Updates on Miltons Green Space Acquisitions The city of Milton keeps getting greener! After Milton residents overwhelmingly (83%) voted to approve the $25 million Milton Greenspace Bond in 2016, the City has worked with the citizen-led Milton Greenspace Advisory Committee (MGAC) to evaluate and prioritize possible green space opportunities. Currently, $15.3 million has been spent on just over 345 acres, with another $2.65 million and 33 acres in due diligence. Milton Greenspace Bond funds are to be used to acquire land for parks, trails, and green space including conservation land, wildlife habitat, and natural areas. Were not only preventing possible development, but were forever preserving green acres in Milton, said Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood. The first green space purchase was the 130-acre former Milton Country Club in May 2018 for $4.5 million. In August 2018, the City purchased 106 acres, now referred to as the Preserve at Lackey Road, previously known as the Wolff property, for $3.71 million. Recently, the City closed on two more properties: a 21.08-acre property at the corner of Freemanville and Birmingham Roads (the Preserve at Belmont Farms), and an 88-acre property referred to as the Preserve at Cooper Sandy, located at the Wells/Fields crossroad. Belmont Farms was purchased for $1.4 million, and Cooper Sandy was purchased for $5.72 million. On the horizon, the City has another 33 acres in due diligence. One property is a 4.82-acre piece of land in the Deerfield Corridor, the Preserve at Webb Road, which is expected to cost $1.6 million. A second property, the Preserve at Hamby Road, is 28.2 acres at a cost of $1.05 million. The combined green space purchases and due diligence properties average $47,554 per acre and add new green space locations throughout the city. Each of these properties offers the city numerous possibilities, said Milton Conservation Projects Manager Teresa Stickels. There are opportunities for reforesting areas, creating pollinator gardens, improving water quality, and promoting environmental education.
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