MILTON, La. — Residents gathered Tuesday night to help shape the future of Milton as Lafayette Consolidated Government continues developing a growth plan for unincorporated areas of Lafayette Parish.
The Growth Planning Public Meeting gave community members an opportunity to identify priorities and concerns related to future development, including traffic, infrastructure, drainage and public services.
For longtime resident Robert Bixenman, preserving and improving the community remains a top priority.
“This is home — this is really home — and the things that we ask for and the things that we try to get done is to improve the community,” Bixenman said.
Among the concerns raised during the meeting, Bixenman said traffic and road conditions were at the top of his list.
“The number one thing would be traffic — traffic's the issue. Streets, repairs on our streets. Drainage seems to be OK at the moment,” he said.
Bixenman, who has lived in Milton for eight years, believes annexation into the city of Lafayette could help address some of the area's infrastructure and service needs.
“I think we can get support from the city of Lafayette to incorporate Milton to improve what we already have — not to change it, but just to improve it, but I didn't get too much of a good response,” he said.
While Bixenman acknowledged some residents are hesitant about annexation because of the potential for higher taxes, he argued the added investment could lead to improvements in infrastructure and services.
Rachel Godeaux, chief administrative officer for Lafayette Consolidated Government, said residents often consider annexation when they are seeking expanded municipal services.
“I think you have residents who want to see city services, and that's always a driving factor when it comes to annexation is what type of service do you want to see? Is it with regard to police, fire, even your water service?” Godeaux said.
However, Godeaux noted that any annexation effort would require support from the community before moving forward.
Bixenman said he recognizes not everyone shares his view.
“You may have some residents here that are happy with the way Milton is today, and if that's the case, that's probably the way it's going to stay,” he said.
Lafayette Consolidated Government officials said community feedback gathered through the planning process will help guide future recommendations for Milton and other unincorporated areas of the parish. Officials are encouraging residents to continue participating in upcoming public meetings and provide feedback as the growth plan develops.
