Developers Withdraw Requests To Build Townhomes, Adventist Church

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A proposal to build a townhome project and another petition to develop a church with a private school have been withdrawn by their respective applicants.

The Milton City Council at its meeting on Monday unanimously accepted withdrawals from Bajun American Properties, L.P. and GA Cumberland Association of Seventh Day Adventist.

Bajun originally asked the city rezone 10.17 acres of land at 3501 Bethany Bend from AG-1 (Agricultural) and TR (Townhouse) to TR to build 77 townhomes.

In a letter dated March 25 to Zoning Manager Robin MacDonald, Wendy Butler, attorney for the applicant, said her clients were appreciative of the city’s help to ensure developers have the opportunity to make the project — The Park at Bethany Bend — a “success.”

“As I have discussed with you, the applicant and their team would like to take additional time to further consider the best development for this property,” she writes. We hope to use this time for further discussions with all stakeholders.”

The Seventh Day Adventist organization asked for a use permit to build a 37,500-square-foot church and a 13,000-square-foot private school serving students in grades kindergarten through eighth. That development would have been situated on 10.14 acres of land at 14475 Hopewell Road.

In a letter submitted to the city, Pastor Rusty Williams said ”recent developments” and its ministry’s consistent mission to have a ”favorable impact on the surrounding community” propelled the church to withdraw request for the permit.

“Our mission is to share the good news of the coming of Jesus Christ (thus the Adventist part of our name), and that we need to be ready to meet Him by submitting our lives to Him,” Williams wrote. ”In order to put a church and school on this particular piece of property, it would violate a wider principle that Jesus spoke of, and that is to ‘love thy neighbor’. We cannot see a way forward to do both; therefore we humbly withdraw our request.”

Council members also approved a settlement of claims agreement with property owners Thomas and Judy Barts, Marsha Boston, Fiona Lodge, Lee Davis, and Shewjen Davis.

The city will pay $10,000 to the residents in order to fix an “alleged runoff/sedimentation issue” at 235, 245, 255 and 265 Thompson Springs Drive in Milton.

Photo credit: city of Milton’s Facebook page