Milton committee recommends Scarlet Oaks annexation

The Milton Special Review Committee has recommended approval of the annexation of 50 acres on Harbeson Road eyed for a 163-unit housing project known as Scarlet Oaks.

Council will discuss the recommendation at its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m., Monday, July 11, at the Milton library.

In its recommendation, the committee laid out nine advantages to the town versus two disadvantages. Among the advantages are increased revenues through taxes and fees, additional services that would sustain public works, and town control over future development. The committee also noted the annexation is within the town’s future growth area and it can be served by existing water, fire, wastewater and police services. 

Two disadvantages are no connecting bicycle or pedestrian paths to the town center and no provision for affordable housing within the proposed design. 

Scarlet Oaks is Milton’s fourth annexation request since 2019, around the time council revised its rules to encourage annexation. 

Getting Scarlet Oaks, proposed by land owner The Company Store LLC and engineered by Pennoni Associates, to this point has been longer than the normal annexation process. Typically, the committee submits a recommendation to council within 60 days, but things got off to a rocky start because the committee did not feel it was getting the information it needed to make an informed decision. The project was not submitted for review by the state’s Preliminary Land Use Service or for concept review by the town’s planning and zoning commission. Once Scarlet Oaks completed those two reviews, things moved smoother. 

By June 16, the committee had enough information to make its recommendation. Scarlet Oaks is proposed to be built on a tract of land at the corner of Harbeson Road and Shingle Point Road across from Mariner Middle School and the Heritage Creek community. The development is proposed for an R-1 zoning classification with a large-parcel development overlay, which allows for flexibility in terms of home design, setbacks, pedestrian access and potential light commercial uses – no commercial uses are proposed. Scarlet Oaks would be made up of both single-family attached and detached homes, a clubhouse and recreation area, and walking paths through the development. Buffers are planned along Harbeson Road and Shingle Point Road.