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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 consultations with the sheriff’s office about enforceability. "So 500 feet was a compromise, and that's what is before you tonight for discussion at this first reading," counsel said.
Council members' remarks split along two lines: those who said the ordinance is needed now to deter dangerous behavior and to give law enforcement a tool, and those who warned the 500-foot radius could be hard to enforce and might unduly restrict long-standing property uses. Councilmember Bartholomew suggested narrowing the ordinance to a negligence standard and adding safety education rather than a fixed-distance rule: "What we're really trying to address is when someone is negligent with a firearm," he said.
Others described specific neighborhood incidents — a bullet lodging in a home and shots heard near residences — to underscore urgency. Several members asked whether the sheriff's office "endorsed" the draft; counsel said the sheriff’s legal advisers reviewed and accepted the version being presented but noted ultimate enforceability will depend on facts in each case.
Because this was first reading, the ordinance will return for at least two more readings and public hearings. Council voted by roll call on first reading, with recorded votes showing seven in favor and four opposed; the ordinance proceeds to second reading and public hearing.
The next formal step is a published second-reading hearing where residents may testify and the council may amend the ordinance before final adoption.
