Milton Puts The Brakes On Fire Training Facility

MILTON, GA -- The city of Milton is taking a breather in its plans to build a fire training facility.

The city said Thursday it has "temporarily suspended the development," which was approved by city leaders in September 2015.

The capital improvement project was initially slated to be built on land adjacent to Milton Fire Station No. 43 on Hickory Flat Road and would occupy 2 acres of land within Birmingham Park.

That 204-acre tract was acquired from Fulton County on Jan. 2, 2007, and includes deed restrictions limiting its use to parkland and/or greenspace.

"The quitclaim deed clearly limits the use," said Milton City Manager Steven Krokoff. "We did our due diligence with regard to the structure, the need for this type of facility and the benefits to our citizens, but we erred in its placement by not reviewing the deed restrictions more carefully."

Prior to the council vote, city staff completed a thorough needs assessment, cost analysis, and site study including drone video footage used to evaluate the proposed structure's placement on the parcel. The facility's projected cost savings for the city is $81,000 annually along with the positive ISO impact to Milton residents' home insurance rates.

"We value citizen engagement and look forward to community input on the most appropriate location for the facility," said Krokoff. "The Milton communications team will ensure that citizens are aware of new information and opportunities for public discussion."

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