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CIB prioritizes Willing and Pine sidewalks, explores CDBG grant for wider CRA improvements
Summary
The Milton Community Improvement Board voted to recommend prioritizing sidewalks on Willing Street and parts of Pine Street, asked staff to assemble a top-10 priority list for the CRA, and discussed applying for a CDBG grant to fund larger sidewalk and lighting projects.
The Community Improvement Board voted unanimously at its January 2025 meeting to recommend that the Community Redevelopment Agency prioritize installation of sidewalks on Willing Street and selected segments of Pine Street and to present that recommendation at the next CRA meeting.
City staff told the board the CRA 1 fund began the fiscal year with about $90,000, and some of that balance was already used to pave portions of two public parking lots. Staff presented the CRA sidewalk master list and asked the advisory board to identify streets that should be reprioritized so limited funds could deliver visible connectivity and safety improvements more quickly.
Councilman Robert Leake urged faster action for safety. “I walked from the market all the way down Hamilton Bridge all the way to Tom Thumb, and there was nowhere to walk,” he said, citing pedestrian safety on Hamilton Bridge Road. Staff clarified Hamilton Bridge Road lies outside CRA 1 and therefore would require general-fund or other non‑CRA funding; the board’s recommendation covers only CRA‑eligible segments.
Board members and staff discussed short-term fixes for a large county-owned parking lot adjacent to the courthouse, including striping or temporary delineation, and noted Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility and right‑of‑way issues that would affect whether a painted pathway would be acceptable. Tim (city staff) and the streets supervisor flagged curb cuts and utility conflicts in small sections near Jernigan’s Landing that may require coordination with utility owners.
Staff also reported the city is preparing to apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) that could fund sidewalks, lighting and stormwater work in qualifying low/moderate-income areas. The grant requires that at least 51 percent of the beneficiaries be low- to moderate‑income residents; staff said on-site income surveys will be needed to determine eligible areas. Staff noted prior experience where a narrowly defined area exceeded the income threshold by a small margin and was ineligible.
The CIB asked members to submit a top‑10 prioritized street list for CRA 1 so staff can bring a consolidated recommendation to the CRA board. The advisory motion to prioritize Willing Street (east side) and the selected Pine Street segments passed unanimously and will be forwarded to the CRA for consideration in the CRA budget and the city’s capital plan.
