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Dear Milton Citizens, Friends and Neighbors -
I want to let you know about the very real risk of sewer extension in
Milton and a critical meeting that has been called for this coming Monday,
August 4th at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall. This Special Called
Work Session deserves your attention and your attendance.
Summary
There is a real risk of sewer extension in the City of Milton.
Efforts are underway to consider approval of extension of sewer to new
parcels, adoption of a new sewer map that would extend sewer, and
creation of a new sewer policy for Milton. A City Council work
session is planned for the subject for Monday August 4. This is a
public meeting.
Why should you care about sewer extension?
Development density in Milton is currently limited by the natural
constraints of the land, especially soil percolation. Average
yields for a home site historically have been closer to 1.6 acres to
the home because of these natural constraints. Sewer allows
nearly all land to be developed regardless of soil types and topography
in 1 acre lots or more, allowing unlimited density. The
introduction of sewer into new areas allows for higher residential and
commercial density expansion otherwise not possible. This is
completely inconsistent with the citizens' vision for a rural Milton.
Purpose of this Update and Background Information
The purpose of this email is to:
- Ensure that you are
aware of this very real risk of sewer extension and
the increased density that comes with it,
- Apprise you of a Special
Work Session scheduled for this coming Monday, August 4th at 4:00
p.m.
to discuss sewer including:
- A proposed map from Fulton
County re: a revised Inter Governmental Agreement with Fulton
County and Milton that shows significant sewer extension,
- The on-going request for
sewer for certain parcels despite their being in the historically
"no sewer" area, and
- The potential for a
"new" sewer policy that could undermine many of the
tenets of the existing long standing no sewer policies.
- Encourage you to attend
the meeting and make your opinions known both in advance of the
meeting and via email to the Mayor, the entire
Council, and Staff.
You all have told me via the first and second election and
through your recent Milton survey responses that the issue of sewer
extension is the biggest issue and concern to you individually and
collectively. This makes sense, since it is the single largest
exposure to removing our unique rural character. My position is
clear, has been consistent, and will remain consistent - that is that I
do not support sewer extension and instead support the affirmation of
the long standing no-sewer policies. This also means I support
sewer in the locations where sewer exists today, but I do not support
sewer extension.
Please note, however, I am only one of seven who have a vote on the
issues before us. This is your community and the time is now to
remind each of your elected officials what you expect of us for your
community.
The most recent Milton survey results, with a 25% response rate from
3,000 households (and approximately 6,000 residents) reflected that 87%
of responding citizens fully expect the no sewer policies to remain in
place. Some on the Council may not recognize this mandate.
What are the risks?
There are three components to the current evaluation of sewer and each
carries with it very real risks for Milton. They are as follows:
1. A proposed revised Inter Governmental Agreement with Fulton
County put forth by Commissioner Riley and Fulton County - the proposed
map reflects significant sewer extension.
- I have advocated the need to
revise that IGA, but to revise it consistent with the long
standing No Sewer Policies of Milton. However, the most
recent map proposed by Fulton County and Commissioner Lynne Riley
reflects significant sewer extension into Milton in areas interior
to Highway 9, (West side) as well as in the Crabapple area heading
North. Make no mistake, if this new sewer service map
proposed by Fulton County - and embraced potentially by some on the
Milton Council - is approved, sewer would be extended to parts of
Milton not previously allowed sewer.
2. Consideration of sewer extension to specific parcels
and projects (referred to as "red dots" that previously were
not identified as sewerable given their location within the Etowah
Basin and given that they were not allowed sewer according to the No
Inter Basin Transfer policy).
- Summary Risk - Some of these
parcels are in the Etowah Basin and would directly violate our
sewer extension policy - allowing increased density to creep
outward.
Use this link to see those
specific projects.
In most of these instances, the parcels or projects were identified by
Fulton and Milton staff as being acceptable and in the Big Creek Basin
but, instead, the "red dots", lie within the Etowah Basin and
in large part, are not identified as "exceptions" to the No
Inter Basin Transfer Policy. In other words, to extend sewer to
these parcels effectively would be violating the very policies we have
held dear since 1995 and that were further amended and affirmed in 1999
and again, as recently in July, 2006 by Fulton County. Further,
this same No Inter Basin Transfer Policy was adopted unanimously by the
City of Milton when the area became incorporated.
I do not believe we should extend sewer to parcels previously
disallowed from sewer extension. However, others have indicated a
willingness to support such sewer extension.
3. Discussion and beginning evaluation of an overall sewer/no sewer
policy for Milton.
- Summary Risk - between the
above mentioned revised and proposed map from Fulton County and
one-off decisions on "red dot" properties, we could end
up with a sewer extension policy by default.
There have been references made for the need to have a
"sewer policy" for Milton, yet we have not yet had the first
work session on any such policy. The fact that seems to be
ignored is that Milton has an existing legal sewer policy, i.e. the
"No Inter Basin Transfer Policy". I believe that we
must first affirm the policies we have in place already.
Staff Proposed Template as a Basis for Possible New Milton Sewer
Policy
Additionally, City Staff has proposed Milton use a "template"
from Prince William County, Virginia for a possible new Milton sewer
policy. While on the surface, this might seem like a reasonable
idea, when you look further, immediate questions arise that might
preclude this template as an option for Milton. As an example, it
sets forth multiple exceptions to their sewer policy allowing sewer to
be extended into otherwise defined semi-rural ("no sewer")
areas for schools, libraries, fire stations and other instances.
Why would Milton endeavor to establish a "new" sewer policy
for our City written from the onset with multiple exceptions to the
policy we claim to want to uphold?
Instead, I believe that we should create our own policy grounded in
the fundamentals that have served this community well for the last 19
years including affirmation of those areas that have been and should
remain no-sewer while specifying those specific parcels where sewer is
acceptable based on current locations. Any policy should:
- Affirm the long standing no
sewer policies
- Affirm a revised IGA with
Fulton County that does not extend sewer, but instead confirms the
existing locations and specific land lots where sewer is
consistent with the long standing policies of the area. This
would reaffirm where sewer is acceptable on properties that front
Highway 9, but that would not allow for the expansion of sewer
interior to Milton both interior to Highway 9, closer to Cogburn,
and interior to Crabapple.
- Specifically define where
sewer can be allowed and where it must not be extended
- Ensure proper septic tank
placement and regular maintenance with a mechanism in place to
monitor appropriate maintenance on a set period of years
- Prohibit private sewerage
extension in addition to public sewerage extension
- Prohibit sewer extension from
adjacent or near by jurisdictions
Bottom line, a sewer / no sewer policy for Milton must
begin with Milton, not some other community that may not have the same
City profile, values or land planning approaches for their long range
plans.
Related links:
- Two recent -- 7/21 and 7/27 -- AJC articles
where the Prince William Sewer Policy is referenced.
What can you do?
- Take a few minutes and
familiarize yourself with the issues.
- Engage a friend,
neighbor, and colleague.
- Send your opinions and
expectations via email and phone calls to
the Mayor, the full Council, Staff,
and our City Manager. Ensure that we all know
what you expect of us.
- Use this link
for contact info. for Mayor and Council
- Remember that the survey
results from across Milton indicated that 87% of those respondents
said "no sewer extension." Please remind us all
that you meant what you said.
- Hold us all accountable
to do what you elected us to do - represent your
interests.
- Attend the August 4th
meeting at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall.
Don't just sit in a chair, but tell us what you think. We
are here to represent you. Do not assume that we all know what
you expect of us regarding the critical issue of sewer vs. no
sewer. Do not assume that someone else will communicate your
desires and expectations for your community.
Forgive the length of this release, but it is imperative
that you let your voice be heard and your opinions counted. In my
opinion, there is no more important issue to the future of Milton than
how we decide to deal with the issue of sewer, no sewer, sewer
extension, and all that goes with it. I am accountable to you,
the people that elected me to represent your interests in this little
piece of heaven we all call home. I can only do the job you put
me in place to do if you hold everyone else accountable too and ensure
they know first hand what you expect of all of us.
Please do not hesitate to phone me with your questions, comments and
input. This is your community and I consider it an honor and a
very serious responsibility to represent you and your families.
Your voice matters now perhaps more than ever.
Respectfully,
Julie Zahner Bailey
Milton City Council
770-664-5529 (h)
404-310-6344 (c)
Julie4Milton@mindspring.com
Julie4Milton
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