In Milton, a brief pause has been set on the subdivision of certain AG-1 zoned lots. During a Special Called Meeting, the Milton City Council voted to extend an existing moratorium, originally intended to suspend the acceptance of new applications for a short period.
The moratorium, enacted last Monday, reflects concerns raised during a recent meeting. At that gathering, city staff presented data from the past five years regarding trends in average lot size, and building footprint, including lot coverage. According to a report by miltonga.gov, the city has noted a rise in inquiries and requests for variances that would exceed established limits of the City Code.
As described by Tracie Wildes, Deputy Community Development Director for the city of Milton, the trend seems to be toward bigger houses with more add-ons, all squeezed into the same-sized plots. Currently, if someone wants to split their land into lots smaller than three acres, that usually involves between one to three lots and falls under the minor plat process. But there's a difference between minor and major plat processes, with the former often bringing unforeseen issues further down the line—issues that might only crop up during permitting and, at times, after lots have been sold.
During Monday's meeting, Wildes clarified, "Larger homes and more amenities being built on essentially the same-sized lots." Such developments often do not undergo ample review until much later in the process, a concern that has likely influenced the City Council's decision to extend the moratorium. Major plats receive a more comprehensive review typically earlier on, which helps flag potential issues before plots are sold, unlike minor plats that are processed more quickly upfront, but can trip up on issues later on, sometimes after the sale of lots, as noted by the city's website.
Milton is wrestling with how to manage growth while preserving the character of its developments and meeting modern housing demands. For now, local builders and prospective homeowners seeking to subdivide AG-1 zoned land into smaller lots must wait until the city completes its review of subdivision regulations.
