Exclusive: Mills and Levent’s Secret “Development Input Group”
Documents obtained via open records request show County Commissioners Cindy Mills and Todd Levent have formed a secret “development input group” with high density housing advocates wherein the developers apparently give Mills and Levent input on County codes they would like changed to make development easier in Forsyth County.
The secret meetings are not advertised to the public, and include both high density advocates and paid County staff invited by the Commissioners. It appears at least six staff members are invited to the meetings, at an unknown cost to Forsyth taxpayers. Records indicate Mills and Levent are having the secret meetings with developers every quarter.
It does not appear any custom home builders or lower density land developers are included in the secret group. Emails show County staff soliciting agenda items from the Commissioners and group members, developing an agenda, and sending it to the members. None of these details are disclosed to the public and the meetings are not announced to the public.
On multiple occasions items were brought before the Board at the recommendation of the secret group that would make development easier in Forsyth County. For example, on March 12 of this year there was an item discussed in a work session to make obtaining land disturbances easier, and Commissioner Mills referenced “the people in the meeting” expressing they “found that getting a land disturbance within that timeframe was getting harder and harder to do”.
It appears a Levent ally and broker whom, Levent traveled with on motorcycle trips after a high density zoning application was filed, is key to the group and included on all emails. Levent came under fire as he advocated changed the County land use map to increase the density in an area where his friend was selling a piece of proprerty.
Emails show Levent’s ally emailing the secret group and discussing the “economic impact” of setbacks in overlay districts designed to create more green space and buffer areas. Homeowners have often lost battles with developers as variances have been awarded to reduce setbacks.
Mills herself was a member of a lobbying group who advocates for high density housing across metro Atlanta, and who threatened to sue Forsyth County over developer road impact fees. While Mills was County chair, the Board was given data by County staff indicating road impact fees should double, but the issue was delayed and the fees still remain much lower than the staff recommended. Due to the secret nature of the meetings, it is unknown what, if any, input the developers are giving on impact fees in their meeting with Mills and Levent.
The Council for Quality Growth actively advocated for smaller lot sizes in Forsyth County and increased housing density and thanked Commissioner Mills for “her work” seeing the lot sizes lowered and density increased.
