During a work session Monday in Milton, Fulton County Commissioner Lynne Riley told a crowd of about 60 people that some businesses on Ga. 9 are eligible for sewer service, but there are no plans to expand it beyond that area.
She also said there is no contradiction between the map of the county's sewer service and its policy on not allowing sewer from one river basin to flow into another basin. Ga. 9 runs along the eastern side of the city.
The perception that there was a discrepancy had fueled concern among many residents that once sewer crossed from the Big Creek basin to the Etowah River basin, the flood gates would open, and sewer would expand throughout the city.
Many residents argue that sewer brings dense development, which would spoil the pastoral feel of the community.
Mayor Joe Lockwood invited Riley to the work session to provide accurate information and dispel rumors.
"I want to make sure we are supporting our longstanding policies that Fulton County had before we became a city, and that we are not expanding sewer," Lockwood said. "I want to make sure we're on the same page."
Riley's statements indicated that the city could approve sewer to many developments on Ga. 9 without violating policies inherited from the county.
About a third of the crowd addressed the council. Speaker after speaker alternately pleaded and demanded that the Milton City Council limit sewer service to preserve the city's pastoral venues. Some said the meeting had been informative, and laid to rest rumors the council had been planning to expand sewer beyond Ga. 9.
But a few developers pleaded hardship from being at a standstill while the city hammers out its sewer policy.
Another meeting will be required before the question of sewer service on Ga. 9 will be settled.
Then the council must decide whether it wants to stop there, or develop a more expansive sewer policy.
Labels: city of milton, Georgia, sewer extension, sewer hookups
# posted by
Brian Vanderhoff @ 3:37 PM
The Milton City Council has decided to approach the question of crafting a sewer policy like a chef approaching an onion – one layer at a time.
On Monday, the Milton City Council peeled the first layer of what will be an ongoing effort to sort out which properties can have sewer and under what circumstances.
Unlike most communities, Milton has used sewer – or lack thereof – as a growth management tool. Sewer, many argue, will bring density which will despoil the semi-agrarian grandeur of their slice of paradise.
Fulton County approved many properties for sewer before Milton became a city on Dec. 1, 2006. Many property owners have permission from the county to hook up to its public sewer system. Some have started construction. All they need is city permission to connect.
But the community's sewer-phobia made the city hall staff reluctant to give the property owners and developers the go-ahead to the next phase. In all, about 30 projects needed to be resolved. City officials whispered they feared lawsuits awaited.
The City Council on Monday decided to focus on the immediate problem.
It set a mini-policy allowing projects to proceed within Fulton County's map of sewer service if they have land development permits and have actually started building.
And, as with another previous case of similar circumstances, the City Council emphasized its decision was not a precedent.
About a dozen speakers in the audience of about 45 took the lectern to argue for or against the changes.
Resident Curtis Mills reminded the City Council that a city-sponsored survey showed that an overwhelming majority of people wanted no sewer expansion in Milton. Francisca Lindon fretted that the city could easily end up on a slippery slope if the council didn't deliberate carefully.
Developer Sean Connelly said no one wants to go to court, but at some point, some developers may feel they have no choice. Developer John Adams cautioned the council to remember all the people employed by jobs that development creates.
The next layer to be peeled at a future meeting deals with projects with all the appropriate approvals, but that haven't started moving dirt. Then there are other layers, such as projects in the sewer service map that haven't received appropriate permits, and so on.
Labels: city of milton, Fulton County, milton city council, sewer hookups
# posted by
Brian Vanderhoff @ 10:52 AM
