Officials are calling plans to annex nearly 80 acres into the Dawsonville city limits a housekeeping measure.

City Councilman James Grogan referred to the more than 20 parcels as unincorporated islands.

"Many that are surrounded by city property on almost all sides," he said.

Grogan noticed these pockets of land while he was campaigning for office two years ago.

"I'd knock on one door, then I'd go to the neighbor's house and find out they weren't in the city limits," he said. "It didn't make sense."

It didn't make sense to the residents he talked to either.

"Some of them found out they weren't city residents when they went to city hall to vote in city elections," Grogan said.

"They didn't know where the city started and ended, and neither did I."

Grogan said approving the proposed annexations could clear up such issues.

Dawson County School Superintendent Keith Porter said approval would also simplify zoning requests and related issues the school system has encountered.

Nearly half of the properties in question are owned by the school system.

"We had several properties that were in both the county and the city," He said. "These annexations will consolidate all of our centrally located properties into the city."

According to County Attorney Joey Homans, Dawson officials have few complaints about the annexations.

Homans said the move would clear up service delivery strategies "regarding who is responsible for road repairs."

He did, however, send a letter of objection about the city's request to annex 5 acres on Hwy. 136.

The property sits outside the area that could be annexed in accordance with an agreement between the two governments over sales tax distribution.

Also according to the agreement, the annexed properties cannot be rezoned for one year.

The city will hold two public hearings on the proposed annexations. The first is set for 6 p.m. Monday in the G.L. "Pete" Gilleland Council Chambers at Dawsonville City Hall.