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Councilwoman Farah proposes Yard of the Month program to promote neighborhood beautification
Summary
Mayor Pro Tem Councilwoman Farah proposed a citizen-driven 'Yard of the Month' program to highlight well-maintained properties and complement code enforcement; she will draft a framework for council consideration.
Councilwoman Farah (Mayor Pro Tem) asked the council to consider a 'Yard of the Month' program modeled on Fort Walton Beach to promote beautification and provide a positive complement to code enforcement.
Farah said she spoke with the Milton Garden Club and found the club had run a similar program about five years ago; she recommended a low-bar, citizen-nomination process (submissions via online form or city hall) rather than an extensive, multi-page scoring rubric. Several council members supported the idea, suggesting the program could be driven by citizen nominations, code-enforcement recognition, or a social-media vote component.
Councilman Hawthorne suggested ward-based recognition to ensure citywide coverage; council members discussed rotating ward priorities or a monthly ward schedule to include all neighborhoods. Farah agreed to draft a program framework and bring it back to the council for review.
The council’s initial reaction was supportive: members praised the program’s potential to motivate residents and to offer positive reinforcement alongside enforcement efforts. The item will return to council after staff and Farah prepare a proposed structure and nomination process.
Next steps: Councilwoman Farah will produce a draft program framework for council review and coordinate with the city PIO and code enforcement on nomination processes and publicity.
