Milton Buys Four Greenspace Properties, Two More Coming

MILTON, GA — The city of Milton keeps getting greener. After Milton residents overwhelmingly with 83 percent of votes approving the $25 million Milton Greenspace Bond in 2016, the City has worked with the citizen-led Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee (MGAC) to evaluate and prioritize possible greenspace opportunities. As of today, $15.3 million has been spent on just over 345 acres, with another $2.65 million and 33 acres in due diligence.

Greenspace bond funds are to be used to acquire land for parks, trails and greenspace including conservation land, wildlife habitat and natural areas.

"We're not only preventing possible development, but we're forever preserving green acres in Milton," said Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood.

In 2018, the Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee worked closely with the Georgia Conservancy to establish a detailed set of criteria for assessing parcels for possible purchase. According to MGAC Chairman Colt Whittall, that model specifically factors in the location of existing parks, creeks and other water sources, rural views, wildlife habitat, planned trails, and considers potential land development scenarios.

The first Greenspace purchase was the 130-acre former Milton Country Club in May 2018, for a cost of $4.5 million. In August 2018, the city purchased 106 acres, now referred to as the Preserve at Lackey Road, previously known as the Wolff property, for $3.71 million.

Recently, the City closed on two more properties: the property at the corner of Freemanville and Birmingham Road (the Preserve at Belmont Farms), and an 88-acre property referred to as the Preserve at Cooper Sandy, located at the Wells/Fields crossroad. Belmont Farms, a corner parcel totaling 21.08 acres that has historically served as a horse pasture, cost $1.4 million and Cooper Sandy was purchased for $5.72 million.

On the horizon, the City has another 33 acres in due diligence. One property is a 4.82-acre piece of land in the Deerfield Corridor, the Preserve at Webb Road, which is expected to cost $1.6 million. A second property, the Preserve at Hamby Road, is 28.2 acres at a cost of $1.05 million. The combined greenspace purchases and due diligence properties average $47,554 per acre and add new greenspace locations throughout the city.

"We're incredibly proud of the work done by our citizen committee and our Council," said City Manager Steve Krokoff. "The purchase locations strategically align with our bond commitments and the purchase prices have all been under the property's appraised per/acre value."

The city must complete its due diligence efforts including an appraisal, survey and a Phase I environmental site assessment. If the two additional properties in due diligence go through, the City will have acquired 378.1 acres of mostly buildable land, that will forever be preserved and prevent further development.

"Each of these properties offers the city numerous possibilities," said Milton Conservation Projects Manager Teresa Stickels. "There are opportunities for reforesting areas, creating pollinator gardens, improving water quality, and promoting environmental education."

Of the $25 million in bond funds, $17.98 has been spent (pending the successful completion of the due diligence period of the two properties), with $7.02 million remaining.

"Until all the greenspace funds are expended, the committee will continue its work identifying and recommending to Council properties that meet the intent of the bond language," Whittall said. "In addition to acquiring property outright, we would like to accomplish the goals of the bond initiative by purchasing some conservation easements in the future."