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Council gives first reading to modernized animal control code and watercraft ordinance to align with state law
Summary
Charleston City Council gave first readings to updated animal control regulations and a rewritten watercraft ordinance that brings local rules into conformity with state law, including provisions on derelict vessels and mooring during named-storm emergencies.
Charleston City Council on July 15 gave first reading to two ordinances intended to modernize the city's animal control regulations and to rewrite its watercraft rules to conform with state law.
Council member Shealy, reporting from the Committee on Public Safety, said the ordinance to amend Chapter 5 would "modernize the city's animal control regulations" and that the committee had amended that proposal at its meeting. The council gave the animal control ordinance first reading by voice vote.
The council also gave first reading, by roll call, to an ordinance that repeals and replaces Chapter 21, Article 3, Division 4 (sections 21-67 through 21-74) and amends Chapter 22, Article 1 (sections 22-7 and 22-8) to conform local watercraft rules with new state law. The rewrite clarifies language on abandoned, derelict and sunken vessels and amends mooring rules, including a prohibition on mooring within 500 feet of a public dock while the city is under a state of emergency from a named storm.
Council took the watercraft ordinance first reading by unanimous roll call; the clerk reported the vote as unanimous. Council members thanked animal-control staff for work on the animal-control rewrite: Council member Brady singled out Animal Control Supervisor Courtney Bales and staff for their years of effort and urged support for the department's request for cancer screenings for firefighters as a related public-safety budget priority.
The ordinances will return for a second reading in a later meeting, allowing time for additional input. Council members noted that public-safety stakeholders and animal-care organizations contributed to the draft and that the animal control measure had been years in the making, according to members' remarks.
