Commissioners Approve Property Revaluation

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. –  For the first time in 11 years, Dawson County will conduct a comprehensive revaluation of real property in the county that will include 15,000 parcels of land, 12,000 residential homes, 1,800 commercial/industrial improvements and 200 mobile homes.

The purpose of a revaluation is not to increase county revenue but, to ensure equity and uniformity of assessment. The process includes new projects and will reflect market changes (up or down) in property values.

Commissioners voted unanimously to award the project to GMASS at Thursday’s meeting. Chief Tax Appraiser Kurt Tangel said it will take two years to complete and cost approximately $588,300, not including the cost of appeals. The county budgeted $600,000 for the project.

Bill Ross of Ross & Associates gave a presentation regarding updating the county’s Impact Fee Program. Impact Fees are fees charged to developers to pay the costs of providing public services to a new development.

There are two elements involved in the update. The first is updating the program itself. The second is preparation of a Comprehensive Plan 5-Year update. Ross said his firm could provide both elements at a cost of $98,650.

Once the update is complete, it must be approved by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and commissioners will be required to hold two public hearings. The board took no action on the presentation.

Commissioners held the first of two public hearings on consideration to move forward with the 2017 Updated Environmental Health Fee Schedule. The second public hearing is scheduled for June 1.

The board unanimously approved a special use permit for Steele Buffalo Butchery on Harmony Church Road to allow for butchering and processing naturally processed products with several stipulations, including upgrading the current septic system, capping the maximum number of animals that can be slaughtered to 25 per week and all refuse to be discarded in a steel container and picked up weekly. There were no objections to the request.

Richard Bourgeois’ request to rezone seven acres of his property from Residential Suburban (RS) to Residential Agriculture (RA) to allow his family to keep horses for their own personal use. There were no objections to the request.

Commissioners also approved:

• Fire House Subs and Chick-fil-A Dawsonville Fund Raising Opportunities to Support Dawson County Emergency Services;
• A request to surplus three fire apparatuses;
• Moving forward with public hearings on June 1, 2017 and June 15, 2017 regarding the Scrap Tire Storage and Disposal Draft Ordinance;
• Dawson County Rotary Club’s request to contribute handicapped accessible playground equipment for the playground at Rock Creek Park;
• The FY2017 Legacy Link Addendum #2;
• The FY2018 Legacy Link Contract;
• A revised travel policy for mileage and per diem for elected officials and county staff;
• A budget amendment to account for a private donation of $700,000 to build a new senior center;
• An application to GMRC for a Community Development Block Grant for the senior center project;
• Reappointment of Susan Roof to the Library Board.

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