Feb. 4 public hearing scheduled for Dawson land-use changes

Hearing is slated for Thursday, Feb. 4, at Dawsonville City Hall

Dawsonville City Hall

By Barbara Schneider
bschneider@bigcanoenews.com
After a two-week delay, the Dawson County Board of Commissions, on Jan. 21, heard public comment on proposed changes to the Residential Land Use Districts, Home Occupation and Site Plan portions of its land use plan. The last hearing is slated for Thursday, Feb. 4, at Dawsonville City Hall.

If approved the commission’s proposed changes likely will impact Big Canoe’s Dawson County residents in regard to licensing, fees and inspections for home-based businesses and short-term rentals. Big Canoe’s POA covenants already provide protections that cover outbuildings, signage and site plan requirements which are also included in Dawson’s proposed changes.

Big Canoe HOA President Carl Deane asked the Commissioners to consider the impact of home businesses within the greater community as they consider new regulations. “The main thing is to protect the flavor of the community, protect against nuisances and enforce traffic laws.”

Home-based businesses

If approved the commission’s proposed changes likely will impact Big Canoe’s Dawson County residents in regard to licensing, fees and inspections for home-based businesses and short-term rentals.

Home-based businesses make up 55 percent of all the business licenses in Dawson County. With widespread business closings, job loses and the sluggish national economy, commissioners anticipate a move toward more entrepreneurs starting small businesses in home offices. The county seeks to require residents who have home offices to apply for a business license, which typically costs $75 annually, and to be subject to an inspection of their premises.

“Is the desire for additional revenue driving this,” asked Commissioner Mike Connors.

Jane Graves, president of a coalition of Dawson homeowners, objected to the part of the proposed ordinance that would allow unannounced county inspections of home offices and “the severe penalty of $1,000 fine or six-months in jail for non-compliance.”

She noted that “Forsyth County exempts home businesses that operate virtually (computer, cell, phone) with no client visits from licensing.”

According to the proposed revisions, Permitted Home Occupations requiring business licenses would include:

Architects, brokers, counselors, clergy, draftspersons and cartographers, engineers, insurance agents, lawyers, real estate agents, accountants, editors, publishers, journalists, psychologists, contract management, graphic design, construction contractors, landscape design, surveyors, cleaning services, salespersons and manufacturer’s representatives, travel agents
Personal services, including barber shops, beauty parlors, manicure and pedicure shops, pet grooming, catering, dog or other animal obedience training, taxidermy services, and chauffeuring services Instructional services, including music, dance, art and craft classes, tutoring, and outdoor instruction to include tennis lessons, swimming lessons, etc.

Babysitting services, day care homes

Big Canoe’s covenants would not allow many of the home occupations (listed above) that are permitted in the Dawson County proposal.

Short-term rentals
Dawson County currently has no regulations governing short-term (less than 30 days) rentals. Changes under consideration for the county’s Residential Land Use Districts would ensure that residences used for short-term rental would comply with these requirements: one rental residence per parcel; pay all applicable hotel/motel taxes; provide off-street parking for a minimum of two vehicles, and no more than two people per bedroom plus two more.

The proposed ordinances regarding short-term rentals are an effort to put structure and controls around portions of the county’s land use plan that right now has no controls.” said Kevin Tanner, Dawson’s county manager, during an earlier phone interview with Smoke Signals.

He believes the new ordinances will give the county the authority to take action in neighborhoods where short-term rentals are causing real problems for adjoining residents.

Concerns about allowing short-term rentals throughout Dawson County brought many attendees to the microphone. Properties used as short-term rentals, particularly in the Chestatee/Lake Lanier areas, were often described as a neighborhood nuisance from April through October. Residents complained of late-night partying, noise, traffic, bags of garbage strewn on private property and offensive behavior. Some speakers were concerned that the proposed ordinances would encourage short-term rentals in more locations.

“There is a need in this county beyond hotels and motels for short-term lodging,” said former Dawson Commissioner Terry Tragesser. “But I don’t think bringing short-term rentals to residential areas is the way to do it . . . This [short-term rentals] puts the onus on every neighborhood to solve its own problems.”

Dawson Homeowners President Jane Graves asked, “Are you willing to change the nature of our neighborhoods to generate revenue?”

“How does short-term rental benefit the community?” asked another resident. “Who monitors the renter? What’s the cost of monitoring versus the tax revenue?”

Bill Bates, Big Canoe’s director of Public Safety, spoke in support of the proposed ordinances. Although Big Canoe’s covenants offer residents protection from most of the problems experienced by some Dawson residents living on or near Lake Lanier, Bates said, these ordinances will “give us teeth” to enforce regulations.

“I appreciate what you are doing,” Deane told the commissioners. “We have covenants [in Big Canoe] that protect us and full time security. Please give special consideration to enforcement of the proposed ordinances.”

To find more information about the proposed land use ordinances go to http://dawsoncounty.org/page.php?id=209&cid=197. The Jan. 21 and Feb. 4 hearings include the Residential Districts, proposed Home Based Business Regulations and the proposed Site Plan/Concept Plan Rezoning Requirements. Detailed information can be found under these headings: