In a bid to shape the future of southwest Milton, the City Council approved the Arnold Mill Small Area Plan alongside a “hamlet overlay,” poised to introduce two activity nodes designed to bolster the local community without sacrificing its rural charm. This move comes in tandem with the deferral of a decision on a Use Permit for the Pardue Family Foundation Center, a topic that sparked considerable conversation among council members, and one that will be revisited in the upcoming Regular Meeting slated for May 19, as reported by the City of Milton’s official website.
Conversations at the Council meeting revolved particularly around the potential noise disturbances from events at the rural facility, pitched at the crossroads of Cox Road and Arnold Mill Road. Concerns from neighboring residents pushed for a noise cap of 45 decibels at the property line, a standard applied to the Little River Farms’ event facility and notably quieter than the 55 decibels proposed by the church operating the center. In response to this issue, Councilmember Carol Cookerly called for “a pause” in the decision-making process to foster a compromise between the parties – a sentiment echoed by Mayor Peyton Jamison who recognized the complexity the different Use Permits presented, as detailed in the Milton news post.
As part of the plan for the city’s evolution, the Small Area Plan outlined in Milton’s announcement focuses on transportation, design guidelines, and the fostering of activity nodes. They hope to create a future vision for Arnold Mill Road with aesthetic improvements like a tree-lined median and multi-use paths flanking new travel lanes. Nevertheless, any changes remain contingent on the Georgia Department of Transportation’s governance and timeline…