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Council advances first reading of ordinance to ban firearm discharge within 500 feet of buildings in parts of unincorporated county
Summary
Beaufort County Council held first reading of ordinance 2026/O6 to prohibit the discharge of firearms within 500 feet of residences, schools and public parks in specified unincorporated areas. Council debated enforceability and property-rights concerns before approving first reading by roll call, 7-4.
Beaufort County Council advanced a first reading on Feb. 23 of ordinance 2026/O6, which would add section 54-8 to the county code to prohibit discharge of firearms within 500 feet of certain buildings and public parks in unincorporated areas.
County counsel, introduced to explain the measure, said the ordinance grew from neighborhood complaints about stray bullets and was modeled on similar local laws but reduced from an initially proposed 1,000-foot buffer to 500 feet after…
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