MILTON — The City of Milton will kickstart its efforts to create Urban Growth Boundaries — a tool to contain more dense urbanization and, in so doing, help preserve Milton’s rural heritage — at a special public meeting this Wednesday.
A committee of stakeholders will convene Nov. 30 starting at 6 p.m. in City Hall’s Council Chambers. The 7-member group includes members of the planning commission, representatives of the local business and building industries, plus community leaders with connections to various parts of Milton.
Residents are invited to attend.
Sometimes referred to as a UGB, an Urban Growth Boundary is a tool used by communities nationwide to limit more densely packed — or “urban” — areas within clearly defined geographic zones. Milton’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan outlines a short-term work program for the City to “perform due diligence and planning on Urban Growth Boundaries” as another means, beyond limits of sewer lines, to maintain a “rural” look and feel in Milton while helping designated commercial “urban” areas thrive.
You can learn more about the broad reasoning for creating Urban Growth Boundaries in Milton, as well as get answers to pertinent relevant questions, at www.miltonga.gov/UGB.
The city council has heard multiple presentations about and indicated general support for adopting the boundaries.
The Nov. 30 meeting marks an important milestone in advancing this process. Stakeholders will not begin drawing specific boundaries, though they will likely talk about next steps they and city staff might take so that the city council can cast a vote sometime next year.
Urban Growth Boundaries are distinct from the Unified Development Code, another City Community Development Department-led initiative derived from the Comprehensive Plan that is very much in the works. You can get more about that project at www.miltonga.gov/UDC, including the public review portal link (https://miltonudc.konveio.com/) and dates it will be a focal point at coming planning commission meetings, held Dec. 21 and Jan. 25, and city council meetings, held Feb. 13, Feb. 22 and March 6.
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