Council outlines changes to downtown facade grant program; staff to return with revised application

The Milton City Council reviewed proposed changes to the business facade and residential grant program and directed staff to prepare a revised application reflecting council feedback.

Staff summarized three recurring issues from prior meetings: limiting grants to one per property per year, whether nonprofits should be eligible, and whether equipment should be excluded. Council members agreed to limit awards to one grant per property per fiscal year and to exclude equipment, landscaping, sprinkler systems and fencing from eligibility; several members supported allowing nonprofit applicants to remain eligible.

Council members and public speakers debated whether nonprofits that own historic properties should receive grants. Public commenter Lauren Aldgers criticized awards to the Santa Rosa Historical Society, noting the group's $850,000 sale of a property and saying, "They've got $850,000 and they're coming to taxpayers and they're not putting into that money because they're nonprofit." Other public speakers, including Sean Sebastiao and Theresa Massek, defended nonprofits' role in drawing visitors and supporting downtown businesses.

Staff reported program spending year to date and during the program's life: two residential grants of $5,000 each (total $10,000) and, cumulatively, about $118,000 from city revenues and $122,000 from CRA funds over the life of the program, according to the packet presentation. At the meeting's close, staff summarized the agreed changes and said they would bring an updated application to the May meeting for final approval; the program would be publicized in October for the FY 2026 cycle.