About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (May 25, 2022)
Dawson County High School graduation keepsake edition included in this issue. DawsonCountyNews WEDNESDAY I MAY 25, 2022 Dawson News ► com dawsonville, GEORGIA $1.00 Vote on Etowah Bluffs rezone postponed Developers seek to build mixed-use village at intersection of Lumpkin Campground, Ga. 400 By Julia Fechter jfechter@dawsonnews.com Just as the Planning Commission did, Dawson County Board of Commissioners has delayed a decision on Fox Creek Properties’ Etowah Bluffs development. At Fox Creek Properties’ request, the board postponed a vote 60 days on the developer’s application to rezone 518 acres from five different classifications into one mixed-use village at the intersection of Lumpkin Campground Road and Ga. 400. In total, 986 housing units are being proposed for the mixed-use village, with an overall residential density of 1.88 acres. Tentative site plans show the multifamily and senior units closer to the front and the single-family detached lots extending toward the back of the property. The BOC will now decide the matter at their July 21 voting ses sion. Because a public hearing was held on May 19, there will not be one at the meeting in July. Fox Creek head developer Bill Evans asked for the postpone ment so his firm can “crunch numbers,” since it would not be financially feasible for his com pany to do the project’s commer cial aspects right away. Evans further explained that the order Planning and Zoning is asking them to do the phases may cause a problem, given the possi bility of a recession later this year. “There just isn’t a market to put the commercial in right now,” Evans said. BOC Chairman Billy Thurmond reminded his fellow commissioners that it would be a two-step process to fully approve what Fox Creek wants to do, if that ends up being the board’s decision. After the zoning chang es are approved, the board will have to vote on a master plan for the proposed mixed-use village. District 2 Commissioner Chris Gaines asked for the motion to postpone a vote given Evans’ request and the board’s responsi bility to consider all of the rele vant facts. “For me, I would not be ready to make a full decision because we don’t have the full picture... [tabling] would allow us the time to have all the facts and all of the pertinent details to make the best decision we can,” Gaines said. Many of the stipulations were ones that the county has already suggested or that Fox Creek has already incorporated into their application. Planning and Development Director Sharon Farrell read all of the stipulations as of Thursday into the record before the com missioners motioned to table. The stipulations included ones about infrastructure, such as pre viously-mentioned buffer and erosion/pollution-conscious rules as well as road improvements on and off of Lumpkin Campground Road. Fox Creek would be responsible for those improve ments and need to dedicate right of way. Georgia Department of Transportation and the county engineer or a designee must decide entrance and exit points See Fox Creek 12A ‘Once a Tiger, always a Tiger’ Erica Jones Dawson County News DCHS graduates process onto the football field at the beginning of the high school's Class of 2022 commence ment ceremony on May 20. Dawson County High School celebrates Class of 2022 graduates By Erica Jones ejones@dawsonnews.com On Friday May 20, hundreds of peo ple gathered at the Dawson County High School football stadium to cele brate the graduates in the DCHS Class of 2022. The commencement ceremony included the presentation of colors by the DCHS JROTC Color Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem performed by the DCHS Chamber Singers, and speeches by senior class officers, DCHS Principal Michael Negley, Salutatorian Jacob Hamil, Valedictorian Megan Wright and Superintendent Damon Gibbs. In her address to the Class of 2022, Negley commended the graduates on their accomplishments and accolades that they have earned over the past year. She encouraged them to move forward into the next stage of their lives with the skills and knowledge they have learned from high school, but to never forget the community that they came from. “Whatever you do and wherever you settle, remember one thing: once a Tiger, always a Tiger,” Negley said. “It’s about time to spread your wings, Class of 2022, but never forget your roots. You will always be in my heart and on my mind, and I will continue to pray daily for each and every one of you. I am so so proud of you. Congratulations.” In his speech to his fellow graduates, Hamil reminisced on his high school See Graduation 17A Will Jones For Dawson County News DCHS valedictorian Megan Wright speaks during the school's Class of 2022 commencement ceremony on May 20. Erica Jones Dawson County News DCHS graduates throw their caps in the air at the end of the DCHS Class of 2022 commencement ceremony on May 20. Council OKs land purchase for downtown By Erica Jones ejones@dawsonnews.com During the May 16 meeting of the Dawsonville City Council, council mem bers approved city staff to move forward with a land purchase of about 17.34 acres of land to be used for revitalizing and growing businesses in the downtown Dawsonville area. According to a presentation by Council Member John Walden, who has been work ing alongside the property owner to arrange details of the potential purchase, the land is located across Highway 53 from city hall and extends down to Highway 9, and it would connect the old downtown to the city hall area of Dawsonville. “This piece of property we’re looking at is a piece of property that would allow us to connect old downtown Dawsonville to over here,” Walden said. “As many people know out in the community, as far as busi nesses come the biggest problem is park ing; with this it allows us to have parking See Council 13A Lawyers for Roberts file for venue change By Julia Fechter jfechter@dawsonnews.com Attorneys for the defendant accused of kill ing 19-year-old Kaleb Duckworth have filed a motion in Dawson County Superior Court for their client’s trial to be moved to another loca tion. Defense lawyers John Luke Weaver and Michael A. Ray submitted the motion on behalf of 21-year- old Daniel Lee Roberts. He has been indicted on two counts of felony murder and one count each of aggravated assault and aggravated battery relating to Kaleb’s death. Roberts also has a separate pending aggra vated assault case in Dawson County. He was out on bond in that case when he allegedly punched Kaleb with a closed fist during their fight at the Dawson County Applebee’s on July 25, 2021. Roberts’ action allegedly caused the teen to incur serious brain damage. After the fight, Kaleb was taken to a hospital with severe brain trauma and died two days later. Bond for the 2021 case was initially denied, and following his July arrest, bond for the older case was subsequently revoked in August 2021. In December, after a pretrial hearing, bail for Roberts was set at $100,000, for a total See Roberts 12A Roberts 9 0 9 9 4 ® Events I Cl pi P Classifieds XX XljXvLv Dear Abby Deaths Volume 8, Number 20 j 1 © 2022, Dawson County News ° Dawsonville, Georgia Opinion Sports 2B 6B 3B 2A 6B 9A 1B 3A DPH: Consult pediatrician during formula shortage. 6A Attentive neighbors help save homes occupants.
