After previous public discussions, Dawson County’s recent changes to its property maintenance ordinance have many locals wondering what exactly they can and can’t do on their properties. 

This story continues below.

This Thursday, the Board of Commissioners will once again address the property maintenance amendments during their Feb. 16 work session.

That meeting will start at 4 p.m., and a voting session will promptly follow. 

The board first spoke about the property maintenance ordinance on Oct. 20, 2022, followed by a public hearing before the vote on Dec. 1.  (go to about 33:50 in the video for the ordinance portion). 

Highlights of the property maintenance ordinance include but aren’t limited to:

• Addressing visual and public health and safety-related blights or property issues

• renting of unfit dwellings 

• limiting residency in RVs unless it’s at a licensed-and-zoned RV park

You can read more about these rules in the slideshow below or by browsing through the board's agenda packet.

At the beginning of February, the Dawson County Marshal’s Office sent out the letter to county residents in violation of the new ordinance advising them of a grace period until March 1, when the new rules will start to be enforced. 

In a recent “Focus on Dawson” Facebook post, one user shared a copy of the marshal office’s letter, with several group members commenting to express frustration at having to strictly follow the ordinance while also paying taxes on their properties. DCN is seeking clarification on this letter.

During the new BOC’s first meeting on Jan. 20, multiple commissioners mentioned the need to take a longer look at all of the county’s Land Use Plan changes, including items in the property maintenance ordinance. 

If the board members decide to take that route, they could halt a full rollout of the maintenance rules, similar to the county’s ongoing moratorium on residential rezoning applications. That option would give them and citizens more time to review the ordinance and suggest changes.

People can attend the meetings in person at the Dawson County Government Center’s second-floor assembly room or online by watching live streams on the Dawson County Government Facebook page or videos on the county’s YouTube channel. 

The government center, also known as the new courthouse, is located at 25 Justice Way in downtown Dawsonville. 

DCN will report more on the revised property rules following the BOC’s Feb. 16 meetings.