Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current, February 27, 2019, Image 1
Hone your coloring skills with our Dawson County Heroes insert INSIDE DAWSON COUNTY) HEROES Dawson County boys take down Winchester, advance to Elite Eight SPORTS, 1B DawsonCountyNews WEDNESDAY I FEBRUARY 27, 2019 DaWSOflNeWS ^COITI DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA $1.00 Crystal Falls rezoning opposed County planning commission recommends denial of new golf community master plan By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com A rezoning request that would allow for smaller lot sizes in the Crystal Falls Lake & Golf community will go before the Dawson County Board of Commissioners March 19 with a recommenda tion of denial from the county planning commission. The planning commission voted 5-0 to recommend denial in the presence of over 100 incensed property owners who live around the lake community in the southwest corner of the county, despite a recommenda tion from the county planning staff that the rezoning be passed. Jim King, representing the owners of the property, present ed the proposed rezoning of 1,038.46 acres from RSR, or Residential Sub Rural, to RPC, or Residential Planned Community. With the current zoning, the property owners could build 1,038 homes with one home per acre. The proposed plans are to have an ultimate buildout of 1,012 homes at the same density, just smaller lot sizes. In 2002, the property owners submitted a master plan to the county that specified plans for 422 lots on septic tanks, with the rest of the property desig nated for future development. They then developed the golf course and part of the commu nity in 2005, but since 2005, the owners have only sold five homes, according to King. He said the owners are losing See Rezoning 16A Leaping for Literacy Photos by Jessica Taylor Dawson County News The Char's Family Day Care Team dressed as "The Colorful Crayons" react to the chilly lake water during their participation in the 2019 Leap for Literacy fundraiser Feb. 23. More photos, page 10A. Charity event draws largest turnout ever despite weather By Jessica Taylor jtaylor@dawsonnews.com Despite the less than favorable weather Saturday morning, more than 80 participants gathered at War Hill Park prepared to jump into Lake Lanier to support Dawson County WEE Books. Though several days of rain raised water levels above full pool at Lake Lanier, it couldn't stop community members from participating in the 2019 Leap for Literacy Feb. 23. While the dock was submerged and debris cluttered the water, orga nizers were able to work tirelessly to clean off the boat ramps so that the event could go on and raise money for WEE Books. "I thought it was such fun," WEE Books President Nancy McNeil said. "It's nice to have the support of the community and supporting the program to buy more books. It just makes a huge difference." Dawson County WEE Books is a nonprofit organization that sends a free book each month to Dawson County children aged 0-5 that are enrolled in the program. The annual Leap for Literacy helps raise funds to send age appropri ate books to almost 900 kids in the community. In 2018, WEE Books mailed out 9,941 books to 1,028 children. The nonprofit was founded in 2008 to address the growing problem relating to children entering Kindergarten without basic literacy skills and school readiness. "We are committed to starting children on the path to learning suc cess in order to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy," 2019 WEE Books Chair Andrea McKenzie said. "We want every child to have the opportunity to succeed in school and in adult life and give our community an educated, productive and competitive work force." Charlene Jones of Char's Family Day Care twirled around on the boat ramp at War Hill Park during the Leap for Literacy event. Commissioner Nix publicly reprimanded By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com Dawson County District 4 Commissioner Julie Hughes Nix was publicly reprimand ed by the rest of the board last week when the board voted 3-1 to approve a resolution of censure against her for repeatedly dis closing confidential information to a coun ty employee via email. District 2 Commissioner Chris Gaines made a motion to approve the resolution during the Feb. 21 meeting, and District 3 Commissioner Tim Satterfield moved to second the motion. Nix abstained from the vote and District 1 Commissioner Sharon Fausett voted See Nix 16A Jessica Taylor Dawson County News Zendaya, a feral kitten rescued by the Feral Cat Program of Georgia, waits to be adopted during the PetSmart Adoption Weekend at PetSmart in Dawsonville Feb. 23 Feral Cat Program helping reduce number of unsocialized cats By Jessica Taylor jtaylor@dawsonnews.com A speckled kitten named Zendaya sat in her cage, playfully swatting at her name tag and greeting passersby with a friendly meow at PetSmart in Dawsonville Saturday morning as she waited to be adopted. Her two siblings had already found their families and Zendaya patiently waited her turn during the PetSmart National Adoption Weekend Feb. 23. See Feral 18A 0 9 0 9 9 Inside Volume 4, Number 23 © 2019, Dawson County News Dawsonville, Georgia Church Events 3B Classifieds 9B Dear Abby 7B Deaths 2A Legals 10B Opinion 11A Sports 1B 4A Yenerall sworn in as Magistrate Court judge 6A Bowen Center to L host watercolor exhibition starting March 9 THE MOST POWERFUL CANCER FIGHTING NETWORK IN GEORGIA Taking on cancer requires an elite clinical team. That's why Northside Hospital Cancer Institute has the most board-certified medical oncologists in Georgia. We diagnose and treat more new cancer cases than any other hospital in the state—providing care at 48 cancer centers. Backed by expertise and experience, we're built to beat cancer. Learn more at builttobeatcancer.com MH NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL CANCER INSTITUTE ■■BUILT to BEAT CANCER