Milton Design Review Board unanimously approves six demolitions, amends April meeting date

The City of Milton Design Review Board on the evening of the meeting unanimously approved demolition requests for six properties and voted to amend the board’s 2026 meeting schedule, moving the April date to accommodate members’ conflicts.

City staff presented each demolition application, noting that none of the affected houses carried local, state or federal historic designation and recommending approval with standard demolition-permit conditions and a prohibition on removing trees without a permit. The approved demolitions include: 13940 Hopewell Road (applicant Grant Hafner — a roughly 3.9-acre AG-1 parcel with a 1,660-square-foot brick ranch built in 1976 and three outbuildings); 14750 Hopewell Road (about 2.93 acres, a 1,170-square-foot wood-frame ranch built in 1950, plus a 360-sq-ft shed and 800-sq-ft barn); 13580 Hopewell Road (a 4.87-acre city-owned parcel acquired by the city about a year earlier); 1000 Lackey Road (a house and garage on a city park parcel of about 106 acres the staff described as inaccessible and a liability); 2545 Bethany Bend (a city-owned 2.48-acre flag lot behind another house); and item 5F (staff presented 13995, described as an AG-1 parcel with an 872-square-foot residence built in 1960; the minutes later reference “Oakwell Road” during the motion — see note below).

Bridal Abdel Fattah, city staff, summarized the routine findings during presentations: “The house does not carry any historic designation under the city of Milton or state federal guidelines,” and staff recommended approval of each demolition subject to completing demo-permit requirements and protecting trees.

One applicant, Scott Reese of Bridal Research Associates, spoke directly to the board about tree protections and site plans, saying the limits of disturbance are drawn to protect specimen and protected trees and that “no protected or specimen trees will be removed,” while noting that smaller saplings could be affected. Board members asked how staff enforces the protection; staff explained that demolition-permit submissions must show limits of disturbance and inspectors verify protections at pre-construction and final inspections.

A member of the public filled out a comment card asking whether items could be removed from one city-owned house prior to demolition but did not speak; staff said the resident should submit a written request and staff would follow up by email.

Board action was procedural and unanimous for each item: motions to approve the demolitions were made, seconded, and the board voted in favor on every item. The board then considered old business and discussed conflicts with the initially proposed April 7, 2026 meeting date. Members agreed to move the April meeting to April 14 to avoid spring-break conflicts; the board voted to approve the 2026 meeting schedule with the amended April date.

The board closed the meeting after approving the items and adjourning. Demolitions are subject to completion of demolition permits and the standard requirement that no trees be removed without an approved tree permit.

Note on transcript inconsistency: staff presentations identify item 5F as 13995 (Hopewell Road) while the motion wording later in the minutes references Oakwell Road. The board’s recorded action approved the demolition as presented; the record contains the address inconsistency and staff follow-up or the permit application will supply the final street identification.