Milton resident urges council to define 'rural' in Milton 2040 plan

Ben Kopaka, a Milton resident, told the City Council on Feb. 18 that the Milton 2040 comprehensive plan frequently uses the word “rural” but does not define it and urged the council to adopt a formal definition. “There is not even a consensus, an agreement, a definition, a decree, or a published opinion on what rural is defined as in our published comprehensive master plan,” Kopaka said during general public comment.

Kopaka said he reviewed meeting minutes and comments over the last 18 months and found repeated references to rural character and rural heritage but no benchmark to guide planning decisions. He cited page 46 (form‑based codes) as the plan’s closest language about rural character and said the plan uses the term roughly 189 times without providing a definition.

To illustrate alternatives, Kopaka read dictionary definitions and described a definition from Jenkins County (Millen), which frames “rural” as agricultural and forestry uses with low‑density residential uses scattered throughout and an emphasis on preserving open space and productive natural resources. He asked the council to work with citizens and staff to adopt a working definition “so that any future planning and development within the city can follow that definition.”

The council did not respond substantively during the meeting; Kopaka’s comment was recorded during the general public comment period and no formal action was taken on the request during the Feb. 18 session.