DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawson County Commissioners said no to two controversial zoning requests that would have allowed approximately 330 single-family housing units for seniors age 55 and up in the 400-corridor on Hwy 53 East at Tuesday’s meeting.

One 15-acre plot, located between Slack Auto Parts and Farmington Creek, would have contained a 95-unit town home development bordered by Dawson Forest Apartments on the west. The land, located off Hughes Court, is currently being used as a rental mobile home park.

The other 57-acre plot would be located across Hwy. 53, next to the Tractor Supply and the Dawson County Government South Annex and would include 240 housing units, tennis courts, swimming pool and clubhouse. Both developments would have targeted senior citizens, 55-years and up.

Commissioners did approve ZA 16-04, to rezone 3.63 acres from Residential Agriculture to Residential Multi-Family for retail sales.

The developments drew great deal of opposition from neighbors whose main concern was the traffic that would be generated. They formed the “Stop 335 Townhouses on Elliott Road” group, signed a petition to oppose the rezoning and created a web page to provide information updates.

Commissioners rejected the proposal on the grounds the development would negatively impact property values of the surrounding property, the health, safety and general welfare of the public and would impose special hardships of the surrounding property owners.

The Board also formally ended its agreement with Fox, Chandler, Homans, Hicks and McKenna to provide legal services to the county and move forward with hiring a staff attorney

County Manager David Headley has said the decision is “mainly an efficiency and economics issue.” Headley said the county was billed $190,673.64 for legal services in 2015 and $167,530.69 thus far in 2016.