Milton staff previews Comprehensive Plan 2040 update, reports Arnold Mill Road Hamlet overlay adopted

Principal planner Shuba Jangam updated the Milton Planning Commission on June 25 about multiple planning initiatives, including the recently adopted Arnold Mill Road Hamlet overlay and upcoming work on the city’s five‑year Comprehensive Plan 2040 update.

Jangam told commissioners the Arnold Mill small-area plan had been adopted and that staff will return with a related text amendment on signage. She also reported the Deerfield destination plan and design manual had been adopted in June and that work on Deerfield Park is ongoing; the park concept plan was presented to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board in May and remains under refinement.

Jangam described an in‑progress large‑lot incentives project that the city has been discussing with the Milton Equestrian Committee since January. She said the incentives are still high‑level and that many possible incentives would require text amendments to the Unified Development Code; the consultant and staff will compile input and later present recommendations to the city council.

On the capital-improvement element, Jangam said the community development department and other departments must complete the annual update to retain qualified-local-government status for impact-fee collections.

On timing for the five‑year comprehensive-plan update, Jangam outlined a schedule: staff will prepare work needed in fall 2025 (including CPAC membership and calendar), public engagement and meetings are anticipated January–May 2026, a draft will be prepared by June 2026 for transmittal to ARC/DCA, and adoption is expected by September 2026. Jangam said CPAC will include planning commissioners plus additional appointed members and chairs of related boards; staff asked that council appointments be completed so public-engagement work can begin.

Commissioners asked questions about short-term rentals, conservation-value taxation (CUVA) incentives and potential impacts of accessory structures on rural roads. Commissioner Fred Edwards cited CUVA as an important incentive to preserve large lots, noting that certain short-term-rental configurations could risk CUVA eligibility. Commissioners also discussed the need for guardrails on accessory-building allowances and the possibility of handling certain building types through variance processes rather than by-right allowances.

Jangam closed by reminding commissioners of the workload ahead and asking for their continued participation in public engagement when the timeline advances.

Ending: staff will bring text amendments and project updates back to the commission; the five‑year comprehensive-plan update process will ramp up once CPAC membership is set and council appointments are made.