The Dawsonville City Council could be looking to “patch up” sections of the historical district’s sign code during its Aug. 2 meeting.

It’s a measure that Mayor Joe Lane Cox feels is necessary given the recent onslaught of campaign signs from the July 20 primary.

The large number of candidates competing for Dawson County clerk of court meant more signs than in other elections. Cox said that in many places the signs were on public right of way.

According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, it’s considered a misdemeanor to place a sign along the right of way of a public road.

The right of way is generally where highways, railroads or power lines are built and maintained.

Councilman James Grogan said the city “[does] not want to take away from businesses looking to advertise.

“We don’t want to take anything away from them, but yet we don’t want to clutter our city with signs just to be able to have signs ... it can be too much sometimes.”

Cox said he feels the city of Dawsonville needs a fresh look at the ordinance in order to limit the size, placement and number of signs that appear along roads.

“[The ordinance] is not currently what it needs to be,” Cox said.

He added that the city has had problems with banners as well.

“I don’t have problems if somebody puts up a banner that says ‘sale’ or ‘meeting’ or any of that,” Cox said. “It’s when they leave it up for a month or two and it starts getting torn up and ugly, that’s when it’s a problem.”

Dawsonville resident Diane Sexton called campaign signs in the city “unsightly.”

“They’re just taking over,” she said. “We’re inundated with them.”

The city has scheduled two public hearings to amend the sign ordinance including at 5 p.m. Aug. 2. Another public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13.

DCN Regional Staff Writer Stephen Gurr contributed to this story.