Negative/positive on Dawsonville? (Atlanta, Lumpkin: 2014, crime, schools)

[saralyssa]

Originally Posted by spotrod

HOWDY, florida natives that moved here last summer from tampa! we love it ! we are between dawsonville and dahlonega up in the foothills. we do not lock cars or house. cost of living is way cheaper . ask any questions you want and i will answer to the best of my ability.

cheers

AMEN! We're planning a weekend trip up next weekend, staying with my husband's family there off 53.... can't wait to cool down some, too!

[Kinsale]

I've lived in Dawsonville nearly 4 years. I like it here, and plan to stay here a long time. Based on my own experiences, here are my comments:
Positives: Very friendly, small-town atmosphere, average to avg+ schools, easy access to shopping and recreation, medical access is fair, exclnt EMT fire-rescue, very good police dept., a few decent non-chain restaurants and OK chain restaurants; most of the county is still pleasant rolling hills edging up to the mountains, farmlands, and forest.
Negatives: Rapid growth and local politicians who cater to developers, inadequate water-sewer capabilities, no county-wide outdoor lighting ordinance, no choice on phone/cable, one-party politics (old-time Dems who have become Reps.), heavy tax burden due to failed Nascar museum, too many Atlantans with vacation homes here; and you can smell the chickens when the wind blows the wrong way.

[AKelley728]

Originally Posted by Kinsale

I've lived in Dawsonville nearly 4 years. I like it here, and plan to stay here a long time. Based on my own experiences, here are my comments:

Thanks for response. We're also seriously considering Dawsonville (vs. Forsyth county). We're considering the area east of 400 around War Hill Park Rd and Kilough Church Rd. We've also looking around Dawsonville proper (highway 9?). Anyway, if you don't mind expanding on some of your points:

Positives: Very friendly, small-town atmosphere, average to avg+ schools, easy access to shopping and recreation, medical access is fair, exclnt EMT fire-rescue, very good police dept., a few decent non-chain restaurants and OK chain restaurants; most of the county is still pleasant rolling hills edging up to the mountains, farmlands, and forest.

Schools - We've been comparing the Forsyth schools to Dawson county ones. We like the fact that the Elementary schools don't have 1000+ kids like the most of the Forsyth ones. How would your rank the Elementary Schools to each other?

Medical access: It seems the closest hospitals are Northside and Chastatee, both around 12-15 miles away. Are there ambulatory or emergency service centers in Dawson county?

Negatives: Rapid growth and local politicians who cater to developers, inadequate water-sewer capabilities, no county-wide outdoor lighting ordinance, no choice on phone/cable, one-party politics (old-time Dems who have become Reps.), heavy tax burden due to failed Nascar museum, too many Atlantans with vacation homes here; and you can smell the chickens when the wind blows the wrong way.

Growth and Developers: Can you expand on the comment that the politicians cater to developers? I'm sure Dawson county is growing, but it doesn't look like there's the same rate of new developments going up compared to Forsyth. Which is another reason we're considering this area.

Tax Burden: I heard about the Nascar museum, but how is that affecting (or has affected) the taxes? It still looks like Dawson County still has the lowest millage rate in the Atlanta area (22.43?)

Vacation homes: I would assume you're talking about lake homes on Lanier, correct? Do they overrun the town in the Summer?

Last question: Any opions on these subdivisions? Gold Creek, Harbour Ridge, Gates of Etowah, Savannah Trace?

[xxman777]

Originally Posted by AKelley728

Tax Burden: I heard about the Nascar museum, but how is that affecting (or has affected) the taxes? It still looks like Dawson County still has the lowest millage rate in the Atlanta area (22.43?)

Considering the NASCAR museum wasn't built I don't think it has affected the taxes at all. Most of the costs which were put out were paid for by a non profit. A small amount might have been paid for by city of Atlanta or possibly the State of Georgia, but it would be very small.

[Kinsale]

The city (and country, too, maybe; all the details are not available) spent around $15+ million on Thunder Road. Most of that was lost. The full tax burden of that has not yet hit the taxpayers. The city is annexing lots of land to add homes, to increase its tax revenue.

The main concern I have regarding the continuing growth is the lack of water. Some is available via neighboring cities & counties, but that may not last long and will get expensive eventually. The city & county are talking about building a reservoir, like Dahlonega has done, but that will be an additional tax burden. If I were moving to the area to be near family, I'd go to Lumpkin or Hall County. Otherwise, I'd advise people to move to one of the small, pretty towns south of Athens.

My comment about Atlantans with vacation homes here and north of here, is the heavy traffic that flows into the area on Thurs and Friday evenings, and then leaves on Monday mornings. (Not to mention the thousands of motorcyclists who clog the mountain roads from May through November on the weekends.)

[saralyssa]

Originally Posted by Kinsale

I've lived in Dawsonville nearly 4 years. I like it here, and plan to stay here a long time. Based on my own experiences, here are my comments:
Positives: Very friendly, small-town atmosphere, average to avg+ schools, easy access to shopping and recreation, medical access is fair, exclnt EMT fire-rescue, very good police dept., a few decent non-chain restaurants and OK chain restaurants; most of the county is still pleasant rolling hills edging up to the mountains, farmlands, and forest.
Negatives: Rapid growth and local politicians who cater to developers, inadequate water-sewer capabilities, no county-wide outdoor lighting ordinance, no choice on phone/cable, one-party politics (old-time Dems who have become Reps.), heavy tax burden due to failed Nascar museum, too many Atlantans with vacation homes here; and you can smell the chickens when the wind blows the wrong way.

Thanks for the detailed info, Kinsale! I had to laugh at the chicken comment! I was a little surprised to see so many chicken coops there the first time I visited Dawsonville years ago! I would also be worried about over development and the water/sewer issues. Although when we move there, we'll most likely end up w/ septic and well since we won't live in a platted subdivision (HOA).

Does anyone have any positive or negative thoughts on log cabins built in Dawsonville? Or log cabins in general?

Thanks again, y'all are great!

[piratelady]

I don't know what part of S. FL who coming from but it will be a whole different world for you. I live about 5 mins from Dawsonville. I wouldn't say NO crime, but not a lot. Closer to Cumming, there is more. Just in the past few days the same Eckerd has been robbed for prescription drugs. There tends to be meth problems. Getting VERY congested. My daughter is in 1st grade in Forsyth county schools and they are better than Dawson I believe. Dawson county STILL has only 1 high school for the whole county despite the growth. It's been rebuilt so it is new, but it is still the only one. LOTS and LOTS of traffic in the fall and summer it is overrun by lake people. Of all the places in ATL, I like it best. But I am looking to get out in a year or so. The traffic continues to get worse and the only thing they know how to build in Dawsonville is restaurants and stores. There isn't much to do here. You would have to drive to ATL to do anything, which can be a nightmare even on the weekends.

So it all depends on what you are looking for. For myself having been here so long, the growth has been troublesome with no end in sight. Growth is good, but being unprepared and unwilling to do anything about it isn't good.

[JDSmithson]

I realize this is a little off the subject, but maybe this forum can help me out. I am considering in putting a "twice the ice" ice vending machine in Dawson county. If you are unfamiliar with what I am referring to it is described in detail at icehouseamerica.com . Basically it is this, a drive up ice machine that dispenses a 16lbs bag of ice or a 20lbs bulk in a container of choice for $1.25 (twice the ice). I realize that Hall and Forsyth counties would be the obvious choices for an operation like this because of its proximity to the lake and population numbers. However, those counties have been bought up, in a territorial sense. If any of yall fell like Dawson County, Dawsonville particularly, has a need for anything of this sort or if you feel like this is terrible idea, I would love to know. Thank you all!

[puddintaine]

Actually, Thunder Road was built at the price tag estimated between 8 and 12 million dollars...and true enough, there were grants, but there was also the promise of pulling in 250K visitors per year.
Never happened. Not even close.

The money that went into that building does not reflect the money that was collected to build it. Someone got rich, but neither the building nor the displays reflected the amount of money that changed hands.

Thunder Road went into bankruptcy and was purchased by the Wallace Group/Phoenix One, and the City signed a lease purchase deal with Phoenix One. They're the same ones who built the facility.

So, what we have now, is a costly energy inefficient building (you should see the energy bills) being used as City Hall *and* currently housing the Georgia Racing Hall of Sh...errr...Fame.

This spring, the City government spent 400K on expanding the parking lot, another 7K on matching awnings, 378K on an upstairs conference room so the City can hold their meetings there.
That's pricey and the building still looks ridiculous.

If you haven't been, do get out that way the next time you're at the outlet mall.
Go in and visit "city hall", chat with the Mayor, ask him about the real "deal" they're selling that they're getting on the building.
What you won't get is any straight answers.

12 million dollars of "government" money.
Grants and "government" money IS taxpayer money, and it should be properly spent and accounted for.

The "upgrades" to this building are being paid for by taxpayers, in one form or another.

The City is demanding 2.6 million of SPLOST dollars to pay off the debt of this very cost inefficient building they are using to house City offices and the GRHOF, as well as Champion's Cafe, endeavors that have nothing to do, or should have nothing to do with City government, and yet, it has almost everything to do with City government.

It's a monkey we can't get off our backs.

I love Dawsonville, but the City government is running it into the ground with the highest density they can pop in, wild expenditures and poor, poor planning decisions.
Anyone who utilizes the open records acts and explores the monthly bills and expenditures of the City, just in building maintenence alone for that facility, will be horrified.
I invite and encourage the scruitiny.

[Kierajade]

Dawsonville is a beautiful place to live. I've lived in both Dawson and Forsyth for the past 8 years. It isn't much cheaper to live in Dawson than it is in Forsyth really. There still isn't much to do in Dawsonville, you'll end up either way driving to Cumming, Dahlonega, or Gainesville to find something to do. I wish I could tell you that Dawson county schools are great, but I would be lying. I went to the high school for 2 years after moving from the metro Atlanta area. Their education is pretty far behind for any year and they show no hope for anyone who cannot learn the way everyone else does. Special education students, such as those with learning disabilities, emotional disorders, ADHD and other disorders are just pushed along through the years, not taught anything to better their education. This I know very well. My brother has a learning disability, and was just pushed along through high school not knowing how to do simple math, and was hardly able to read or spell. Reading however, wouldn't have been an issue since half of my graduating class couldn't read past an eighth grade level. I suppose the teachers don't care as much about the education of our children as much as they care about enforcing an obviously irrational dress code or worrying about town gossip and making a scene over who doesn't share their beliefs. I have 3 children, one of which will be old enough to start kindergarten next year. I can honestly tell you that I will not be sending her to these schools.
Forsyth on the other hand I cannot say through my own experience, but I have family who lives there and have children within the school system. From what I have heard they are just as advanced with education as larger school systems. I wish I could given you a more positive opinion, but I don't really have one. Dawsonville is really for those who enjoy a slower more relaxed way of life in the countryside. I've also noticed that they have done an excellent job of getting rid of the drug problem that they had a few years back. If there's anything else you would like to know, I would be happy to answer to the best of my knowledge. I'm not gonna lie or sugarcoat anything so some of my answers may be a bit harsh. I don't really intend on sounding that way, but keep in mind that they're just opinions.