BEAUFORT, S.C. (Sept. 21, 2020) – Beaufort City Council will hold first readings of several significant ordinances at its meeting on Sept. 22. They include:
Stormwater Protection: Ordinance would ban dumping of chemicals, paints, solvents, yard debris, sewage, garbage, furniture, and many other items into any water drainage areas throughout the City. Currently, the City is working on a $6.5 million project to improve stormwater drainage infrastructure in the Mossy Oaks neighborhood. City Manager Bill Prokop noted in City Council’s Work Session on Sept. 15 that garbage, debris, tires and furniture taken from the Jane Way ditch in Mossy Oaks had to be removed to begin the project. The City has several other stormwater projects on the drawing table as well. This ordinance would help protect the City’s investment into flood mitigation and also help protect Beaufort’s waterways from contaminated runoff.
Prohibition of Aggressive Panhandling and Solicitation: Ordinance would prohibit aggressive panhandling, which it defines as intentionally touching someone, or causing intimidation, or blocking or interfering with the safe passage of a pedestrian or vehicle, or soliciting on private property where signs of “No Trespassing” or “No Soliciting” are posted. This ordinance is in response to an increase in complaints to the Police Department about panhandling while diners are outside at a table, or at an ATM or night depository. These complaints have come from throughout the City, not just downtown, Prokop said at Work Session last week.
Prohibition of Camping in Public Places: Ordinance would prohibit camping – essentially setting up shelter, storing personal belongings, cooking – on public property, including parks and grounds owned by the City of Beaufort.
Ice cream trucks: This would amend the ordinance passed in 2016 that licensed and regulated food trucks, to allow ice cream trucks to be categorized with food trucks, and be allowed to operate in the City of Beaufort. The amended language says that ice cream trucks cannot be stationary at one location for more than 30 minutes, and can’t sound their bell or musical recording for more than three minutes once they have arrived at a location.
Each of these ordinances must go through a second reading before they take effect.
Sept. 22 agenda