Milton staff, equestrian committee debate large‑lot incentives, buffers and AG‑exemption rules

Diana Wheeler, interim community development director, told the Milton Equestrian Committee Wednesday that staff has drafted a package of incentives and code clarifications aimed at preserving large lots and supporting equestrian operations in the city.

The measures under discussion include allowing home‑based businesses to operate in accessory structures without a public hearing, requiring a 50‑foot vegetative buffer where a new subdivision creates more than twice the number of lots adjacent to a large parcel, waiving business license fees for qualifying equestrian farms, and tightening the city’s AG exemption process so exemptions apply to specific activities rather than to a property “in perpetuity.”

Wheeler said the AG exemption is narrowly drawn: “The AG exemption applies to activity, not property,” and staff proposes that each exempt activity require a separate application and review. She told the committee that staff would schedule applications for committee review, the committee would make a recommendation, and staff would then issue a decision. If staff denies an exemption, applicants could appeal to the Board of Zoning…