UPDATE: Etowah Village is off the table

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The largest and most controversial development to come before the Dawson County Board of Commissioners in years is off the table.

Dawson Village Partners informed Dawson County Planning and Development Director Jameson Kinley today (July 17) it has withdrawn its request to rezone more than 700 acres to build Etowah Village.

In a letter addressed to Kinley, Dawson Village Partners President Yong Pan wrote, “Upon careful consideration of the responses from the county planning committee and county board of commission one of our primary investors has decided not to proceed with the project.

“The compounding requirements and restrictions placed upon the project through the continuing zoning process especially the non-approval development on the property of west side of the river have exceeded his expectations to the point he  believes it is no longer in his best interest to pursue the project.”

The project was to include 338,000 square feet of retail space, 243,200 square feet of Class A office space, a convention and performing arts center, a site for a future fire station, a cultural center and public awareness of Chinese arts and gardens, four-story hotel, 800 units of multi-family housing (apartments), 180 units of single-family attached homes, 205 units of single-family detached homes, a continuing care center and 156 acres for parks and green space.

Unconfirmed reports of the withdrawal began to circulate on social media two days ago, but Kinley did not receive official notification until today, too late for the issue to be removed from the Board of Commissioners Thursday agenda.

All that remains now is the likelihood of commissioners voting to accept the withdrawal.

District 1 Commissioner Sharon Fausett expressed relief, saying, “This was just not a good fit for Dawson County. We do not have the infrastructure to support something like this.”

District 2 Commissioner Chris Gaines said, “While this one is over for now the growth pressure on Dawson County inevitably will continue and I will continue to review and take the time to research each one and listen to citizen feedback in order to make the best decision for the community.”

Dava Hudgins, an outspoken opponent of the development said she is thrilled to receive the news. “While in theory, it sounded like a wonderful development, the reality is that it was just not the right fit for this county.”

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

Changes to Etowah Village site plan leads to another delay

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Dawson County Commissioners were scheduled to vote on the oft-postponed Etowah Village Thursday. But when it came time for the public hearing, a representative of Dawson Village Partners announced the company is proposing major modifications to the site plan, including no buildings west of the Etowah River. With that, the Board voted to table the vote until July to ensure the public learns more about the project.

Be sure to read Fetch Your News Friday for all the details.

Planning Commission recommends approval of Etowah Village

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The Dawson County Planning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend approval of what was once known as Etowah Village – a massive 518-acre mixed use development – to the Board of Commissioners. But first, the developer had to agree to some major concessions.

The development is bordered on the east by Ga. 400 and Lumpkin Campground Road and on the West by the Etowah River. It is expected to include 338,000 square feet of retail and service space, with second- and third-floor residential spaces, 243,200 square feet of Class A office space with buildings up to ten stories; a hotel with convention center; 770 units of multi-family residences, 254 units of single-family attached home residences, a 350-unit continuing care retirement community with both independent and assisted living, 265 single-family homes dividing into three separate neighborhoods, 156 acres of parks and green space and a site dedicated to a future fire station.

One major concession is that there will be no building west of the Etowah River, a site where a trading post, and Indian burial ground once stood.

The developer also agreed there will be no access point at Hwy. 53 or Grant Road as originally planned.

Commissioner Neil Hornsey, who voted against recommending approval last April said the developer’s decision not to build west of the Etowah River and the removal of access points off Hwy. 53 and Grant Road convinced him to vote in favor of the project.

“We know something is coming here and we got some concessions, so I’m willing to support it,” he said.

Commissioner John Maloney agreed. “The biggest concern I hear is about a lot of traffic. Them being willing to make project improvements in order to maintain the system and the level of service, and continue to look at that as the development develops addresses a lot of those concerns.”

The Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on the development during its October meeting.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

Planning Commission set to hear Etowah Village rezoning request again

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — On Sept. 17 at 6 p.m., in the Dawson County Administration Building, the Planning Commission will hear a request it has heard once before — with some modifications.

The owners of a 518-acre parcel of land where the Etowah Village development was proposed have brought back a request to rezone the property for a mixed use development. The property is bordered on the east by Ga. 400 and Lumpkin Campground Road and on the West by the Etowah River.

According to the application, the development would include 338,000 square feet of retail and service space, with second- and third-floor residential spaces, 243,200 square feet of Class A office space with buildings up to ten stories; a hotel with convention center; 770 units of multi-family residences; 254 units of single-family attached home residences; a 350-unit continuing care retirement community with both independent and assisted living; 265 single-family homes dividing into three separate neighborhoods; 156 acres of parks and green spaces and a site dedicated to a future fire station.

The application states: “The site is the former location of the defunct Southern Catholic College. The existing zoning, based upon the Southern Catholic Master Plan, permits a variety of uses of which most are mirrored within the proposed development plans: Retail, Office, Multi-Family and Single-Family Residences. The applicant wishes to modify the arrangement of these uses and add a few additional parcels to create a viable alternative use for this tract that will become an asset to Dawson County.”

One important difference between this application and the earlier one is that it does not include anything west of the Etowah River which, opponents of the development have pointed out, is the site of a Native American burial ground.

Commissioner Chris Gaines said, “We made it very clear we are not going to allow anything west of the river. It there is something in this application that does not adhere to it we need to address it and get it cleaned up.”

Gaines also said he believes this will give the county greater control over how the pods fit better and look better.

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

 

 

 

BOC will vote on massive Etowah Village development Thursday

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County Commissioners are set to make a decision on one of the largest developments in the county’s history during the voting session that starts at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The Planning Commission voted 3-2 last month to recommend denial of the Dawson Village Partners rezoning request that would include 2,175 residential units, approximately 300,000 square feet of retail space, 200,000 square feet of office space, a luxury hotel, Chinese cultural arts center, continuous care retirement community and 450-bed assisted living facility.

The Planning Commission based its recommendation of denial on the impact the development would have on the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens and the environmental impact on the Etowah River and flood plain.

But the final decision is in the hands of county commissioners.

If approved, the development, which will be known as Etowah Village, will be located at the intersection of Lumpkin Campground Road and Ga. 400 then expand west to Etowah River Road before crossing the Etowah River.

In a public information meeting in April, Project Engineer Corey Guthrie said the project will take 10-15 years to complete and would be constructed in five phases.

Phase 1 will consist of building the fire station, hotel and retail along Hwy. 400. Phase 2 calls for construction of office buildings, apartments, a cultural arts center. Phase 3 will be the addition of continuous care retirement center. Phase 4 would include a 450-unit active adult community. The final phase calls for the addition of 171-single family units.

Guthrie said if the county commission approves the project, it will be at least nine months to a year before ground is broken.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

Dawson Village Partners withdraws application for rezoning

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The largest and most controversial development to come before the Dawson County Board of Commissioners in years is off the table.

Dawson Village Partners informed Dawson County Planning and Development Director Jameson Kinley today (July 17) it has withdrawn its request to rezone more than 700 acres to build Etowah Village.

Fetch Your News will have an update later this morning.

Etowah Village could get up- or-down vote Thursday

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — A hot-button issue that has simmered for months could finally get an up or down vote when the Board of Commissioners meets in a voting session at 6 p.m. Thursday.

A vote on Dawson Village Partners proposed Etowah Village was scheduled last month but developers came to the meeting with a major last-minute modification that commissioners were not prepared to consider.

As a result, District 1 Commissioner Sharon Fausett motioned to table a vote on the project until July 18.

The revision included taking out everything west of the Etowah River and changing the public entrance on Hwy. 53 from a public entrance to a gated emergency vehicle-only entrance and only emergency personnel will have a key.

The revised project now includes 338,000 square feet of retail space, 243,200 square feet of Class A office space, a convention and performing arts center, a site for a future fire station, a cultural center and public awareness of Chinese arts and gardens, four-story hotel, 800 units of multi-family housing (apartments), 180 units of single-family attached homes, 205 units of single-family detached homes, a  unit continuing care center and 156 acres for parks and green space.

The other issues on the voting session agenda include a possible pay raise for employees of the Sheriff’s Office and appointment of Carroll L. Turner to the Library Board.

Commissioners will also vote on a resolution in recognition of the Dawson County’s 7 and 8 year-old Dizzy Dean Softball State Champions.

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

BOC approves variance for Landbridge Development

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – The big news coming out of Thursday’s Board of Commissioners meeting was the decision to table the controversial Dawson Village Partners project for 30 days. But there were other important votes as well.

Commissioners unanimously approved Landbridge Development, LLC’s request for a variance to the land use resolution that would allow the county to construct 16 apartments in each of five apartment buildings that will be located on 14.28 acres at 65 North Center Lane. The Planning Commission recommended denial because the land use resolution allows for only 12 apartments per building.

The Board also unanimously approved a request by the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority to rezone 304 acres from Residential Agriculture to Residential Planned Community to allow for the development of 288 residential units.

In a 3-2 decision, with Chris Gaines and Tim Satterfield opposed, commissioners approved Jerry Fouts’ request to rezone 8.89 acres from Residential Agriculture to Commercial Highway Business to allow for construction of 48 mini storage facilities. The approval carried with it several stipulations, including that two existing outbuildings be removed within 60 days.

In other Board decisions, commissioners:

Approved updates to the Land Use Resolution;

Approved a contract with CT Darnell Construction for design/build services for Fire Station No 9 with community center not to exceed $1,736,271;

Approved a contract for on-call, full-depth reclamation services with ShepCo Paving, Inc. at a cost of $6.25 per square yard for 10” cement reclaimed base; $152.00 per ton for Portland Cement; $6 per square yard to haul-off excess material, if required. The lump sum for traffic control/mobilization will vary for each job.

Approved acceptance of the Rotary Club donation of a venue that would house outdoor pickleball courts, batting cages, and an outdoor basketball area. Presently, Rock Creek has an outdoor basketball court area that would be transformed into the new venue.

Tabled a vote on the transfer of facility responsibilities of Fire Station 2 community room to the Library;

Approved the disposition of several county-owned properties by sealed bid.

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

 

 

Massive Dawson Village Partners rezoning request goes before Dawson County Planning Commission Tuesday

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Anyone hoping to get a seat at the Dawson County Planning Commission meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, April 16) should arrive early. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Dawson County Government Assembly Room and a standing-room-only crowd is expected to attend to hear a rezoning request that could permit one of the biggest developments in the county’s history.

Dawson Village Partners is asking to rezone approximately 770 acres to Mixed Planned Village for a development currently known as Etowah Village. Original plans called for a 974-acre development that would include approximately 2,700 residential units. That number has now been reduced to 2,175 units.

Following Tuesday’s planning commission hearing the request will go before the Board of Commissioners with a recommendation to approve or deny. That meeting is tentatively set for May.

The developer’s plan calls for the development to begin at the intersection of Lumpkin Campground Road and Ga. 400 expanding west to Etowah River Road and across the Etowah River.

At an informational meeting last month, project engineer Corey Guthrie revealed that plans call for construction of a convention center, luxury hotel that could rise to 10 stories, a performing arts center for concerts, approximately 300,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space, 200,000 square feet of office space, a 12,000 square foot fire station, a 40-acre park with canoe launch on the Etowah River, and a continuous care retirement community with an assisted living and nursing center with about 450 beds.

Guthrie said the project could take 10-15 years to complete and would be built in five phases.

Phase 1 consists of building the fire station, hotel and retail along Ga. 400.

Phase 2 calls for construction of office buildings, apartments, a performing arts center and museum.

Phase 3 will be the addition of continuous care retirement center.

Phase 4 would include a 400-unit active adult community. The final phase calls for the addition of 171-single family units.

Guthrie said if the county commission approves the rezoning, it will be at least nine months to a year before ground is broken.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

Large crowd attends Dawson Village Partners information meeting

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Representatives from Dawson Village Partners LLC met with a very engaged group of approximately 100 stakeholders to provide details and answer questions about the massive 770-acre, 2,175 resident, mixed village development known as Etowah Village at Fire Station No. 2 yesterday.

The scope of the project — which will span the northwest corner of Lumpkin Campground Road and Ga. 400 westward, crossing the Etowah River and reaching Etowah River Road – has been reduced from 974 acres and 2,700 residences.

The project was expected to go before the Dawson County Planning Commission next week, but the developer has asked for a postponement until either April or May.

Plans call for approximately 300,000 square feet of residential space, 200,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space, a 12,000 square foot fire station, 300-room hotel with conference center, a performing arts center for concerts. About 30 percent of the project will be green space, including a 40-acre park with canoe launch on the Etowah River.

There will also be 171 single-family residences and, 400 multi-family residences. 319 of those will be above retail space. The rest will be age targeted or age restricted. Within that will be a continuous care retirement community with an assisted living, nursing center with about 450 beds.

Project Engineer Corey Gutherie said there is still a lot of work to be done before ground can be broken.

Following the planning commission meeting, the project will have to go before the Board of Commissioners at least twice, first to get approval for the project then again to get approval of the architectural design.

“It will be at least nine months to a year after that before we can begin moving dirt,” Gutherie said Wednesday.

The project is expected to take 10-15 years to complete. Phase 1 consists of building the fire station, hotel and retail along Ga. 400.

Phase 2 calls for construction of office buildings, apartments, a performing arts center and museum. Phase 3 will be the addition of continuous care retirement center. Phase 4 would include a 400-unit active adult community. The final phase calls for the addition of 171-single family units.

Reaction from the stakeholders was mostly positive.

Bill Minor who lives in the Gates of Etowah subdivision said, “Overall it’s as good as were going to get for that area. It’s a well thought out project that I can support. The only negative I heard was access from Hwy. 53. The state and county will have to work that out.”

Ty Hudson, who grew up in Roswell, but lives in the Savannah Trace subdivision, said, “I can definitely support this. It will be a great thing for Dawson County. I just don’t want it to turn the rest of Dawsonville into a ghost town. We have three small children and once they are a little older my wife may want to go back to work. If she doesn’t want to work in retail, she would have to work outside Dawson County. But with the offices that will become a part of the development, she may be able to find a job locally.”

Jerry Gordon was a little more reserved. “I haven’t totally decided yet,” he said. “It’s quite a large project to take in all at once. It will mean a lot of growth and a lot of things will have to change. I tend to think they are headed in the right direction. A lot of us are trying to figure out if it will mean an increase or decrease in our property values.”

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

Etowah Village development back before planning commission

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. —Tomorrow (Sept. 17) at 6 p.m., in the Dawson County Administration Building, the Planning Commission will hear a request it has heard once before.

Some Dawson County residents are calling it Etowah Village II. Barry Conner, who owns the 518-acre parcel of land where the Etowah Village development was proposed, withdrew his request for the rezoning in August when it appeared likely it would not receive Board of Commissioners approval.

Now the rezoning request is back on the agenda with a new name – Lumpkin Campground Road LLC.

The 518-acre parcel of land is bordered on the east by Ga. 400 and Lumpkin Campground Road and on the West by the Etowah River.

According to the new application, the development will include 338,000 square feet of retail and service space, with second- and third-floor residential spaces, 243,200 square feet of Class A office space with buildings up to ten stories; a hotel with convention center; 770 units of multi-family residences; 254 units of single-family attached home residences; a 350-unit continuing care retirement community with both independent and assisted living; 265 single-family homes dividing into three separate neighborhoods; 156 acres of parks and green spaces and a site dedicated to a future fire station.

The application states: “The site is the former location of the defunct Southern Catholic College. The existing zoning, based upon the Southern Catholic Master Plan, permits a variety of uses of which most are mirrored within the proposed development plans: Retail, Office, Multi-Family and Single-Family Residences. The applicant wishes to modify the arrangement of these uses and add a few additional parcels to create a viable alternative use for this tract that will become an asset to Dawson County.”

One important difference between this application and the earlier one is that it does not include anything west of the Etowah River which, opponents of the development have pointed out, is the site of a Native American burial ground.

Commissioner Chris Gaines said, “We made it very clear we are not going to allow anything west of the river. It there is something in this application that does not adhere to it we need to address it and get it cleaned up.”

Gaines also said he believes the new proposal gives the county greater control over how the pods fit better and look better.

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

 

 

 

Developers last-minute changes to Etowah Village plan leads to another delay in vote by BOC

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga – Developers of the controversial Etowah Village announced during Thursday’s meeting of the Board of Commissioners that they have made major changes to their rezoning application. But they came unprepared to present a visible display for the public to view.

Commissioner Sharon Fausett

“We have revised our plan based on comments we received at the last public hearing as well as your comments,” said architect Jim King, speaking on behalf of Etowah Village.

As a result, District 1 Commissioner Sharon Fausett motioned to table a vote on the project until July 18. Her motion was unanimously approved.

The revision included taking out everything west of the Etowah River and changing the public entrance on Hwy. 53 from a public entrance to a gated emergency vehicle-only entrance and only emergency personnel will have a key.

King said by eliminating everything west of the river, the overall density of the project will be reduced from 2.8 units per acre to 2.4 units.

Fausett took King to task for not being prepared. “It’s really bad you don’t have anything the people can see,” she said. “People need to know that this is gone. This is left. This is still here but it’s being shifted to here. This is such a huge project whether you are for it or against it you would still like to have all the information.”

Fausett said later she was not told about the changes until just before the start of the meeting.

Planning Director Jameson Kinley said the revised project would include 338,000 square feet of retail space, 243,200 square feet of Class A office space, a convention and performing arts center, a site for a future fire station, a cultural center and public awareness of Chinese arts and gardens, four-story hotel, 800 units of multi-family housing (apartments), 180 units of single-family attached homes, 205 units of single-family detached homes, a 350 unit continuing care center and 156 acres for parks and green space.

Fausett said the delay will give the public time to understand the changes.

“If you don’t give people time, it’s like you’re trying to pull the wool over their eyes. I want to give the public time to digest this.”

Commissioners did approve PR Acquisitions, LLC’s request for an update of the Master Plan for 338 apartments. The original plan was approved in 2006. The owner Michael Moore told commissioners he is simply asking that conditions included in the original zoning that are no longer relevant go away. Moore proposed that Harry Sosebee Road be aligned to tie into a future traffic circle at his cost.

Judd Hughes request to rezone property located at Harry Sosebee Road and Hwy. 53 from Residential Agriculture (RA) to Residential Multi-Family (RMF) was approved 3-1 with Commissioner Tim Satterfield opposed.

Other items approved during the voting session include:

  • An update of the land use resolution;
  • A Dawson County food drive conducted by the Public Defender’s Office;
  • An Amicalola Electric Membership Corporation easement for the new Public Works Complex;
  • A request for No Thru Truck Traffic on Blacks Mill Road;
  • Improvements for Red Rider Road;
  • Reappointment of Gail Smith to the Library Board;
  • Assignment of contract to Professional Probation Services.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commissioners set to vote on Etowah Village

News

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Two major developments that have attracted heated opposition from citizens will be on the agenda when the Board of Commissioners meets in a voting session Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Dawson County Government Center.

That session will be preceded at 4 p.m. by a work session and executive session.

Dawson Village Partners wants to have about 800 acres at the intersection of Ga. Hwy. 400 and Lumpkin County Road rezoned to accommodate Etowah Village, a massive development that would include 538,700 square feet of retail space, 243,000 square feet of office space and 2,174 residential units in addition to a hotel, convention center and Asian cultural arts center.

Opponents believe such a major development would overburden the infrastructure lead to overcrowding schools and lower property values. Even more important, they believe it will destroy the quality of life they enjoy and that has attracted many others to move here.

And, Dava Hudgins gave commissioners something else to consider at the last public hearing when she said some part of the project would be built on a historic site.

“My ancestors opened a trading post on that site,” she said. “They married Cherokee women. There are Indian mounds there and I know where there are two different Indian burial grounds. It’s not just a flood plain. It is historically important.”

Historic sites are protected by state and federal laws.

Hudgins took Dist. 1 Commissioner Sharon Fausett and Dist. 4 Julie Hughes-Nix to visit the site Saturday. They are expected to report on their findings at Thursday’s meeting.

There is also a request by Judd Hughes to rezone 40 acres on Dawson Forest Road from Residential Agriculture (RA-1) to Residential Multi-Family for the purpose of building a 240-unit apartment complex is less contentious but has drawn a significant amount of opposition.

Other items on the voting session agenda include:

A PR Acquisition, LLC request to update zoning conditions on property near the intersection of Harry Sossebee Road and Lumpkin Campground Road because some of the original conditions no longer apply to the property which was approved for 388 homes;

Consideration of a Dawson County Food Drive spearheaded by the Public Defender’s office;

Consideration of a request by an Eagle Scout to build a Bocce Ball Court at Rock Creek Park for an Eagle Scout project;

Consideration of Amicalola Electric Membership Corporation power easement for the Public Works Complex;

Consideration of No Thru Truck Traffic on Blacks Mill Rd;

Consideration of improvements to Red Rider Road;

Consideration of appointments to the Library Board.

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

 

 

 

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