $36,930. The estimated median income for Milton County is $86,743.

According to Ms. Riley the new Fulton County would suffer no shortfall if Milton County were recreated.

“All the [tax] money goes into a shared pot right now, the money is shared equitably across the whole county,” she said. “With just a marginal adjustment, services in the remaining Fulton County could stay at the current level. Opposition to recreating the county, as it was with the creation of the cities, because Fulton County would be losing tax revenue is simply not the case.”

The full study is available at http://www.cviog.uga.edu/miltoncounty. Check our website for more details as more information becomes available.

Labels: Alpharetta, city milton, Johns Creek, milton county, Mountain Park, north fulton county, Roswell, sandy springs

The Milton Police Department will host its second Citizens Police Academy, a six-week program that gives citizens an inside look at the department and law enforcement, beginning Feb. 11.

The program takes place Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Milton Police precinct at 750 Hickory Flat Road. Topics include criminal investigations, criminal law, police K9 units, traffic law, and 911 operations. Participants who are over age 18 can also go on a ride-along with an officer.

Class size is limited to 15 people, with preference given to Milton residents. Interested citizens are encouraged to register as soon as possible by completing an application and background form at City Hall during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Labels: citizens police academy, city milton, Georgia, milton police department, second