Dawson County holds first public hearing on amended development impact fee ordinance

Dawson County planning staff opened the first of two public hearings on an amended development impact fee ordinance tied to the county’s updated Capital Improvements Element. Staff said the updates are intended to meet state legal requirements and presented a draft fee schedule that is intentionally below the maximum statutory levels.

A commissioner asked whether the staff recommendation under‑allocates to Fire/EMS, noting that impact fees cannot be used to pay salaries but stressing the county will still need equipment and facilities as growth continues. Several residents urged the board to shift more impact‑fee revenue toward Fire/EMS and roads: Harris Georgia described local EMS staffing shortages and asked that funds be redirected to hiring paramedics, while Shannon Stanford urged prioritizing road funding because of recurring traffic problems.

Miss Sharon said the county will hold a second public hearing on Jan. 16, 2025, and that staff will return with final documents for adoption after the second hearing. No fee schedule or fee adoption occurred at this meeting; the session was the statutorily required first public hearing.