HomeMy WebLinkAboutStatement on Veto of Ebenezer RezoningSTATEMENT ON VETO OF EBENEZER REZONING
As the Mayor of the City of Milton, I have the power to veto any Ordinance
approved by the City Council. I very rarely exercise this power. Since I have been
the Mayor of Milton, I may have previously exercised this power on a single prior
occasion. However, the recent Ebenezer rezoning is a matter for which the
exercise of my veto power is appropriate. Let me be very clear. I am not electing
to veto because I was against the Ebenezer zoning. My veto is much more focused
on procedure and perception than on substance. In the days since the April 25
meeting when this zoning was approved, the City has received multiple citizen
complaints regarding the meeting procedure and, relatedly, perceptions that some
participants at the meeting were given undue advantage. The Ebenezer rezoning
touched upon issues of paramount importance to the citizens of Milton, to include
residential build-out, conservation issues, community septic, view shed corridors,
and other issues that directly impact how Milton will look and feel over the next
decade and beyond. Decisions of such magnitude should not be made at 12:30
a.m. when all involved are fatigued; when some in the gallery feel excluded; and
when the meeting process was less than optimal. If I have an opportunity to
correct those procedural concerns and otherwise address issues raised by a
threatened third party legal challenge -while simultaneously inserting trust and
confidence back in the process, then I feel duty bound to do so. Therefore, I would
like the Council to review this rezoning request a second time and ensure the
decision-making process is appropriate such that all citizens -irrespective of
position -believe it fair and impartial. It may be that the Council makes the same
decision as was made at 12:30 a.m. on April 26. If so, that is fine. I hereby veto
the Ordinance, approved April 26, 2016, taking action on RZ16-02NC16-0l.
S ·CJ . ll
Date
FRECElVED
MAY - 9 2016
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