WEST MILTON — The year 2022 was a year of planning and change in the village of West Milton. The village began work on a new Comprehensive Plan which will help guide the next 10-15 years, said Village Manager D. Jeffrey Sheridan.
The first chapter was the Downtown Master Plan which was completed near the end of the year. More improvements in the downtown area are planned in 2023. As the Village Park is adjacent to the downtown, several upgrades to the park were also considered, Sheridan said. The village also acquired property at the corner of Water and Miami Streets to provide better access to the Founder’s Cemetery and a second access to the park. Construction of a new retaining wall (partially funded by a grant) including serpentine terraces, dredging of the fishing pond and the construction of nature trails are all planned for 2023. The second chapter of the Comprehensive Plan will be the Land Use Plan which looks at current land use compared to the zoning map and future areas of potential growth. The village also began work on an update of the zoning code which is expected to be complete by mid-2023. In 2022, the village also continued a greater emphasis on code enforcement which will also continue into 2023.
The Stillwater Crossings South project continued construction on single family homes and with preparation for the Randall Homes portion of the project taking place. That construction is expected for 2023. Much of the years’ Planning Board and Council meetings included discussion on the proposed Stillwater Crossings North project which includes market rate two-bedroom apartments with clubhouse and outdoor pool, custom homes and a commercial component which was approved late in the year.
The village also continued to work on infrastructure upgrades. For example, a water main upgrade on North Miami Street from the existing, approximately 60-year-old, 6-inch-line to a 12-inch (funded by grants and low interest loans) which had been planned for 2022 had to be moved to the summer of 2023 due to the number of lead and galvanized service lines. Those lines cannot be reconnected to the municipal system by federal law, so in an effort to reduce the impact on the homeowners, the village sought and received grant funding to pay for that portion of the project.
The village continued to seek ways to reduce costs by applying for a grant to purchase the recycling containers located near the Street Garage. The grant paid for the acquisition, so the village no longer has to rent them.
