Freemanville/Birmingham High School

Begin forwarded message:

Please consider going to the City Council Work Session tomorrow evening, where you will be able to hear first hand from the Environmental Engineer the concerns and huge negative impact building a school on septic on Freemanville Road will have and the harm it will do in our community.

There is a group of individuals with much information about the specifics in the transactions (between the Fulton County Board of Education and the previous owner(s) including Kings Ridge) and the issue of eminent domain and more. Don't think there isn't a chance to fight for right for a healthy, clean environment in which to live and raise our families when the facts are too obvious not to be considered. The very essence of Milton, the most central equestrian and rural part of our city is at risk of disappearing without your voice.

Why? Because the land was available and a deal was made with a possible abuse of power, or intentional neglect, and the future health of our children and our environment will be compromised if a school is put on septic at this site.

What is the alternative? Sewer on Freemanville Road? Or a no sewer policy upheld, moving Birmingham High School to a suitable location.

What is happening? Find out the facts tomorrow night at City Hall. Or connect with the group Protect Milton at www.protectmilton.com.



Date: April 20, 2008 10:52:49 PM EDT
To: news@mymilton.net
Subject: [MyMilton] FW: City Council Work Session

Hello All,

If you will be impacted by the proposed Freemanville school, please try to attend Lisa Cauley's presentation at Monday nights City Council work session. The proposed site looks to be a very bad choice from an environmental perspective and would set a very poor precedent. Thanks to Lisa and her team for all the diligent effort to research the negative impacts of selecting this site. Please see details below.

Thx.



From: Protectmilton@aol.com [mailto:Protectmilton@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2008 11:31 AM
Subject: City Council Work Session

This Monday night, at 6 pm I will be making a short statement/presentation at the City Council work Session, regarding the Environmental Studies completed by private Environmental Engineers on the 116 acre Freemanville Rd. proposed High school and Middle school site. City Council has been given an official summary from our Engineers regarding the environmental issues associated with this site.

Jim Garrigus, of Garrigus Consulting will be attending with me to answer questions from City Council.

Here is a very brief summary of what will be shared and reviewed at the meeting:

The studies concluded that Chicken Creek, which borders the property, is already in dire condition based on EPD/EPA protocol testing. The E-coli levels are at a high level before any schools open one door for operation. The E-coli levels in February, 2007 are between 750 and 870 colonies per 100 ml. The poor water quality is due to non-point source runoff (pasture land) and (storm water runoff), at existing conditions. Adding several schools on septic will further degrade the water quality of the streams that feed Chicken Creek and further pollute Chicken Creek from surface water runoff from impervious areas (parking lots, sports fields, etc.) and groundwater flow from the septic systems from the schools. We have determined that at the current condition, Chicken Creek may have very limited ability to handle any more bacterial load (pollution). The bed of Chicken Creek is also 60% silt at Freemanville Road, which is smothering the habitat. The impact of more silt from construction activity will degrade the stream even more. Silt smothers the ability for habitat to reproduce, feed and survive.

There are sites within the City limits of the City of Milton that can be served by existing sewer facilities, which records show were never considered by the FCBOE in it's search for a site for these schools in Milton.

The BOE made very little effort to consider alternative sites based on the Open Records Act Information.

Due to the significant environmental issues and impacts relating to the proposed Freemanville School sites, the BOE should reopen it's search for a site that has access to existing sewer systems first and foremost as to not pollute and degrade the Watersheds and environment in Milton.

Please come and support Protect Milton Monday night, and our efforts to protect this property from ruin by the building of schools. Protect Milton and it's constituents and supporters are opposing this site for Environmental reason's only. The schools and the septic systems will destroy this property, degrade the streams on it, and further degrade and pollute Chicken Creek with additional bacteria.

This property is in the Coosa River Basin Watershed and all of the streams and bodies of water on this property drain to Chicken Creek, which then drain on to other creeks (Little River), and into Lake Allatoona. Our schools and our children are very important, but the water and the environment surrounding all of us is vital to everyone's existence and must be protected from unnecessary pollution. The BOE has complete jurisdiction so they have the ability and responsibility to put their schools anywhere and not pollute the environment in doing so.

Regards.
Lisa Cauley, Chair
Protect Milton, Inc.
980 Birmingham Road
Suite 501-350
Milton, GA 30004
email: protectmilton@aol.com
Website: www.protectmilton.com