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Dawsonville holds public hearing on proposed firearm-discharge rules after Gold Creek residents report recent shootings
Summary
Residents of Gold Creek urged Dawsonville officials to act after recent rapid-fire gun discharges near homes; sheriff and Georgia DNR officers told the council a 150-yard buffer could be hard to enforce and existing state law addresses reckless discharges. No ordinance vote was taken.
Dawsonville — The City Council convened a special meeting on Dec. 9 to gather public input on a proposed ordinance restricting the discharge of firearms near residential areas after neighbors in the Gold Creek neighborhood reported recent rapid-fire gunfire near homes.
Mayor (presiding) opened the meeting and the council heard from law-enforcement officials, Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officers and more than a half-dozen residents who described safety concerns and property impacts.
Why it mattered: Residents said rapid or repeated discharges began appearing in their neighborhood about a month before the session and in one account a pony was struck by a bullet. Supporters of a distance-based rule argued it would help protect families and children; opponents — including local hunters and a landowner who read a state representative’s statement — said a 150-yard buffer from residential property would unduly curtail lawful private hunting and could be legally preempted by state statute.
What law enforcement told the council: Sheriff Jeff…
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