Dawson County is moving closer to being in compliance with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs after unanimously passing an amended comprehensive plan and future land use map last week. The comprehensive plan is used by elected officials as a guideline for future growth and development. The plan must be updated every five years and is a requirement to maintain Certified Local Government Status in Georgia, which makes the county eligible for state grants and programs. The board of commissioners failed to adopt an updated plan in 2018, putting the county out of compliance with the DCA. At a public hearing for the plan on Jan. 10, members of the Long Range Planning Committee commented that the process of updating the plan had been rushed toward the end of the year, and that they were uncomfortable with the proposed “character area map” that was included in previous drafts.