Dawsonville holds public hearing on proposed firearm-discharge rules after Gold Creek residents report recent shootings

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 Johnson, Dawson County sheriff, told the council he had pulled 911 records showing roughly 40 gunshot calls countywide in the past year and nine inside the city, with three in Gold Creek. Johnson said he supports the Second Amendment but is mindful of safety and enforcement limitations: “I don't know that it's gonna solve anything,” he said of a 150-yard buffer, adding that a gunshot alone would not necessarily give officers probable cause to enter private property.

Cody Jones, a Georgia DNR sergeant assigned to the area, told the council his agency has repeatedly checked the Gold Creek area and generally found licensed hunters following safety rules. Jones said the primary safety concerns are illegal behaviors — for example, 'road hunting' or shooting while intoxicated — and explained that, under state practice, only certain distances (notably 50 yards from a public road and school-zone restrictions) are specified by law: "You can hunt off your back porch…There is no distance from a structure," he said.

Residents’ arguments and evidence: Ashley Stevenson (164 Gold Leaf Terrace) said the green space behind homes had become hunting property and warned, "It only takes one time for a person, especially a child, to get hit." Diane Ralston (19 Van Ingram Road) described veterinary treatment for a pony she said was struck by a bullet on Christmas Eve and said she has photos of the injury. Other residents reported hearing multiple rapid discharges rather than single sight-in shots.

Legal concerns and political response: Blake Clark (Whitetail Ridge) cited the Georgia criminal statute OCGA 16-11-103 (reckless firearm discharge) and argued a city ordinance creating a 150-yard buffer could conflict with state law and be preempted. Michael Turner (a landowner) presented a surveyed map of his 40-acre parcel showing how cumulative buffers could leave little usable hunting area and read an "official statement" he said came from Representative Will Wade (the transcript contains variant spellings for the representative’s surname). Turner said residents would pursue an appeal if the council adopted an ordinance they viewed as unconstitutional.

Council action: The meeting was a public-input session; the council did not vote on the proposed ordinance. The council did approve its meeting agenda at the start of the session (recorded as passing 4-0) and later adjourned following public comment.

What happens next: Council members invited written comments and said residents who missed speaking could email or call to submit further input. No vote on the ordinance occurred at the Dec. 9 meeting.

Quotes (representative): "I don't know that it's gonna solve anything," — Sheriff Jeff Johnson on a 150-yard buffer. "You can hunt off your back porch…There is no distance from a structure," — Sgt. Cody Jones, Georgia DNR, describing state practice on distances from structures. "It only takes one time for a person, especially a child, to get hit," — Ashley Stevenson, Gold Creek resident, urging caution.

Ending: The council closed the special meeting after public comment and asked residents to provide additional input by phone or email; no ordinance vote or adoption occurred during the session.